From Code to Culture: Matt Anger's Odyssey in Software Engineering at DoorDash

Show Notes

Explore the ins and outs of software engineering and organizational culture in the ShipTalk Podcast. In this episode, Dewan Ahmed, a Principal Developer Advocate at Harness, engages in a compelling conversation with Matt Anger, a Senior Staff Engineer at DoorDash.

In this insightful discussion, Matt reflects on his career, from a fresh graduate to his current role as an engineering leader at DoorDash. The conversation covers the evolution of software delivery methodologies, touching on Matt's experiences with Kotlin for performance and ecosystem, scaling platform engineering at his org, and the significance of good engineering culture for creating better software.

Delve into DoorDash's engineering culture, where Matt shares the company's strategies, including embracing mono repos, automated workflows, and centralized developer infrastructure for a seamless onboarding experience.

The dialogue extends to the broader tech landscape, addressing startup challenges. Matt shares practical advice for small engineering teams, emphasizing the importance of leveraging existing platforms like GitHub or Harness and avoiding unnecessary complexity in the early stages.

The conversation takes a personal turn as Dewan and Matt delve into the human and cultural aspects of software delivery. Matt emphasizes the significance of finding good mentors early in one's career, highlighting the impact of mentorship in shaping professional growth. The dialogue also touches on the importance of understanding the underlying layers of technology and maintaining kindness and professionalism in interactions.

As the podcast wraps up, Dewan and Matt extend an invitation to fellow engineering professionals, encouraging them to connect, seek mentorship, and engage in knowledge-sharing. Matt shares insights on how he welcomes individuals to reach out for guidance, underscoring the power of networking in the tech community.

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Connect with our host Dewan Ahmed on LinkedIn: Dewan's LinkedIn

Connect with our guest Matt Anger on LinkedIn: Matt's LinkedIn

What is ShipTalk: AI, DevOps & Software Delivery?

AI is reshaping software delivery every week. ShipTalk turns the noise into what actually matters to you. Brought to you by Harness, it's the podcast that breaks down the biggest shifts in AI, DevOps, and software delivery into practical takeaways you can actually use. This is an Ai infrastructure podcast. We also cover cyber security today.
Every episode, our hosts sit down with a sharp guest — the engineers, security leaders, and executives living these changes — to unpack a timely headline and what it really means for how you build, ship, and secure software. No hype, no vendor gloss: just the context and candid opinions that help engineering, platform, and security leaders make smarter calls. Hit subscribe and stay current on AI, DevOps, CI/CD, platform engineering, and DevSecOps — so the future of software delivery never catches you off guard. Stop talking, start shipping.