Meet Jan - Database Tech Lead
WHAT’S YOUR TIPICO STORY?
After finishing my vocational training at 1&1, I started working at Tipico in 2017 as a Database Administrator. Right from the start, I got the chance to grow both professionally and personally. Over the next five years, I learned a lot about my role and the company. In 2023, I was promoted to Technical Lead of the Database Team. Tipico has played a big part in shaping my career, and I'm excited to see what comes next!
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION OF TIPICO?
When I first joined Tipico, it had this vibrant startup vibe where everyone knew each other, and collaboration felt natural and exciting. It was inspiring to work on innovative projects and witness the business grow year after year. The energy, creativity, and shared passion for success made it a fantastic environment to be part of.
WHAT HAVE BEEN YOUR BEST MOMENTS WORKING HERE?
One of the greatest moments was the migration from on-premise to AWS cloud. Being part of such an important project and supporting other teams with database-related topics was incredibly rewarding. I also enjoy working on any kind of migrations, whether it's moving data into a new microservice or handling database migrations. These experiences challenge me and make my work exciting and fulfilling.
WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU FACE?
One of the biggest challenges is staying up to date with the ever-evolving technology stack. We often have to adapt quickly to shifting priorities, which can be tough at times, but it also keeps the work exciting and never boring. We also need to stay on top of regulatory requirements while continuously ensuring our tech stack is current and compliant.
WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT TIPICO?
What I truly appreciate about Tipico is the way we work. Here, you get the freedom to choose the technologies you want to use and the opportunity to explore projects beyond your daily tasks to drive improvements. Plus, your efforts are genuinely valued and recognized—something that's not always common elsewhere. Tipico is also incredibly innovative, and the chance to work with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds is a great experience that adds depth and perspective to our work.
WHAT DOES YOUR DAILY PITCH LOOK LIKE?
There’s no typical day in my role—while we have daily tasks, each week brings something new. My focus is often on important projects, improving automation to reduce time spent on repetitive tasks, and debugging database metrics to resolve incidents and identify root causes. I also work closely with our development teams, helping them design database solutions for new services or collaborating on migrations. As we increasingly leverage AWS managed services, tasks like maintenance and patching are becoming less frequent, allowing us to focus on more strategic initiatives.
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO?
With new team members joining us, I’m excited about building a strong, cohesive team that works seamlessly together. I’m also looking forward to exploring more opportunities to leverage managed services and selecting the best database technologies for each project—whether that’s relational, NoSQL, object, or graph databases. Additionally, the field of generative AI looks incredibly promising and fun, and I’m eager to see how we can incorporate it into our work to drive innovation.
AS YOU KNOW WE LOVE SPORTS.. WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE?
In my childhood, I enjoyed playing Football and Table Tennis. Nowadays, I focus on Calisthenics and Triathlon to pursue my goal of becoming a Hybrid Athlete. I recently completed my first middle-distance Ironman and am currently preparing for a long-distance event. The journey has been both challenging and rewarding, and I can't wait to see how far I can push myself!
WHAT IS YOUR ONE PIECE OF ADVICE FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN BEING PART OF OUR GAME?
Technology evolves rapidly, and to stay competitive in this exciting field, it's essential to keep learning and staying up to date. Embrace change, stay curious, and never stop growing—this is what makes being part of our game so rewarding. Being a team player is crucial, collaboration and supporting each other are key to success, so always be ready to contribute and learn from your colleagues.