For Full Stack Developer Ben Debebe, Booz Allen is a place that values idea sharing, diverse contributions, and career development. In his role, Ben has had the opportunity to witness, and take part in, the software application development lifecycle from start to finish.
We spoke with Ben about how he got his start with Booz Allen, and what advice he has for someone just starting their career in software development.
What’s the best thing about your career at Booz Allen?
I’m part of a great software development team. I get to focus on cool and exciting projects. From my first day, people were welcoming and fostered a community of sharing ideas. I like working out of our Innovation Center at the Washington, DC office. It’s an open, collaborative, and creative space, where I've met many people.
What projects are you working on?
Most recently, I was involved in the Tactical Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Processing System. It's a project that addresses problems in three key areas: the increase in actionable intelligence, enhancement of military decision making, and reduction of human factor burden for full-motion video analysts. We use software and data analytics to help subject matter experts in government agencies do their jobs more efficiently—saving time, money, and lives in the process.
What advice do you have for people trying to break into your field?
Build your personal brand. Don’t be afraid to talk about what you enjoy and what you do well when you network with others. Let your work show what you're passionate about. In the software field, especially, it's important to express your interests and what skills you can contribute, rather than waiting for a task to be given to you. I feel lucky to have joined Booz Allen. Leadership values my contributions and understands each team member has an important role to play.
