Meet The Team: Josemaria Thomas
One of the most exciting things about being a startup is building a team of people who bring different experiences, skills, and perspectives to the table. Over the next while, we’ll continue introducing you to more of the people behind Ground Truth Ag. Today, meet Josemaria Thomas, Software Developer, IoT Systems.
A New Direction
Before joining Ground Truth Ag, Josemaria was already an experienced software developer. But after several years in the field, she decided she wanted to expand her skills and explore another side of technology. "I wanted to learn something new apart from software development,” Josemaria says. That curiosity led her to take a break from her career and complete a two year diploma in cloud computing and cloud operations in Ontario.
After graduating, she and her family made another big change, moving to Regina and starting fresh in a new province. While searching for her next opportunity, Josemaria came across an opening at Ground Truth Ag. The role stood out because it brought together the two areas she had been building her career around: software development and cloud computing. “I felt like it was a perfect match for me,” she says.
Connecting Software and the Cloud
Today, Josemaria gets to work across both sides of that experience. A big part of her role is helping build and manage the cloud infrastructure that supports Ground Truth Ag’s technology. While the work happening behind the scenes can be complex, Josemaria explains the idea simply: cloud computing allows applications and services to run on remote infrastructure and be accessible wherever they are needed.
Getting everything there, however, takes some work. "There are so many configurations, tasks, and pipelines that need to be created to get everything working,” she explains. “That’s basically what I’m working on.” For Josemaria, that behind-the-scenes process is also one of the most interesting parts of the job. She particularly enjoys working with CI/CD pipelines, which help move new software from development into use more efficiently. “You just click a button and boom, your application is up and running,” she says. “Creating those pipelines really fascinates me.”
Learning Through Problem Solving
Working on a small team also means there is rarely just one person involved in solving a problem. That collaborative environment has quickly become one of Josemaria’s favourite parts of working at Ground Truth Ag. “I really like the work environment here and the people,” she says. “You get more responsibilities, but there are also more opportunities for you to learn and grow.”
She especially enjoys the conversations that happen when something does not work quite as expected. The team comes together, asks questions, works through what might have happened, and finds a solution. For Josemaria, those momentsare another opportunity to keep learning.
Looking Ahead
As Ground Truth Ag continues to grow, Josemaria has goals of her own. Right now, much of her work involves taking a requirement or design and building the cloud infrastructure needed to support it. Over time, she hopes to become more involved even earlier in that process. “I would like to get to the level where I can also design or architect these infrastructures,” she says. “Here’s what we’re going to need, and this is how I think we should build it.’’
She is equally excited to see where Ground Truth Ag’s technology goes next. From seeing the Benchtop reach more customers to following the development of On Combine, Josemaria is looking forward to helping build the technology needed to support that growth.
Outside of Work
When Josemaria steps away from her computer, there is a good chance you will find her outdoors with her family. Evenings often mean bike rides with her husband and seven year old son, while weekends are a chance to explore Saskatchewan’s provincial parks, spend time at the beach, or go fishing.
The family also loves travelling, and when they are not exploring somewhere themselves, Josemaria enjoys watching road trip and travel vlogs. Banff has made its way onto their list of places to visit next and in July she was able to check it off her bucket list.
And one thing her coworkers might not expect? Josemaria is also a trained dancer.
Growing up in Kerala, India, she studied Indian classical dance for several years before stepping away from it. Years later, after starting her career and moving away from home, she decided it was something she wanted to return to. “I felt like, okay, I should go for it,” she remembers. She joined classes again, trained for another couple of years, and even returned to performing.
Whether she is building cloud infrastructure, working through a problem with the team, exploring Saskatchewan with her family, or looking for her next chance to dance, Josemaria brings the same curiosity and willingness to keep learning wherever she goes.
