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Life of a Frontend developer in a deeptech startup

On September 11, 2024, I had the privilege of speaking at the Software Crafters Cambridge meetup, held in the Cambridge Science Park. The talk revolved around my journey and experiences as a Frontend Developer in a quantum computing startup—a domain where cutting-edge science meets real-world application.

Why This Talk?

Frontend development in a deep tech environment is a bit different from what you might expect. It challenges not only your technical skills but also your ability to grasp some complex scientific concepts and translate them into functional, intuitive interfaces. I wanted to shed light on what it’s like to operate in such a unique intersection of technology and science and to share lessons learned along the way.

Key Takeaways

  • Clarifying the Frontend’s Role in a Deep Tech Environment
    Communicating the value of frontend development in a space dominated by algorithms and scientific computation can be challenging. Explaining my role to non-engineers often meant breaking down some concepts and showing how user-centric design transforms advanced tools into accessible, functional applications.

  • Thriving in a Rapidly Changing Environment
    Startups are fast-paced, and change is constant. Each new roadmap, pivot, or updated goal presents opportunities to learn and adapt quickly. This dynamic environment has helped me develop various skills, all of which all are needed to grow my ability to find a solution for different problems as an engineer.

  • The Power of Open Source in Deep Tech
    Open source software plays a crucial role in me experience there; Whether by integrating existing tools or contributing back to the community, it was buidling the trust with the users that they always have access to the codebase and there's no magic happening in it.

  • Finding Comfort in Uncertainty
    Deep tech startups are often filled with unanswered questions and evolving goals. Instead of being intimidated by uncertainty, I’ve learned to embrace it as an opportunity to experiment, innovate, and create value in ways I never imagined.

  • Why I Love It
    What keeps me engaged is the meaningful nature of the work—solving real-world problems, collaborating with brilliant scientists, and focusing on impactful engineering challenges over fleeting trends.

Reflections

The meetup wasn’t just an opportunity to share my insights; it was also a chance to connect with like-minded professionals passionate about software craftsmanship. Here's also the question that I received during the talk:

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For those who couldn’t attend, stay tuned! I plan to share more details and key slides from the presentation here on my blog.

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