Problem-Solver and Biohacking Enthusiast. Meet Maciej – a Backend Developer

Maciej loves to closely monitor the state of the applications he develops as much as the health of his body. Discover why he can’t imagine software development without telemetry and test-driven development. Read the career story of Maciej, Senior Backend Developer at Bright Inventions.

Have you always felt that backend development is the ultimate programming path for you?

Yes, I guess I never felt a strong connection with UI. I don't think I have that aesthetic sense in me. I was always more interested in the logical and technical aspects of software development.

You are an observability and app performance monitoring enthusiast. Why do you recommend implementing telemetry in software projects?

Nowadays, no one can imagine an application without logs – there's no debate here. Telemetry is simply the new standard, a step up. The boundaries are changing, and more and more software engineers cannot imagine a real-life application without implemented telemetry data monitoring.

It's our job as software engineers to constantly monitor the real state of the app, to see if it works properly and, if not, what isn't working as it should. Gathering data exclusively from logs is simply not enough these days. I could not feel comfortable being responsible for an application running on a production environment, without having at least a basic set of metrics telling me about application health.

Read Maciej’s tutorials on app performance monitoring with OpenTelemetry and Grafana:

How to Reduce Telemetry Data Produced by Your App

How to Improve Your App Observability (Easily) with Grafana and OpenTelemetry

How to integrate a Spring Boot app with Grafana using OpenTelemetry standards

At Bright Inventions, you are part of the team developing a telemedicine solution. What are the challenges you faced?

First of all, our client is still a startup, so requirements are dynamic, and deadlines are tight. One of the challenges is delivering features effectively and quickly finding solutions to our client's problems. To respond swiftly to the client’s needs, I follow best practices like modularity, test-driven development, and domain-driven design. These approaches may seem like catchy buzzwords, but they are helpful tools in my daily work.

Right now, one of the biggest challenges I face is integrating with external medtech providers. Our application integrates with, for example, an external clinic, and it’s our job to adjust our system to be able to receive and process data from external providers, even if their systems work completely differently.

The key aspect is multilevel testing, which enables me to quickly verify if any changes needed for a successful integration have affected some of the app’s functions. Without test-driven development, I couldn't be sure if adjusting to external parties wouldn’t introduce regression.

What used to be a challenge for you at work and now it’s not anymore?

When I joined Bright Inventions, I had to catch up on a lot of technological aspects, and there was a lot of learning to do. Now, the tech aspects are no longer a struggle for me. The challenges I face now are more communication-oriented. For example, I am still learning how to present technical aspects to clients' representatives in a simple and straightforward manner or to explain and justify architectural decisions to my team members.

What’s your story behind joining Bright Inventions?

I actually made it on my second attempt. My first recruitment process ended poorly. Back then, I was solely focused on completing my tasks, and the interview with Michał made me realize how much I still didn’t know about software development. I didn’t really understand what was happening behind the code I was writing.

That interview shifted my mindset; I understood that I had a lot of learning to do and that my job shouldn’t be about closing tasks, but about solving problems. I changed jobs in the meantime and didn’t plan to look for another, but my friend Ola, who didn’t even work at Bright then, convinced me to apply. She knew Maja from Bright Inventions and heard about the opening from her. A couple of years later, I recommended Ola to join Bright, and we work together now.

During my second recruitment process, I had an interview with Piotr, which was also very challenging. Piotr showed me how much I still needed to learn, but fortunately, my knowledge was sufficient for a regular position, so I was offered a job.

You have worked at Bright Inventions since 2020. What do you particularly enjoy about the job here?

I enjoy working in small teams and having a real influence on the software we develop. I can approach problems holistically, sometimes even noticing the issue myself, then figuring out solutions and presenting my recommendations to the client, and finally solving the issue.

That’s the problem-solving method that Mateusz taught me; he always shares with us the problem-solving pyramid “Helpful Hierarchy”, which has been guiding me over the years.

You recently became a tech recruiter. What skills are you looking for in candidates?

I look for the most valuable skill I've learned at Bright Inventions – problem-solving orientation. A perfect match is when a candidate understands that our job is not just writing code and playing with technology. Our real duty is solving clients' problems so they can earn or save money. What matters is solving the issue on time, not how beautifully crafted our code is, especially if it ends up having no purpose and, therefore, no value for the client and their business.

You run, swim, go to the gym, and more. How does sports activity make you a better programmer?

I also like snowboarding, windsurfing, and kitesurfing. :D My workouts are definitely a way for my head to rest. Sometimes, they also help me come up with ideas to solve issues I’m dealing with at work. While running, I often listen to tech podcasts, especially "Better Software Design," which I highly recommend. Therefore, I have several irons in the fire, which I cherish a lot. Learning new sports is also a great way to restore humility, which I think some software developers could benefit from as well.

Although sports definitely help me at work, I look at it more holistically. I am a biohacking fan and try to lead a healthy life, with sports being just one part of it. I also pay attention to the food I eat, aim for regular and adequate sleep, and more. I appreciate that Bright Inventions motivates us to lead a healthy lifestyle by organizing workouts with a professional triathlete and yoga classes. Sports activities help me use my energy surplus and keep my body healthy, which is my ultimate goal – to stay healthy.