Welcome to Go With The Flow, a FlowWest company blog series. Our bimonthly posts feature sneak peeks of projects currently under way and a bit more about our hardworking employees.
Dog-friendly
Jordan likes taking his husky mutt, Kona, around Austin because she’s a certified good girl.
How did you get into the environmental services sector?
One of the really nice things about being a software developer is that the industries and sectors we can work in are almost limitless. We can write code to create solutions for any needs. Before FlowWest, I had worked for a company that built smart fans (“Hey Alexa, turn my fan on.”), and before that, I was working on applications for data center asset management.
With that being said, funny enough, I actually went to college for, and got my degree in Geology from the University of Texas. So it’s been great coming full circle from studying geology, moving away from it to do software development, and then coming back to the environmental services sector, and getting to combine the knowledge I gained from my schooling with those from my career experiences.
What are some of your favorite projects going on currently?
The JPE Rotary Screw Trap data collection tablet app has been such a cool project to be a part of. It combines all facets and functionalities of the data team (software development with data modeling and data analysis). Additionally, getting to build a mobile application has allowed the software development team to get to learn and utilize new technologies we haven’t built with before. Another project that I’ve enjoyed getting to work on is the Consolidation Step Zero Cost Estimator Application. It’s our first project in the drinking water domain, so it’s been interesting learning about all that goes into ensuring safe, affordable, accessible drinking water.
The tablet app requires a different approach than for app-based development. I had to learn React Native and other languages to keep the app performing well in the modern digital ecosystem. Our other employees, Ben Pintel and Hunter Herrera, are working on the front-end of the app, while I’m overseeing the software development and server implementation.
What was your biggest accomplishment in the last year, FlowWest-wise?
Helping build out our awesome software development team. At one point, I was the only software developer in the company. Now we’re a team of 4 really great developers, which allows us to work on and create multiple applications at once. It’s been extremely rewarding witnessing the progression of what our team is capable of building as we’ve grown.
What is something that everyday people can do to help their local watershed?
One thing that resonates with me in multiple ways: cleaning up after your dog. That helps keep those pollutants out of the watershed, while being considerate of those walking in the area.
Where do you see the future of FlowWest?
I’ve had the pleasure to see the company almost double since I’ve joined, allowing us to take on more projects, and make a greater impact in those areas. As our company gets more distributed across the state and country, I hope we get to see our work expand into those areas as well. Our company and team skill set and services are so unique, and I’d love to be able to utilize them in finding solutions for issues most affecting our environment, no matter the location.
