I am an iOS Engineer at Mobiata (a brand of Expedia). I work on FlightTrack and FlightBoard -- either adding new features or fixing bugs found by users and QA. Working on mobile apps in the travel category is very rewarding. Every day, I get to think about how to make people's trips easier and more enjoyable. I think about the best way to show airport terminal maps, flight statuses, what information travelers will need for different parts of their journey, and then I get to code it and make it reality. Because so many people use our apps, fixing a bug or adding a feature is an awesome feeling, because I know millions of people will benefit from a change I made.
I found out about Mobiata through my college network. The founder and a few other employees are alumni, so they came to recruit graduating students. Along with making awesome apps, I loved that Mobiata was located in historic Nickels Arcade. They had pods of desks rather than cubicles or individual offices, which encouraged collaboration. That everyone, including the founder, worked together in the same room also reenforced the idea that we all play an equally important part in the end product. It felt like a family instead of a company.
I had no idea what to expect from Michigan. I just knew that I was moving to a college town. I now love Michigan. I am near Detroit, Chicago, a major airport, and natural beauty. San Francisco is considered to be the epicenter of the tech industry, but working in Ann Arbor provides me with opportunities that I might not have there. The work environment and town are also more relaxed and my earnings go a lot farther.