Omri Telem, Software Engineer – Tel Aviv

Animated. Passionate. Loyal. Ambitious. Kind hearted.

What did you do before BigPanda?

Before BigPanda, I was a software developer at a startup called The Elegant Monkeys. When my friends learned that I was going to join Big Panda, they joked that I would turn from a Monkey into a Panda!

What was your favorite part about your experience in those fields?

Interesting question…

I really liked working in a small company, with only a few people. There was this magical, family-like atmosphere and culture. With a small company, you really feel like you can make a significant impact.

What led you to be interested in BigPanda?

Well to start, BigPanda has an amazing reputation and a large fan base! I constantly see people walking around wearing BigPanda swag just out and about on the streets. I couldn’t ignore that!

Secondly, a good friend of mine was already at BigPanda. He said that BigPanda was in an exciting period where they were focusing on scale, which is something I wanted to challenge myself with career wise. He told me about BigPanda’s mission and people, and from that point on, it was obvious.

What do you enjoy the most about your career now?

First, let’s start with the people: I work with very talented people, and I am constantly being taught new ways to think. Aside from that, the professional challenges are very extensive. They include implementing best practices and exploring and integrating new technologies, which is very challenging and exciting to be able to be a part of.

How do you find balance between your work, home and your professional life?

One of the most important and positive things that came from the pandemic was the ability to work from home—especially now that I have a newborn daughter! I can work, be focused and achieve my goals while playing with her and taking small breaks (or changing her diaper, which is far more common these days).

What’s one of your superpowers?

A superpower of mine is that I can beatbox and drum on any object while doing something else at the same time!