Do you hear electro music blasting away in the background? That sweet smell of hot coffee floating through the air? Chances are that’s our very own Senior Software Engineer, Vandré Leal Cândido, furiously typing away, searching for software solutions and engineering greatness.
Hailing from the southeastern state of Minas Gerais in Brazil, Vandré joined UV back in 2016 before quicking rising to become a core part of the team. Among some of us, he’s known as “Garotinho”…
What does this nickname actually mean?
Some people call me Garotinho which is Portuguese for “little boy.” It’s a term of endearment because when I first joined the company I was pretty young — at least compared to the others!
What was your first role at UV and what do you do now?
I first started as a software engineer and have been working with technologies such as JavaScript, React, PHP, and Laravel since the start.
Can you share a little tip for how you make clients love working with you?
I believe the secret is not only in sharing accomplishments but also being communicative about challenges that can be overcome together, so everyone is engaged in the process of figuring out the best way to move forward. I also like to be forthcoming about alternate solutions that can be applied to solving a problem even if the solution is not the most attractive from a short-term perspective.
What non-work related activity are you obsessed with or passionate about?
- Electronic music. It’s the primary fuel that keeps me inspired alongside a large cup of coffee and a basket of pão de queijo (cheese bread). From the deep and relaxing sounds of labels such as Anjunadeep, Colorize, Pure Progressive, and Silk Music, to the more energetic beats of JOOF, Pure Trance, and Forescape. I can probably remember more labels than JavaScript frameworks, which is a big tell. My all-time favorite compilation would be Balance 005 by James Holden.
- TV shows. I have a soft spot for comedy shows such as The Office, Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The IT Crowd, and Community. These shows can brighten up even the darkest days. I also can’t get enough of shows like Mr. Robot, The Expanse, and Westworld.
- Gaming: From retro-gaming like the SNES classics of Super Mario World, Donkey Kong, and Top Gear to FPS titles such as COD and CS:GO.
Who has been your favorite UV client?
Ah… that’s not an easy pick! I would say Michelle from The Second Shift and Chris from Tapehub. From a brainstorming session to developing some cool features together, they were both a lot of fun to work with and very nice people. I’m particularly happy and proud of the result we accomplished for The Second Shift platform after almost two years working on it, not only from a technical standpoint but also seeing the platform thriving and fulfilling its core mission.
What do you love most about your time at UV?
I love everyone’s energy and friendliness, the fun moments shared together, and the knowledge gained from working alongside a lot of talented people.
What was your best “aha” moment?
The most memorable “aha” moment that I recall was figuring out that a microservice architecture was not the holy grail to a particular project after days of analysis and lambda functions invading my nightmares. However, I’d say that the beauty and the pain in software development is that these “aha” moments can be quite common and they are very thrilling to overcome.
Finally, do you have any advice for future UVers who want to work with us?
Yes! Head straight to our careers page and don’t miss out!
