Aries Systems Corporation

Tell us a little about yourself – how long have you been working for Aries? What did you do before joining Aries?

I joined Aries in August 2021 as a Software Engineer III. I have a Master’s degree in Science in Computer Science from University of Massachusetts, Boston. Prior to joining Aries, I worked as Web Developer in Academic Technology Center at Bentley University, as a Freelancer at Roundware Inc., and as a Software Engineer at Tech Mahindra LTD in India.

How have your previous roles helped you in your current position?

In my previous roles, I worked on .Net stack and web applications. This experience directly helped me delve into Editorial Manager (EM) code base which is large and non-trivial. Various soft skills that I acquired in my previous roles helps me in my current role that involves constant collaboration with other engineers and cross functional teams.

How do you stay up to date with customer needs and industry trends in your field?

I learn about user needs through collaborating with other team members and attending quarterly planning meetings, program demos, and sprint feedback meetings where customer insights are shared. I keep myself abreast of latest technologies in Engineering through reading technical articles/blogs and through pursuing courses on LinkedIn Learning/Udemy.

Tell me about your department and the people you collaborate closely with.

As a software engineer, I work on developing various features and fixing bugs in our workflow management solutions. My role allows me to enable new customer workflows and alleviate any existing pains with bug fixes and usability enhancements. I just recently shifted to a new agile development squad, and we collaborate through daily standups, sprint planning/grooming meetings, and other individual ad-hoc meetings as needed. I primarily collaborate with other engineers and product owners.

Describe your typical workday.

Each day is slightly different and interesting in its own way. I start my day with catching up on messages/communication on pertaining team channels and then resuming to work on my tasks for the sprint and compiling my notes/status for the standup. I discuss my progress and ask any questions I might have on my tasks in the team standup meeting. After this, I mostly focus on the tasks for the sprint with ad-hoc meetings as needed. My primary responsibility is to write reliable and clean code to develop new features or making corrections in the existing code base, directly contributing towards Aries’ mission of serving the scholarly research community with innovative technologies. 

What do you most enjoy about your job? What do you enjoy most about working for Aries?

I like that my role entails problem solving, technical challenges, constant collaboration with others and learning new things. I like working for Aries, as there is emphasis on flexibility, work/life balance, and there are multiple opportunities to learn both through projects and dedicated trainings.

What are you currently reading, listening to, or watching?

I just started my Github copilot journey, and I am excited to learn more in this space as Generative AI is already here and seems to hold the future.

Tell me about some of your hobbies/interests outside of work.

Outside my work, I love chatting and playing with my two daughters, as well as doing yoga and meditation.