Whether you want to manage people or you want to become a master in your field, that’s really up to you. You drive your career path at GDIT.
As an Environmental Science major, Mary wanted to work with a company that was helping protect the environment. She found GDIT and joined a team supporting the Environmental Protection Agency. Mary has broadened her contributions to the company over 10 years and now leads an agile team as a Scrum Master.
Advancing environmental research. My team owns it.
Since I was a kid I’ve been interested in the environment and saving the planet. I jumped at the opportunity to work directly with the EPA. It’s incredible knowing I’m helping to advance the mission of having a cleaner planet.
My team works with the Office of Research and Development, helping their researchers gain visibility into all the other research that is happening. We’re creating a re-architected web system where they can put all of their information, which in the end saves time and lets them focus on what’s most important - their research.
As a Scrum Master, I help my team by removing distractions that would stop them from making progress. I lead stand up and sprint planning meetings, along with pitching in on testing and design.
Becoming a master in her field.
There are so many opportunities at GDIT. I’ve had the chance to change roles and also relocate from Virginia to Massachusetts. I’m not sure I would have had those same opportunities somewhere else. I also received my Scrum Master certification through GDIT, which has been a big boost to my career.
I’m essentially the servant leader of an agile team. I’m making sure things are going in the right direction and nothing is stopping people from doing their best. I also spend my time talking to different people and meeting them where they are. Whether it’s a software developer who is highly technical, or a client who needs to understand something in a different way, I have the background and experience to drive those conversations forward.
A prototype that was picked up.
A couple of years ago, we were given a technical challenge by the EPA. They gave the same challenge to another contractor and we both had to develop a prototype in 30 days from the same set of user stories and customer pain points. We had a limited budget and limited amount of time. I worked with another developer to come up with a product that we showcased to our client. The client liked our system best and it’s actually led to a good deal of work. This project has really solidified the client’s faith in us as somebody who can bring technologies to the table. It feels great to be a part of that.
Creating space for creativity.
I’ve always wanted to find an artistic outlet to balance the left-brained activities I do at work. So I started painting with watercolors. I’ve discovered that some of the work I do actually requires more right-brain skill, like software product design, so my painting is helping me exercise that muscle.