Meet Cristyan Ballesteros, a Software Engineer based in Colombia, who’s been with us for over a year.
Cristyan is an unstoppable force. He has a grit about him that enables him to push through difficult challenges—he’s a man of few words but shows real commitment and action. – A.J. Singh, Modularis CEO
What is your role at Modularis?
I am a software engineer and work on a great project for our client, Sensata.
What does delivering value for your customers mean to you?
To me, delivering value is doing the hard work needed to meet our customer’s goals. This means completing the sprints, having the experience and technical knowledge needed to support our clients, and making the client a part of the Modularis family. This is all a part of the value we deliver.
How long have you been at Modularis?
I have been with Modularis for over a year now. I had some health issues from Covid that caused some difficulties with my heart and lungs so I was out for some time, and am still working on recovery from that.
Modularis is such a great place to work because we are all part of a family. Sometimes companies say this and it’s not true – but at Modularis it is! It seems like such a simple statement, being part of a family, but Modularis is different and it really is family first.
Modularis saved my life – they’re my family.
Modularis is a different place. I can work here, knowing that they care for me as a person. This experience with my health really brought that home. I am here now because Modularis provides a good medical policy. If not for this policy, I don’t think I would be here. Modularis saved my life, and my health. Thanks to Modularis and their care for their employees, I am here, and it’s a family for me now.
How did you hear about Modularis?
I met my friend, Julian, at university. He told me I should come work with him at Modularis. The timing was right, I needed a new perspective and a challenge. The company I was with did not have the focus on family that I was looking for. My daughter had just been born, and I knew I needed to be more family-focused than that company valued. Julian suggested Modularis as it would be a good fit for my knowledge and my lifestyle.
What made you decide to take the job at Modularis?
I could see that working with a company like Modularis would lead me to learn a lot. They have the experience and knowledge to teach me more about software engineering. I’ve learned so much about the right way to solve a problem and the best way to tackle a challenge thanks to Modularis.
Modularis is such a great place to work. The processes and the knowledge here result in great flows and processes for the clients. Sensata, my client, is happy because we provide high-quality engineering and we complete their tasks with a high level of commitment.
He exudes a quiet confidence, he does high-quality work with precision, and he exceeds expectations. Cristyan is not only a great member of the team but also is highly regarded and appreciated by his teammates. – A.J. Singh
What did you do before joining the team?
Before Modularis, I worked with another company for a couple of years. I was a software lead, which is technically more complex than a software engineer, but at Modularis the engineering job, and my work, is very complex. I get to expand my knowledge every day. Modularis is a great organization that is working at a higher level of engineering.
Think of it like driving a car. Say you’re driving a Toyota but then you go and drive a Ferrari. There is a higher level of skill required thanks to the engineering and complexity that goes into the Ferrari. Modularis is like the Ferrari of technology companies; with the highest levels of engineering.
Where did you go to school?
I did a two-year program in technology development at Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje (SENA). I went on to study systems engineering at Universidad Compensar in Bogota, Colombia.
What did you study?
My studies were in systems engineering and technology development.
What motivated you to follow a career first in data analysis, but then make the switch to software engineering?
Prior to working on software development, which I have been doing for over 15 years now, I worked in data analysis. I started working with different programs related to data analysis. and over time it got increasingly complicated. Eventually, I discovered Visual Basic in the applications I was working in.
I remember realizing I could program and create basic tasks and jobs, and having that moment of just thinking, “WOW, this is amazing!”
My first successes in Visual Basic changed my life because at that moment, I fell in love with coding. I continued working in data analysis, but as time passed, people realized I could work with the main code and started asking me to write code in simple applications.
At this time I didn’t know anything about development, just how to write some lines of code. But I was excited to learn and started working on my office applications. Coding was difficult, but I made my first application and it just kept getting easier.
What is your favorite project you have worked on at Modularis?
I have worked with Sensata for my entire time with Modularis. I love this project because it’s a very big project with many devices sending information. Sensata takes all of this information being sent from hundreds of thousands of devices, and we can process that efficiently and accurately.
Tell us about your life outside of work. Family life? Hobbies?
After having Covid, my life changed a lot. I started focusing more on my home and my family. I have two daughters (11 and almost 2), my wife, my dog, and my cat. I enjoy spending my days and my time with them.
I love reading, technology, video games, and development. I read every day about different topics; I’ll read about anything, especially if I’m curious about it! And I play video games when I can.
With my health, I cannot spend time in sports anymore because my heart is not ok, so I try to share this time with my family and am thankful for this time we have together. I do hope to see my health improve in the future.
What are your personal values and how do they help you in your work at Modularis?
I have a need to complete any challenge; I cannot end my day if I have things left to do.
I try to be a better person, colleague, and engineer; I’m working and growing my knowledge and I try to learn something new each day.
I want to learn new things to use in my life, with my family, and in my work. Everything you learn, you can use in all parts of your life.
I cannot overstate how Cristyan’s commitment and values shine through—he lives the Modularis values every day. – A.J. Singh