entri

Tristan Kalus (age 24), Net Developer

What exactly do you do at your company?

I am a Net developer at entri, a company that develops and produces complete access control systems. Our systems recognize and verify people via a fingerprint, an ID card, facial recognition, an RFID chip card, or manual data entry. The system recognizes the person and can grant or deny access to an establishment. This access control can be used in gambling halls or the slot machine industry to prevent addiction, as barred players are automatically denied access. In fitness studios, for example, our system makes it easier for members to access the club and reduces waiting times when there is no one at reception – and the company can be certain that only active members are allowed access. There is a software program for this system, and I am in charge of that at entri.

For me, a typical workday starts with a cup of coffee, my developer's fuel. Then I plan my day and prioritize the to-do list and meetings. The third item on my agenda is to check our project management tool, “Teamwork”, which we use to collaborate with many developers. Depending on what is important, I then edit implementations for upcoming software releases, test updates that will soon be put out or develop new features. But I do spend most of my time at work developing and testing new functions. 

What do you find fascinating about this job?

I love the variety at entri. Here I don't have a typical programming job where you spend eight hours a day sitting at a desk programming and only leave the office after dark. It’s the opposite, I am involved in many planning processes for hardware as well as software. Sometimes I attend trade shows and meet our customers directly. Or I accompany the sales team for a presentation at another company. I also give workshops for technicians in businesses that use our product. We are currently involved in an exciting joint venture with Fraunhofer for a great product that does not yet exist. My job at entri is everything other than monotonous. In a nutshell: It gives me the chance to broaden my horizons. So it helps me develop and is a lot of fun as well.

What made you pick this job at a Berlin-based company?

I grew up in Berlin-Friedrichshain and have strong roots in the city. My entire family lives here. Berlin is my home. That is why I looked for a job at a Berlin-based company. I quickly came across entri while job hunting and immediately fired off an application. The contents and the tasks described in the job profile appealed to me, although I started out in the gaming industry, or perhaps because of that. There was immediate chemistry at the job interview. I am very happy here.