In this Wildfire Employee Spotlight, we're talking to Uzair Ashraf, one of our software engineers working on the white-label platform which enables our partners to create cashback loyalty programs.
1. How long have you been with Wildfire?
I have been at Wildfire for a year; I started in February 2021.
2. What are your main responsibilities at Wildfire?
I lead a team of four developers on the partner team. We specialize in designing and architecting software for partners using our APIs to offer their customers e-commerce cashback rewards.
Before Wildfire, I was a developer and an instructor at the LearningFuze Coding Bootcamp. I would build internal software and teach JavaScript to many engineers who are now working in the industry.
4. What are some things that you find different about Wildfire vs. past work experiences you’ve had?
4. What are some things that you find different about Wildfire vs. past work experiences you’ve had?
Writing software in its rawest form is the most creative thing a person can do. There is a lot of code in the industry that "just works" and I have unfortunately experienced that in the past as well.
The engineers at Wildfire are artists, and are given the creative freedom that any real software engineer would appreciate, and those who join our team as beginners, leave as masters of their craft. To summarize, growth and creative freedom is prioritized here.
5. What are 3 words you’d use to describe the culture at Wildfire?
5. What are 3 words you’d use to describe the culture at Wildfire?
Supportive, Respectful, and Memes.
6. What are your 2 most favorite things about working here?
The tech stack we use here is phenomenal. I didn't know any Golang when I first started but now I can hold my own. Working in TypeScript has let me write code freely without worrying about runtime errors. Building browser extensions and working with tech companies and Fortune 500 companies has been an incredible experience as well.
7. Do you have any pets? Who, and what, are they?
7. Do you have any pets? Who, and what, are they?
I have two cats, Shilo and Yuki. Shilo tends to keep to herself but Yuki is a little brat. She can't meow so she squeaks at my door when I'm working and likes to wreak havoc in my work space.
8. What do you like to do on weekends / your spare time?
When I'm not working on open source projects I am usually in VR. I'm a huge fan of VRChat and love talking to random people on the internet.
9. What is your favorite place you’ve ever visited, and why?
9. What is your favorite place you’ve ever visited, and why?
Japan. The culture, the air... can't wait to go back after the you-know-what is over.
10. What is one surprising thing about you that most people don’t know?
I was planning to be a professional driver before I got into software engineering.
11. Where would you like to retire?
I have always thought that retiring would be super boring. But if I had to pick one I would retire somewhere in the outskirts of Tokyo or Kyoto. I have always had this weird idea that I would purchase a building where I can teach programming to the locals for free.
Thanks, Uzair! Stay tuned for future posts where you can meet our awesome team.
Interested in joining the Wildfire team? We're hiring!
