A Day in a Life
The beer brewer helping SeaLights make life easier for software engineers
Elhen Shmailov, a Backend Developer, loves the people and the work at SeaLights, which even brands his home-brewed beer
ID
Name: Elhen Shmailov
Age: 27
Place of residence: Tel Aviv
Company: SeaLights
Position: Backend Developer
Photo: Anat Eshel and Roni Chen
For a Starter
Hey, I’m Elhen Shmailov, originally from Kiryat Gat. I joined SeaLights a year ago after serving 6 years in the IDF Air Force as a software developer and backend team leader. As a person who grew up in the periphery and succeeded in breaking the glass ceiling, I always do my best to contribute by giving back to the community. I give lectures to high school students, with the purpose of exposing them to technology and encouraging them to believe that they too can pursue a career in the tech world. This is made possible in large thanks to the support I receive from SeaLights where they encourage me to pursue my personal passions.
What is so special about what your company does? For me, the most special part of SeaLights is the people. I know it sounds like a cliché but in our case, it’s actually true. You're welcome to come and see it for yourself. Moreover, it’s that we actually solve problems that we, as software engineers, experience every day. If you’re in a big company with dozens of builds per day, you know exactly what I mean. SeaLights provides data about how risky your code is, then we suggest ways to save time during testing. For those tired of endless CI cycles, with SeaLights you can drastically cut down your CI time and your waiting time as developers.
What do you enjoy the most about your work? There's nothing like teamwork, especially in a fast-paced environment like SeaLights where things are rapidly changing. In addition, after closing a Series B funding of $30 million, the company is growing fast. The R&D team has an especially big responsibility as the product grows and we need to make many important decisions at any given time. The cool part is that I can truly impact the product and influence SeaLights. Ohhh, and the coffee! We all love our coffee & tea breaks.
SeaLights team. Photo: Anat Eshel and Roni Chen My Daily Routine
9:30
First coffee. My morning starts in the kitchen with the gang, we drink coffee and enjoy some music. After that, there is a team meeting with a quick sync before we start our day.
11:00
Let the fun begin - The most interesting parts of my day: coding, design, testing, brainstorming, decision making, and of course deciding what to eat for lunch.
12:30
Boom! New idea! Pop in to my colleague, brainstorm together, and start turning my idea into reality.
15:00
Coffee break with the team. Talk about our day so far, then back to work, code, debug, test, design and try to think of new features for the product.
18:00
Time to head home (not before another hallway conversation). I finish up in the office, close my laptop, and then go spend time with my roommates and friends.
Beer Lights. Photo: Anat Eshel and Roni Chen
After Hours
What do you like to do in your spare time? I love hanging out with friends, but what's (probably) more interesting is that I brew my own beer. Actually, my beer is so good that SeaLights branded it and we drink it at happy hours. Can it get cooler than that?! SeaLights doesn't just 'allow' my hobby, they even encourage it!
Apple or Android? Nowadays I am using Android, but I'm sure that someday I will move to Apple.
What type of music do you listen to? I've been listening to rock and metal since I was 6-years-old, so mostly that and electronic music. I wish I knew how to play an instrument, so I could have joined the SeaLights band when they got together.
What do you want to do when you grow up? Probably be a teacher in order to try to influence teens.
What is your favorite Netflix show? Dexter :)
