Steven Meijer
You know that feeling? On paper, you're exactly where you're supposed to be in a big corporate job. I was working on solid Java systems with a good team around me. And yet something kept nagging at me. I've never been the kind of developer who's only in it for the code. I want what I build to make a genuine difference to society. It's no accident that my career began at an NGO like Terre des Hommes, building systems to tackle the sexual abuse of minors.
That drive to do something worthwhile for society was always there, but in the corporate world I just felt I was making less impact. When Jessy got in touch and told me about NCIM, it clicked almost at once. No more run-of-the-mill apps, but a move into the world of Defence and Security.
Now, I work on projects around autonomy and mission-critical software. As a full-stack developer I take on a broad role, from the infrastructure right through to the front-end. We build complex systems that will genuinely have to make the difference down the line. It's an environment where stability and solid architecture are everything, exactly the technical puzzle I'd been after.
Colleagues sometimes call me the 'designer of NCIM'. Where a lot of my colleagues dream in back-end logic, I gravitate to the UI and UX. I get a real kick out of making complicated technology feel logical and accessible for the people who'll end up using it.
As a Principal Consultant, I now guide colleagues at NCIM in their careers. That says a lot about this place: the lines are short and your manager is always an engineer. You can talk shop just as easily with management as with the people on your own team.
For me, NCIM is a community where quality comes first. Whether we're taking a 6502 course together, making a toastie in the canteen or heading out for an informal get-together, the atmosphere is always good. We're a bunch of sharp minds who genuinely love building a safer world together.