Thoughtworker Spotlight: Eisa Keramatinejad
May 19, 2023
Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes
On this week’s Thoughtworker Spotlight, we have Eisa Keramatinejad! He’s a multi-talented individual, who’s as skilled in developing robust code as he is in nurturing creativity. By day, he’s a software engineer, working with clients to continuously improve processes and introduce best practices in product development.
Eisa is also a leader in the API (Asian Pacific Islander) ERG at Thoughtworks Canada, building a supportive community for API Thoughtworkers to strengthen ties, raise API voices and visibility. This API Heritage Month, the mighty leaders organized celebrations ranging from a Snack Showdown, movie viewing and discussions, an in-person API Festival and much more.
Beyond the realm of coding, Eisa steps outside of his comfort zone, taking on stand-up comedy at open mics and embracing the wild ride of laughter. When he’s not cat caregiving, you can find him playing the cello, setting his team up for success at volleyball and dedicating time for life drawing. Based on his strengths and skills, can you guess Eisa’s favourite products? Hint: These are great tools for keeping his creative juices flowing.
Tell us about what you do in 50 words or less.
I am a software engineer! I develop robust, working, and efficient code for clients, and improve their routines and processes. I’m also passionate about best practices in software and product development, and try to encourage and introduce them whenever possible. I’m also involved in our API (Asian Pacific Islander) ERG as a leader here at Thoughtworks Canada.
What’s the most interesting challenge you’re working on?
On my engagement, I am working on a project with a specific tech stack that is challenging and not explored as much. This experience has provided a chance for me to sharpen my skills as a software engineer, and improve my ability to work with, refactor and improve existing codebase.
This tech stack is very particular about the quality of code and memory management, so I have to be extra careful and efficient with what I develop. I have come to realize when I’m not as pampered with lots of available resources and online support for a tech stack, it helps me navigate my way around other technologies much easier.
What inspired you to have the career you have today?
When I was in high school, I always prioritized having creativity as a key component in my future job. I also didn’t mind if mathematics and logic was used in the process as well. After blending these components together and learning about different fields of work, I found computer science and software to be a great fit!
What achievement are you most proud of in your career to date?
During my undergrad, I used to volunteer and mentor newcomers and international students in engineering, especially computer science and software engineering. I helped them with their resumes, gave recommendations on how to break into the industry, reviewed their personal projects, coached interview skills and shared guidance on how to decide on their next career steps. I’m still friends with a lot of these mentees, and am very proud to see them growing and thriving!
Teaching and mentorship has always been one of my strengths, and I hope that I can bring more of that strength to Thoughtworks Canada!
If you could go back in time and give yourself career advice, what would it be?
Honestly, I feel like I don’t have too much advice because looking back, I think I did alright and am proud of where I am.
I would recommend getting more involved with open source projects and stressing less. It has been a long journey to get where I am today, having immigrated and starting school in a new country. There were times I got anxious about my slow progress and compared my path with others, but at the end of the day, everyone is working on a different path. Eventually, we all get where we want to be by actively working towards our goals, so there is no need to drive up the anxiety by constantly comparing yourself with others.
What do you love to do outside of work?
I enjoy doing many things! Some of my main hobbies are taking care of my cat, Nami, and playing with her, volleyball, life drawing and playing the cello. I enjoy watching lots of movies and anime especially, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure and One Piece.
I also recently started doing stand up comedy open mics, after taking classes, it has been a wild ride!
If you were stuck on a deserted island, what album, movie, and book would you take with you?
Album – Ten Summoner’s Tales by Sting
Movie – Big Fish
Book – Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami
And finally, what’s your favourite product and why?
My favorite digital product has to be Spotify. I don’t know what to say, I’m using it constantly and more than any other app, so it would be unfair if I mentioned something else! I constantly listen to music when I’m commuting. The Discover Weekly feature allows me to explore different genres of music and learn more about the genres that I already like. So despite feeling like I have been trapped inside the Apple ecosystem, I have been loyal to Spotify and have not switched over to Apple Music yet!
Non-digitally speaking, I love copic markers. I draw and sketch with them a lot and found them to be my favorite medium. Copic markers are great for layering and blending, and that’s important for me when I’m sketching on paper.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Join the Thoughtworks newsletter list to receive curated content that exemplifies our Product thinking approach.
Related Posts
Fri Jun 2
Thoughtworker Spotlight: Priscila Araújo
Priscila Araújo has worn many hats across multiple countries, and we’re lucky to have her at Thoughtworks Canada. With over 10 years of experience from Brazil to Canada, she has engineering, delivery and product experience, just to name a few. Currently, as a Lead Product Manager, she works collaboratively with Thoughtworkers to build great software, driving impact by helping clients scale and grow. Priscila also shares her thought leadership by speaking at conferences and providing mentorship at Thoughtworks. As a strong believer in taking risks and trusting the process, find out in her Thoughtworker Spotlight how visiting Toronto on a scholarship and doing a Thoughtworks internship ten years ago influenced her trajectory from software engineering into the realm of product. When she’s not helping clients scale and grow or sharing tasty Brazilian treats with the office (the bolo de rolo she brought back from her recent Brazil trip was devoured in minutes), you can find her playing basketball, taking her dog out to play in the sun, biking by the lake and doing stand up paddleboarding in Toronto. If the weather calls for the indoors, she is a passionate plant parent and a coffee aficionado. With all of these interests, can you guess what her favourite product is? Hint: It definitely works as a great pair with any of these hobbies! Find out more in this week’s Thoughtworker Spotlight.
Fri May 26
Thoughtworker Spotlight: Jagbir Lehl Singh
Some may know him as Canada’s Head of Delivery, but Jagbir Lehl Singh is also a writer (check out some of his articles!), a foodie and a runner. His team would add aspiring rapper to the many hats he wears – you’ll have to join the team to see why! As a builder of high performance teams, he is laser-focused on driving his teams to deliver impact to clients by achieving their business goals. When it comes to scaling agility in organizations and creating structures where teams thrive, Jagbir uses his 18+ years of experience to support the growth of Thoughtworkers, developing them into leaders through his mentorship. If he’s not exploring Toronto’s latest gems for unique cuisine and beverages, you can find him outdoors, taking long weekend walks with his family. As a continuous learner who enjoys staying on his toes, can you guess what his favourite product is? Hint: It has been a constant companion of his for the last five years.