Employee Spotlight: Parth Chandratreya, Software Engineer

He tells us about some of the best projects he's worked on so far during his time here, as well as his personal experiences working in software development in a remote-first environment.

Hi Parth! Tell us about your role at Pod Point.

Hello! I’m a software developer working in ‘Tiger Squad’ on work that impacts customers. After our team meetings each morning, I’m usually working on whatever current issue I’m tackling, whether it’s a feature I’m creating or a bug I’m fixing.

What made Pod Point the company you wanted to be a part of?

Before I joined, my dad bought a Tesla and got a Pod Point charger with it. I was really impressed with the app and their technology, and they stood out to me because they operate in an upcoming and exciting field where I could help solve new technology challenges. It’s an exciting industry with lots of changes and new stuff, especially from a software perspective, and I wanted to help work on cool ideas. So, I waited for the right job to come up by signing up for job alert notifications.

What’s been the best thing you have worked on since being at Pod Point?

Definitely the new Solo 3 release, which launched in Q4 last year. I got to work with a lot of other teams and people I hadn’t had the chance to work with yet, which was great because so many teams got together to work with a singular goal in mind. It was really nice to have a big collaborative process. There were also lots of other projects going on at the same time, so there was lots of work to do. Looking back, it was a challenge, but it was also really satisfying.

[The EV industry] is an exciting field with lots of changes and new stuff, especially from a software perspective, and I wanted to help work on cool ideas.

What keeps you motivated whilst working at Pod Point?

Working in the Software team on new features, I can see what kind of impact we’re having on customers and where we’re trying to lead the product. I think that’s the most motivating part for me. Someone out there is using our product and something I’ve created is helping them during their day, or there’s a cool feature they’re looking forward to. I think that indirect connection to our customers is really interesting and keeps me motivated and excited to work on new stuff.

How is it working with other teams across the business while being in a remote first company?

Initially it was a struggle for me personally. In my old role, the transition from office to remote was really easy because I already knew everyone. When I joined Pod Point, I didn’t know anyone, but everyone who’s been with the company a long time were all really welcoming and friendly, and introduced me to everyone, which definitely helped. Eventually meeting up in person made it better, including the first ever company-wide Residential where I got to spend a long time with everyone in a more relaxed setting. I think Pod Point did a really good job at making me feel welcome, and everyone is always open for a chat on Slack.

What has your experience been working as part of the Software Development team in the EV industry?

Working in the EV industry is so different to my previous work in e-commerce in terms of the technology. A lot of the time in software you work on websites, but Pod Point is really interesting because it has a software and hardware aspect. So working in this industry is exciting as it’s different with new problems that people haven’t ever done before, and it’s still in its early stages. Also, the industry moves so quickly and it’s very topical. There are always new regulations, and it takes time to meet them properly. Being so fast moving is hard and demanding, but also so much fun. I love the challenge, and it’s exciting to see where it’s going.

Someone out there is using our product and something I’ve created is helping them during their day…That indirect connection to our customers is really interesting and keeps me motivated.

Amazing! Now it’s time for the fun stuff. We’d like to know:

If someone was to write a book about you and your life, what would it be titled?

So it’s P-A-R-T-H: Explaining myself

If you could do any job in the world, what would it be and why?

Well I am currently in my dream job! But if I had to pick another profession, I’ve always really enjoyed learning about visual effects and CGI as it’s similar to coding. I would also be a chef as I love cooking, and trying loads of different cuisines, although my girlfriend doesn’t appreciate all the washing up!

If you were going on an EV road trip, which 3 songs would 100% be in your music playlist?

Kavinsky, Lovefoxx - Nightcall
Daft Punk - Giorgio by Moroder
Flume, Chet Faker - Left Alone

And there you have it! If you’d like to join Parth and the rest of the team at Pod Point, we’re constantly growing our company with talented people like yourself. To find your future role, head over to our careers page and browse our current vacancies. We look forward to working with you soon!

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