Team Impel includes musicians, foodies, avid animal lovers, athletes, and more, and their passion, energy, and grit make Impel successful. Impel’s Employee Spotlight Series highlights one of our incredible teammates each month, giving you an authentic and behind-the-scenes look at our culture. This month we’re introducing you to Software Engineer Karan Gaikwad.
Tell us what a day in the life of a Software Engineer looks like.
Being based in NYC, I am usually remote but will meet at a WeWork location with the other engineers once a week. On a typical day at home, I’ll wake up, make breakfast/coffee and be at my desk by 9 a.m. My work is mostly guided by my team’s Jira board. I’ll typically have a few tickets at a time and grab new ones as they come depending on the priority. We try to avoid meetings unless they’re necessary ~ sometimes we will have department meetings or team meetings but for the most part, I just speak to whoever I need to work with for my specific tickets directly or set up a call with them one-on-one. As a Software Engineer on the L3 Support Team, my Jira tickets usually involve writing some Javascript or Python and looking through the codebase to find, identify, and fix bugs or issues as they arise for our clients.
Which Impel core value resonates with you the most and why?
I’d have to go with inventiveness. Curiosity drives us forward. I’m always looking to learn new things at work about the company, the industry, or other people. Exploring uncharted territories with new ideas makes me feel like I’m constantly growing, and that’s what I like best about each day.
Are there any tools, software, or resources that you find indispensable in your daily work?
As a Software Engineer, there are so many tools, software, and programs constantly evolving to make our jobs easier. Generative AI tools are making the usual Google search much more efficient and time-saving. I’m not sure if I would call these things indispensable just yet, or if there are any in particular I am super attached to, but I love being in a field where the industry is always working to optimize itself. It presents the opportunity to learn new things constantly in order to make old things easier and give everyone more time to work on new things again!
Who is someone who has been a role model or mentor to you, and how have they impacted your life?
My parents have been role models for me all my life. The sacrifices they put into immigrating to America, leaving their family, and raising my sister and me motivate me every day.
How do you like to relax and recharge after a busy week at work?
My friends in the city mean everything to me. Whether it’s at an apartment, a bar, or online playing video games, I tend to spend my weekends hanging out with my friends. Either that or sleeping in.
Tell us about a skill or talent you have that might surprise your coworkers.
I’m a really fast crabwalker!
Can you share a favorite vacation destination or travel experience?
Earlier this year, I went to Antigua, Guatemala, where I did an overnight hike at a dormant volcano, Acatenango. After hiking for about five hours we got to our campsite, and then I did an additional two-hour hike to climb closer to Fuego, an active volcano next to Acatenango. It was constantly erupting all night! The view above the clouds during sunset next to the magma and smoke coming out of Fuego is probably the best I’ve ever seen.
Karan’s curiosity shows in every aspect of his work, making his profound interest in exploring uncharted territories a valuable approach to keep pushing the boundaries of Impel and everyone that surrounds him.
