Cloud developer: importance, tasks and job profile

Digitization is changing our working world from the ground up. This is why new job descriptions are emerging. But what is hidden behind the designations? We want to make that tangible in “And what are you doing?” Today: Felix Pattmöller, Cloud Developer at Matelso.

The start of the day as Cloud Developer

BASIC thinking: Hello Felix, you work as a cloud developer at Matelso. Describe to us in four sentences how you explain your job to new friends.

That’s always a thing for me: With Matelso, we are moving thematically in a heavily regulated and data-driven area – in the truest sense of the word: telecommunications.

This means that we deal with highly sensitive data in our daily work and therefore not only have to pay attention to the GDPR, but also to the provisions of the Telecommunications Act. That’s why I don’t talk in-depth about my job with new acquaintances.

Therefore, I usually formulate it very abstractly: “I collect and analyze data in order to provide our customers with statistically verifiable decision-making aids about consumer behavior.”

What does a normal day look like in your job?

First of all: There are no completely normal days in my job – they would be boring. The nice thing about working at the MarTech provider Matelso is that every working day writes its own story for us developers: usually starting with a new challenge that first has to be understood.

The underlying pitfalls must be analyzed and evaluated, then one considers which software components they could affect and what specifically needs to be done to solve the problem. Once that’s done, we can get creative and start creating something new for our call tracking or digital customer experience solutions.

“No cogwheel in the system should jam”

It’s not just about the questions of which new features we might need or what the whole thing should look like so that it’s fun to work with the system. Rather, it is important to plan strategically – also with a view to the overall software architecture – how everything fits into the solution and interacts with all other components.

No cogs in the system should get stuck, otherwise the entire user experience and thus the value of our software will be lost. And last but not least: As a cloud developer, I think all day from the user perspective – everything must be geared towards making the work of those who use the solution easier and helping them to fully exploit the potential of their company.

The tasks as a cloud developer

What do you start the day with?

After shaking the sleep out of my limbs, I dedicate myself to the most important task of the morning: making coffee. Then it’s off to the office and the day begins.

What tasks are in your area?

My main task is to continuously improve our MarTech solutions. There are two approaches: First, to plan and implement new features. Second, to optimize existing components – the more common of the two variants.
And: also the more difficult of the two.

Because in order to take the right measures here, you really have to understand how which components work in the application and how different elements interact so that the desired result is achieved in the end – let alone that the developer first has to analyze where there is one at all Optimization is necessary or would produce a real improvement.

In order to make this more tangible and plannable, we at matelso work a lot with microservices that we develop and code ourselves. These small applications can be seamlessly integrated into the corresponding functionality clusters and can be used quickly and easily to control other components such as telephony, video or chat servers more optimally.

They are also suitable for providing other services and thus optimizing the processes in our call tracking system. The result is almost always a significant increase in user experience – after all, it has to be fun to work with software.

Cloud Developer: A personal definition

How do you define and interpret your job as a cloud developer personally?

In my role, I’m largely responsible for ensuring that our software solutions for call tracking and lead management run smoothly – all components from telephony over IP to web tracking must interact seamlessly at all times and deliver the most value-added results.

In addition, especially in the MarTech industry: “Stagnation is death” and “Nothing is as constant as a change of position”! That’s why I work continuously with the product owner, who has overall responsibility for his subarea, and the product manager, who is fully responsible for the product, to determine during ongoing operations what additional features we can offer our customers and even more tease out of their processes.

In particular, the subsequent implementation of these extensions falls within my area of ​​responsibility. So there is a good deal of imagination and creativity in this job. But also mental flexibility, the ability to adapt to continuously changing situations.

It is also about in-depth business knowledge of the industries and specific requirements of our customers such as Autoscout24, the agency Moccamedia or the telecom company Vodafone. In short: A large portion of open-mindedness is absolutely necessary. Without that, you simply cannot be successful as a cloud developer.

Integration into the corporate structure

How is your position integrated into the company structure? Say: Who do you report to and with whom do you work?

Our team structure in the development department is hierarchical. Each department is represented by a product owner who reports directly to the head of product management.

He is responsible for the entire development and tech area and reports directly to our CEO. I myself am part of the Base Services team, which is very closely linked to my colleagues from the Product team.

The role of the cloud developer is interpreted differently in every company. What perspectives are you missing out on that are fundamentally part of the job description?

As so often in the life of a developer in a software company, the motto is: “After coding is before coding”. Even if actual service cases are not on our daily agenda, we are constantly trying to optimize things.

This includes, for example, developing and rolling out new features or even, as is currently the case, setting up a completely new digital customer experience solution and bringing it to market.

There is little time to be happy about successes at work – especially about the little ones, but they make a big difference.
But what many of my colleagues in other companies often complain about, namely that there are too few resources available for further training and keeping up to date with trends, does not apply to us.

We regularly have the opportunity to take part in conferences or training courses – and we use them. In this way, we continuously expand our knowledge of the latest technologies, which we then adapt to our specific applications and incorporate into our solutions, making them usable for our customers.

Fun and gratitude at work

What do you enjoy most about your job?

The feeling of having solved a complex, technical question about our SaaS software products creatively and successfully. If the result also looks good and generates added value for our customers, then this feeling is twice as nice.

What are you particularly grateful for?

My team and colleagues throughout the company are just great. You don’t experience that with every employer and it’s really something special. You are never alone and there is always someone who has a fresh idea, special knowledge or just a word of encouragement. This also applies when there is an emergency.

In addition, at earlier stages of my career, I had the experience that qualified computer scientists were already set for my position. That’s why I’m doubly grateful that I was offered the position at matelso with my training as an IT specialist for application development.

And how do you become a cloud developer now?

In the digital industry in particular, there is often no longer a classic form of training. How did you get your position?

I would say: in a very classic way about the training as an IT specialist and general interest in IT and coding. I was enthusiastic about technology as a child and decided early on to pursue a career in this industry.

What tip would you give to a newcomer or interested career changer who also wants to become a cloud developer?

In three words: code, code, code. Simply start at home on the PC or laptop, start your own projects and above all stick with it.

Because: “Skill comes from practice!” As a young person or career changer, you shouldn’t let failures distract you from your dream. Just do it and step on the gas, that’s the best way to reach your goal. That’s how it worked for me too.

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