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Kaden Wilkinson
Experienced Software Engineer with a diverse background in mobile and backend development.
Kaden Wilkinson is a highly experienced software engineer and technical co-founder at AskElephant, based in Eagle Mountain, Utah.1 With over 9 years of industry experience, he has established himself as a versatile professional in the software development field.1
Professional Experience
Kaden's career trajectory showcases his growth and expertise in various roles:
Staff Software Engineer:
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At Jasper (April 2022 - Present): He has been instrumental in setting up Federated GraphQL architecture, introducing centralized protobuf repositories, and improving developer experience through Nx monorepo tooling.1
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At Divvy | Inc. (February 2021 - April 2022): Kaden launched the company's first open-source project and was a speaker at ElixirConf 2021.1
Senior Software Engineer and Mobile Software Engineer:
- At Divvy | Inc. (August 2018 - February 2021): He transitioned from mobile to full-stack engineering, working with technologies like Elixir, React, GraphQL, and AWS.1
Earlier Roles:
- Mobile Software Engineer at Vivint Smart Home
- iOS Developer and Mobile DevOps Engineer at busybusy1
Technical Expertise
Kaden has demonstrated proficiency in:
- Mobile development (iOS and Android)
- Full-stack engineering
- GraphQL and API development
- Cloud technologies (AWS)
- DevOps and CI/CD practices1
Education
He holds a Bachelor of Science in CIT with a CS Emphasis from Utah Tech University (2013-2018).1
Languages
Kaden is proficient in both English and Spanish at a native or bilingual level.1
Notable Achievements
- Speaker at ElixirConf 2021
- Led rebranding projects and developed component libraries
- Contributed to open-source projects
- Received awards in Mechatronics and Electronics competitions during his earlier years1
Kaden's LinkedIn profile (username: kadenwilkinson) reflects his journey from mobile development to full-stack engineering and his current role as a technical co-founder, showcasing his diverse skill set and leadership in the tech industry.
Highlights
🧪 Why Choosing Elixir Was a Smart Hiring Strategy at Divvy 🧪
When I worked at Divvy, we had an exceptional engineering culture that I’ve rarely seen elsewhere. I've often pondered what contributed to this unique environment. While many factors played a role, one stands out in my mind: the early decision to use Elixir as our backend programming language. This choice, though challenging for new hires, acted as a fantastic filter, attracting the right kind of talent to our team.
🧠 Open-Minded and Adaptable Candidates 🧠
Many of our candidates had no prior experience with Elixir. This meant they had to be open-minded and ready to learn something entirely new from day one. This requirement naturally filtered out those unwilling to step out of their comfort zones, leaving us with individuals who demonstrated adaptability and a strong willingness to learn new technologies.
🧑🏫 Fostering a Culture of Continuous Learning 🧑🏫
Elixir is different from many other programming languages, even for those with years of experience. This created an environment where everyone—from junior developers to senior engineers—was constantly learning. At Divvy, this led to a unique culture of continuous learning and growth, where knowledge-sharing and collaboration were key.
🤝 Cultural Fit and Community 🤝
The Elixir community is known for being open and pleasant to work with, and this cultural aspect translated well into our team dynamics. Those who had experience with Elixir often fit in seamlessly, bringing a collaborative and community-oriented mindset that aligned perfectly with our company culture.
🌟 Qualities We Valued 🌟
By focusing on Elixir, we attracted candidates who:
🔄 Adaptability 🔄 Showed a willingness to learn new technologies and adapt quickly. 🧩 Problem-Solving 🧩 Took an open-minded approach to solving problems and collaborating with the team. 📚 Passion for Learning 📚 Exhibited a strong passion for continuous learning and self-improvement. 🏗️ Strong Foundations 🏗️ Had solid foundational skills in programming, making them adaptable to a new language paradigm. 🌐 Cultural Alignment 🌐 Embraced the cultural values and community-oriented mindset that Elixir promotes.
In hindsight, using Elixir was more than just a technical decision—it was a strategic move that helped us build a resilient, adaptable, and culturally aligned team. This experience has taught me the value of choosing technologies that not only meet business needs but also align with the broader vision and culture of the organization.
Feel free to share your thoughts or experiences with similar hiring strategies in the comments below!
#myelixirstatus #elixir AskElephant #hiring #engineering
I am still looking for someone to join my team! Know anyone who might be interested? #hiring #utah #startup #ai
