Russell Jones: Senior Backend Developer
Quickfire Questions
Q: If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be and why?
Probably Groucho Marx for the laughs.
Q: What's your go-to karaoke song (if you had to choose one)?
Sober there's absolutely no chance I'm going near a karaoke machine!
Non-sober I'd go for something by George Ezra as I can just about sing along to some of those, or at least I imagine I can after a few drinks.
Q: Do you have a favorite book, movie, or TV show that you recommend to everyone?
A book that I can recommend to absolutely everyone is 'Longitude' by Dava Sobel. It's a true story and it contains action, adventure and intrigue. It is primarily a story of one man refusing to give up on his ideas, despite decades of overwhelming obstacles and prejudice.
Q: Can you describe your role at Clenergy in one line?
I'm one of the software developers, primarily working on the centralised server part (as opposed to the user interface part). The invisible but magic bit.
Q: What’s your favorite part of your job or the work you do?
The team are the best part! - but I also love working in such an optimistic/ forward-looking sector.
Longer Reads
Q: How do you relax after a busy working week?
Friday night is often a visit to the village pub or a catch up with friends. Saturday morning is often breakfast out in a nice cafe somewhere like Hay-on-Wye or Abergavenny. I like to try out a variety of things - two weeks ago I went to my first opera.
Q: If you could swap roles with anyone in the company for a day, who would it be and what would you want to learn from them?
I'm sure it would not be healthy for Clenergy if I randomly swapped roles with anyone - even for just one day!
But of course, it would be great to get just a little of Will's insight into the sector and what's happening in the real world of green energy.
Q: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received, professionally or personally?
Many years ago I worked as an 'Electricians mate'. He said 'never touch anything that looks like this', so I never did!
Q: What’s the most memorable project you’ve worked on, either here or in a previous job?
When I was a tutor I had a range of very interesting students, including a blind student called Malcolm who was keen to learn a wide range of IT skills, including programming and web based skills. I learnt a huge amount about what life was like from his perspective, and was really proud to have supported him in getting a job at an IT company as a technical disability advisor.