This week, we sat down with Andrés Curcio, a Software developer in Test on our Core Services Testing team in our Buenos Aires, Argentina office. Our engineering teams are small and cross-functional, so testers have the opportunity to lead both team-related and product-specific responsibilities. They partner and collaborate with front- and back-end engineers across teams in order to improve our testing processes.
What is your favorite thing about working on the Engineering team at MuleSoft?
One of the things I enjoy most about working on the MuleSoft Engineering team is the opportunity to interact and learn from experienced colleagues who are open to sharing knowledge, exploring new solutions and, most importantly, value self-improvement.
I also love working with people who embody MuleSoft's core values, including being good a human and owning what they do. Overall, the work environment is encouraging and motivating, especially when it comes to bringing new ideas to the table.
What is the most interesting problem you're working on solving right now?
The most challenging and exciting problem for me is how I can use my existing skills and develop new ones in order to help the team better tackle our responsibilities and challenges. For example, I am currently working on a methodology for developers on my team. This methodology, which is all about sharing the ‘testing mindset', will help the team understand the testing process from beginning to end.
Also, another challenge I'm currently tackling is brainstorming ideas and solutions that will help the team improve performance testing and automation test suites––enabling us to set aside more time to conduct newer exploratory tests.
How did you become a Software Developer in Test?
I became a Software Developer in Test after receiving a golden ticket inside a chocolate candy bar!
More seriously, I started my career working as a First and Second Level Support Analyst. I then transitioned to work with servers and networks. I also worked as a Networking and Systems administrator. At some point, after all those experiences, I realized that writing scripts to automate repetitive tasks is not only very useful, but also very fun. That is when I turned to software!
When I look back at those times, I did not know what ‘testing' was about––so I can't tell you that the transition was a conscious decision. Honestly, it'd be more accurate for me to say that I stumbled into the testing field… or that a force pulled me to it! That is when the “nerd” in me awakened and, since then, testing has been my passion.
Why did you choose to come work for MuleSoft?
Ignacio Esmite – a friend of mine who I worked with several years ago – had a lot to do with it. We occasionally talked to each other to catch up on projects and ideas. He spoke about the company – MuleSoft – several times. In every conversation we had, he shared something related to MuleSoft. This piqued my curiosity and I eventually began to realize that MuleSoft is an outstanding place to work.
I also saw that the work environment at MuleSoft is very fast-paced, and this presented a great opportunity for me to grow my career. Finally, I was drawn to the company culture, the caliber of the people I get to work with, and the opportunity to learn more about the testing field.
Take us through a typical day in the life.
First, before I leave to the office, I check several Slack channels for questions and any requests for help. Then I go through my emails and respond to any questions as well.
Once I am in the office, I dive straight into Jira and check for tickets from the Support Team regarding any questions raised by our customers.
Then, because I think it's important to spread the word, I go on social media and share posts from the MuleSoft blog. I also share any open positions we have (by the way, our Buenos Aires office is hiring! #runwiththemules).
After that, I dedicate myself to team-related tasks––from tackling stories and brainstorming ideas for improvement to preparing for meetings with the rest of the Core Services team, which is located in our San Francisco headquarters.
What 3 things are always on your desk and why?
That's an easy one! I like to keep my desk as empty as possible. You're more likely to find two things on my desk: a thermos and a yerba mate.
As most people in IT from Río de la Plata will tell you, mate is one of the best and most loyal companions you can have––especially during long nights studying for finals!
What teams do you work with most, and how do you collaborate?
As a member of the Core Services team, I get to interact with several Anypoint Platform teams, including the Support team and Anypoint Exchange teams. I work with them to answer questions, provide input, and shed relevant insights in order to bring us closer to delivery.
However, if I were to name one team in particular, I'd say I work most with our Support Team. They are the people who stand in the frontline, especially when it comes to working and helping our customers and, from my point of view, it's really important for us to work closely with them.
What is your favorite activity outside of the office?
Well, since I'm quite a nerd, I'm into several activities outside of the office!
First, I try to learn new things as much as possible, which is why I usually take courses from nearby institutions or online through Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC). I'm also fond of running, meditating, watching Netflix, climbing the ladder in Clash of Clans, and exercising fighting skills––especially in those old fashioned Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter games!
Apart from that, I like taking strolls in the city of Buenos Aires––where there are so many places to visit, discover, and experience. Lastly, my favorite hobbies are reading, going to the movies, doing Yoga, cooking and, more recently, I started training in Martial Arts too!
What is your proudest accomplishment in your role here so far?
I'd say that my proudest accomplishment is building the testing and work methodology framework. This project has enabled the team to proactively identify any existing gaps and add them to the requirements before a code is written. This methodology has been widely adopted by the broader Engineering team and, more importantly, it has also motivated us to broaden our way of thinking and ensure the consistency and quality of our work.
What is the latest technology you've learned to use?
These days, I am mostly dedicating my team to learning programming––specifically how to use JavaScript and its related programming frameworks. For example, I am currently learning ES6 and Angular. And I plan to later learn React as well.
Interested in working for MuleSoft? We are hiring! Learn more about our engineering team. Apply for a Software Engineer in Test in Buenos Aires or San Francisco; or, check out other open positions on our Careers site.
