Let's walk in the shoes of Josip for a day, Lead Cloud and Infrastructure Engineer at Barrage

Okay, let's turn the spotlight on Josip Silađi, Lead Cloud and Infrastructure Engineer at Barrage. Always ready to help, even with a bunch of boring documentation, he is security-oriented and always curious. As the heartbeat of our team, Josip is the perfect reflection of who we are and who we strive to be at Barrage.

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What is your role at Barrage?

As a Lead Cloud and Infrastructure Engineer my duties are to ensure all our systems are running smoothly and without any disruption. With my team of excellent engineers that tackle any challenge put before them, I feel there is no task we cannot handle.

What do you find to be the most exciting aspect of Barrage?

I have an opportunity to grow, learn and have fun while doing it. Everyone is open, available, and always ready to help. What I especially like is that we have the ability to develop and create solutions and make decisions. New ideas and solutions are always encouraged from anyone in the team. For me, that is what makes the job interesting, always going further. You have the freedom to build up your skills and Barrage is always there to give you the extra push with great education, internal knowledge-sharing, conferences, and certificate opportunities. The equipment is top-notch as well. :)

Josip keeping himself busy during home office hours

What do you find the most challenging at Barrage?

Working with cutting-edge technology and solutions. We are always exploring something new to simplify processes and automate the hell out of everything we can. The drive for excellence is tremendous, and that is seen in every aspect of the products we deliver.

What have you gained from working at Barrage?

I have gained an extra layer of knowledge about Cloud technologies and ISO standards, and probably above all, what it is like to work with a great team of young professionals.

How do you spend your time outside of the office?

I try to spend as much time as I can in nature. I love fishing, mushroom hunting, and all sorts of outdoor activities. But, a few months ago I became a dad, and my focus has since shifted to spending every free moment with my family. Now it’s the usual household chores and babysitting. :)

Josip spending some time in nature, mushroom hunting

Before working at Barrage, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?

A long time ago, when IT was only one of my many interests, I spent a year as an apprentice at a small tambura workshop, learning how to handcraft Croatian national music instruments. I actually made a few that sounded quite decent. :)

How do you balance your career at Barrage and friends & family?

Since I am about an hour and a half away from the office, I combine working on-site with remote work. Even when I work from home, I am on call with my team throughout the shift so we can collaborate easily. This option allows me to spend more time with my family and friends, and occasionally go on a road trip with my family.

Josip’s weekend getaway in Venice, Italy

What is the most important thing you have learned in the last five years?

I learned that hard work pays off. Never lose focus on those things you love and always find time for your family and friends. Always share your knowledge, never stop evolving and learning new stuff.

What's your favorite newspaper or blog?

Moj-posao.net. Just kidding, that was before Barrage. :) I usually read the newspapers in the morning. It’s my routine with my first coffee. Before COVID-19 I would usually read Jutarnji list and 24 sata in my local coffee shop. Nowadays, I browse local news portals and Reddit.

If you could witness any historical event, what would you want to see?

If it count’s as a historical event, it would definitely be the Woodstock music festival in 1969. I grew up listening to all the musicians that performed there.

What have you always wanted to try and never did?

I have really tried a lot of things so this is a very difficult question for me to answer. Maybe big-game fishing or scuba diving.

The gadget you can't live without?

I’m not a big fan of modern gadgets, but if my smartphone counts, that would probably be it.

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Get to know Josip and the rest of the team at Barrage!

We’re extremely proud to have Josip as a part of our team as he is a reflection of the personalities we attract to our company and can be a role model for every current and future employee. If you’d like to know more about Josip on his duties as a Lead Cloud and Infrastructure Engineer at Barrage, get in touch with us.