Hi! I'm Kayla, and I'm a Technical Lead in Quantexa's Delivery Team👋
The Delivery Team at Quantexa is responsible for implementing proof of concept and implementation projects for our clients globally. We are composed of Data Engineers, Business Analysts, Solution Architects, and Project Managers. As Data Engineers progress in experience and seniority, one of the most common directions they may pursue is becoming a Technical Lead (TL).
TLs run the technical aspects of a Quantexa project from start to finish. They work with Solution Architects, Project Managers, and the Quantexa Customer Office (QCO) to scope and define projects, create the tasks and set the direction for the other Data Engineers, and foster the development of their team. They also have a dedicated TL Practice where they are expected to share knowledge across projects, produce best practice materials, and feed learnings and experience about product usage back to R&D and the wider Delivery community.
Boston Technical Leads post sushi boat
Daily responsibilities for Technical Leads
TLs work on one or more projects, usually as both a Data Engineer and the lead. They spend time conducting 1:1s, working with the other stakeholders in and out of Delivery to assess the project state, liaise with the client to offer any clarity around items that require more technical background, and work on other initiatives to help grow the company.
About me
I’ve been with Quantexa a little over 4 years. I began as an associate Data Engineer after completing my M.Sc. in Data Science. I love getting involved in the office and helping plan events to get us all together outside of project work.
As far as hobbies, I’m obsessed with spin and attend at least twice a week. I recently adopted a dog and only go into the office 2-3 days a week while I train her. On commuting days, I’ll either go to the gym and weight train or go to a nearby group fitness class via ClassPass (another obsession). On work from home days, I love going for long walks with my mini Poodle, Vivienne. I’m a massive walker and take her out for 5-7 miles per day + squeeze in a trip to the dog park so she’s too exhausted whenever we’re in the house to cause any mischief.
Running Bootcamp
How I start my working day
I start every day with some sort of activity – either a class like spin or walking Vivienne. I am not a morning person, so I always pack my bag the night before if I’m going in. If I work from home, I try to walk Vivienne early so by 9AM she’s passed out on the couch, and I can fully focus on my day ahead. From there, coffee is my second priority, and this gets me going through morning standups and other meetings.
Vivienne post morning walk
My daily schedule
Most days start with joining stand-ups for any projects I’m involved in. I’ll get a status update from the team on their progress and address any potential blockers. If there’s anything that warrants a deeper discussion, I try to immediately meet with these teammates after standup to unblock them. After this I will either have internal or client calls where the current state of the project is discussed, and then I’ll get to work on my own development items or review code for my teammates.
In my downtime, I like to get involved with office socials, find ways to improve the experience at Quantexa, and take any courses that interest me on Udemy.
What I enjoy most about my role
I get to work with a wide variety of people, software, and Quantexa solutions. I’m always learning and each day is different. This is a company where you’re able and encouraged to ask for more opportunities or make suggestions for improvements. I feel work truly is what I make it to be at Quantexa.
I’ve also gotten the opportunity to work from the Boston, New York, and London offices for extended periods of time and it never ceases to amaze me what a fun and talented group of individuals Quantexa is made up of.
Main goals as a Technical Lead
- Deliver projects on time and under budget
- Keep scope-creep at bay and provide advice on project direction and success criteria
- Proactively identify risks, blockers, and delays
- Develop and mentor teammates
- Foster a strong client relationships
- Feedback experience and expertise to the company
My most memorable moments at Quantexa
Organizing office celebrations – I love to get involved in social events to help foster the office culture. For one Quantexa birthday celebration, I brought in a pinata and did a round of pin the tail on the CEO (sorry Vish!).Â
 Pin the tail on the CEO for Quantexa’s 6th birthdayÂ
The most important attributes of a Technical Lead
- Ability to delegate – chances are, you can always delegate more, and your team may appreciate being given the opportunity to demonstrate their capability.
- Comfort with being flexible – one of the biggest enemies of a well-functioning project or code base is the inability to adapt to changing needs. Similarly, keeping a narrow mindset on how best to approach is a recipe for inefficiency.
- Giving and requesting constructive feedback – your team won’t know where their weaknesses lie or how to improve them unless you let them know in a timely fashion if there’s something they should adjust. The team have vital information on how your leadership is allowing them to do their job so it’s equally important to get their candor to ensure you’re continually improving as well.
- Communicating well and often – don’t assume that someone knows everything you know whether it’s internally or externally. Fostering alignment early on makes everything easier when issue inevitably arise.
What I'm excited about at the moment
Successfully delivering a recent PoC and working on some internal initiatives to help our junior data engineers build strong technical foundations and retain these between client projects.
