Life as an Engineering Lead

The purpose of the article series ‘Life as a…’ is to capture and share what it’s really like to be working within the profession and sector. We feature, showcase and share knowledge, expert views and wisdom. Authentic. Insightful. 

Here, Jack Lazenby, Engineering Lead at Zigzag shares their take.

In approx. 30 words and plain English, what do you do?

Jack: I’m mainly responsible for building software development teams that are empowered and confident in building excellent software, driven by best practices ensuring high quality and delivery speed.

What’s your background, what has been your career journey so far leading you to where you are right now? 

Jack: I actually started off life wanting to be a footballer! Unfortunately, it didn’t quite work out, but fortunately I did always have a passion for computers and gaming and in the background I did a degree in Computer Science at the University of Kent which really helped me figure out that you can turn a passion into a career. I’ve been developing and leading teams for 7 years now and landing here at Zigzag where I can really have an impact in peoples and puppies’ lives is the icing on the cake. We’re really trying to bring something special with our app, Zigzag, so it is a real privilege to be able to do that here.  

What do you like most about your job? 

Jack: I absolutely adore the creative side of software development, in figuring out problems and delivering solutions in the best way possible! I also really enjoy helping guide others to become the best person they can be ; both emotionally and in their career! Being able to combine that with my love of animals at Zigzag is a bit of a dream come true, to be honest. We’re trying to bring peace of mind to puppyhood, the world over – which will not only make people’s lives’ better, but also puppies. It will also reduce the number of rehomed and abandoned pups too, so there’s a lot of good for us to achieve.

What has been your career highlight so far? 

Jack: At the risk of sounding cliche, I would say that working for Zigzag is! It aligns with my personal beliefs and love of animals greatly whilst also providing me with a great long-term career vision! I also get on really well with everyone here and although I’ve worked on some fantastic projects over the years, nothing tops this.

What are 3 key things you consider when choosing an employer? 

Jack: Good question! I’d say communication, flexibility and empathy ; the human emotion side of work is so important and this has been amplified over recent years. If you have an employer that will stick by you through thick and thin and show you loyalty, you’ll return that in kind.

What 3 top tips would you give someone to ensure that their skills and knowledge remain top notch? 

Jack: Personal development is key to any role, but especially development! I’d say there are the more traditional ways to do it such as reading books, but for me, I’d say that looking at YouTube videos where things can be broken down or visualised better is a really interesting space right now. Finally, I think that if you find a project that you’re interested in that is Open Source, then contributing to it is another way to keep your wits about you, and will also expose you to new technologies or ways of thinking!