WP Engine Employee Spotlight: Brandon DuRette, Technical Architect

In continuing my pursuit to find out what makes our employees tick, I sat down with one of WP Engine’s  Technical Architects, Brandon DuRette. I wanted to find out more about why he chose to work at WP Engine and to hear a little more about what he does.

Here’s some of my chat with Brandon:

How did you find out about WP Engine?
I worked with Jason [Cohen, WP Engine’s founder and CTO] previously at two of his other companies and reconnected after the current startup I was at decided to close shop. His excitement and vision for the company is really what attracted me to coming on board here at WP Engine.

What do you do here at WP Engine?
I am a Technical Architect, which means my main responsibility is helping to shape the vision of our platform. There’s a lot of variety in my job, with equal parts coding, designing, and strategizing. I really enjoy the opportunity I have to be involved in providing guidance and mentoring to other developers.

Tell me about your experience in the technology industry?
I’ve worked at companies large and small. The largest was IBM, where I started my career; the smallest was a two-person startup. I enjoy the pace of startups and having the ability to directly impact the company’s future. As for the types of  software I’ve worked on, that list covers the gamut: web applications, security, scientific computing, mobile, games, and even software development tools.

What is your favorite thing about WP Engine?
The people. Everyone has such a positive attitude and is willing to roll up their sleeves and help out. Our senior leadership fosters this attitude by being incredibly transparent with results (both good and bad), as well as the vision for the company. Because of the transparency, everyone feels like they can directly impact our success and they’ll be recognized for it.

What is your favorite project you’ve worked on at WP Engine?
I really enjoy what I am working on currently. We’re building a geo-replicated, high-availability WordPress solution. It’s an ambitious project with a lot of interesting technical challenges. We have a great team working together to come up with creative solutions. I also really enjoy the mentorship that I am able to provide members of our support team who are interested in moving over to R&D. It’s been rewarding to see a few move over!

How has WP Engine helped you in your career development?
At WP Engine we operate at a scale that I haven’t ever experienced. The volume we are working at is something that isn’t usually seen at early stage companies. The rate at which we are growing really stretches everyone and I have the chance to think strategically and plan for scale like I haven’t had to before.

What excites you most about where WP Engine is headed?
The impact we have on people’s livelihoods is exciting. We provide a sustainable place to work. We also have an impact on  our customers. We see it every day in kudos or tweets and feedback from our customers about how grateful they are about what we are doing here. It’s awesome to connect with people and see an impact on their lives in a positive way. As we continue to grow I look forward to that opportunity growing with us.

What three words would you use to describe WP Engine?
Challenge, Mission, Scale.

If what Brandon had to say sounds exciting to you, be sure to check out WP Engine’s open opportunities here!