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My First 30 Days as a Software Engineer at Thorn

October 11, 2016

2 Minute Read

Chase Ricketts is our newest software engineer in the Thorn Innovation Lab.

From the first time I saw Thorn’s website I knew that their organization was atypical. Their pointed mission and data-driven projects demonstrated their effectiveness as digital defenders of children. Throughout the interview process, it was clear to me that this mission was backed by individuals of passion and genuineness. As a software engineer with a compassion for victims of sexual abuse, Thorn was a godsend. I considered staying blissfully ignorant of the problem, but this was too great of an opportunity to pass up — I was hooked.

My first week at Thorn was a bit of an emotional one. I anticipated learning some dark things about the world, but I didn’t know how deep the rabbit hole went. Thorn thrives in spite of this because of their unique position to make a positive impact in this problem space. The impact of Spotlight is a prime example. Every single story I hear about a child being identified and assisted makes my heart sing. Having gained more knowledge about the issue and Thorn’s influence, I am now empowered to join in the fight.

It was a very smooth process integrating with the team. The engineering effort is nimble enough to rapidly innovate while also sophisticated enough to build a sustainable product. It’s been exciting and challenging to learn the state-of-the-art technologies and it has been fun spending my days with the team. Their openness to discuss design and implementation leads to a friendly atmosphere of creativity, innovation, and productivity.

In the end, I have no regrets joining Thorn and its mission. It’s an honor that I get to work alongside such great people and use my talents and passions to help children.



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