Meet the Team: Tristan

Newton is a magical place and we wanted to introduce you to some of the people who make it so awesome. This week, we asked Tristan to talk about what his role entails at Newton. We know you’re curious!

P.S. Wanting to join the team? We're growing and currently hiring for multiple roles! Check out our Careers page.

What is your role at Newton?

I’m an L1 Software Engineer, focusing on the frontend development of Newton’s web and mobile applications.

What is the best part of your role?

The best part of my job is the intellectual challenge: solving problems, researching new ways of doing things, and improving my technical skills.

If you could describe Newton’s culture in 3 words, how would you describe it?

Welcoming, playful, high-achieving.

What would you say to someone looking to apply to Newton?

Newton has all the elements that make working at a startup-sized company so much fun: great people, responsive leadership, quick decision-making, and lots of opportunities to make an impact—even in a junior role. Plus, you get to work for a Canadian leader in a fascinating industry with tons of growth potential.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I’m a big reader! My favourite novel is?The Secret History?by Donna Tartt. I’m also a guitar player and lifelong music fan (mostly indie rock and hip hop). I’m always looking for new artists and attend shows whenever I can.

How do you find working remotely?

I’ve spent most of my time in the tech industry working remotely, so it feels normal to me. It gives me the freedom to focus deeply on development tasks. I do sometimes miss the kinds of relationships that develop from working in the same office every day, but the Newton team gets together regularly for social events, which really helps. Plus, Newton also has offices in some major cities for people who do prefer in-person collaboration at work.

What is a fun fact about you?

I used to teach undergraduate classes on Shakespeare and Renaissance poetry.

What is a key feature of the best home office?

A guitar within reach for noodling during breaks.

What has your journey been like with Newton?

It’s been amazing! Every day, I receive insightful feedback from our (very patient) senior developers, helping me continuously sharpen my skills. I’ve also had lots of opportunities to make meaningful contributions to the product, which is not always possible when you’re a junior engineer.

How do you face challenges in your day-to-day work at Newton?

If I’m working on a problem I don’t know how to solve, I’ll try to find an example in the codebase to follow. If there are no relevant examples, I’ll research the best approach by reading documentation, Googling, using AI to weigh potential solutions, and (most importantly) talking to my teammates.

How do you approach new challenges at Newton?

I went into software development because I love learning, so I approach each new challenge as an opportunity to deepen my knowledge of the technologies we use—both to make our platform better and to continue improving my skills.

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Tristan and his role on the team. Stay tuned for future Meet the Team posts!