Profile: Jochen Walther

Exciting Job in IT: Software Developer at Hansgrohe

When Jochen was named German runner-up in the board game competition with the Offenburger Spiele-Freunde association in summer 2018, the team of four had good cause to celebrate. Shortly thereafter, they took fifth place in the European Championship. What led them to this success was the right combination of fun, strategic individual performance, and team spirit. And that’s exactly what Jochen likes about his job. He’s a developer at Hansgrohe.

Software Developer at Hansgrohe: Jochen Walther.
Software developer Jochen Walther works in the Digital Marketing & Communication team at Hansgrohe in Schiltach.

Team web or team app? Everyone plays on their own – and with everyone else

Whether he’s playing the Game of the Year or working on a website relaunch with others, Jochen always faces new tasks and rules, tips and tricks. “My job is extremely varied,” says Jochen, who was born in Offenburg and was already programming games for Android and iOS as a schoolboy. He’s currently working on a challenging large-scale IT project by the name of Research App, an application that’s accessed by many Hansgrohe employees on a regular basis. The comprehensive database contains all of the sanitation specialist’s products along with their features.

But the framework is outdated. The website needs to be streamlined and made faster and more user-friendly. From employee surveys to new programming and the launch, it’s a complex technological task with a long play time. “It’s more like a strategy game such as Gaia Project than a quick round of Ticket to Ride.” While not all of Jochen’s projects take several years, they’re all tactically demanding. And they always require teamwork.

Scrum Instead of Sluggish: Fast, Dynamic, and Efficient Work

Another exciting aspect of this website is that it’s based on a new headless architecture, meaning the front and back ends are completely separated. “We also use modern systems such as Angular and MongoDB,” says Jochen, who programs many other tools and apps, including the tracking link builder, which is used to create links for Google Analytics and thus improve campaign analysis. Performance has to be perfect for all Hansgrohe IT projects, which is why a well-coordinated network with lots of participants is operating in the background.

The IT team works with “agile” methods, so that the right hand always knows what the left hand is doing. “As part of the Scrum process, we get together for 15 minutes every day for a period of around two weeks.” These mini meetings are part of the so-called sprint, which brings together the development team with colleagues from other departments and with agencies and customers to discuss urgent tickets and problems and estimate how long it should take to resolve them. Scrum also makes it possible to identify system errors as early as possible.

Exciting Tasks for Sprinters and Medium-Distance and Marathon Runners

“Hansgrohe,” says Jochen, “recognized the necessity of digitization early on and has launched countless projects such as digital products with the aim of leading the way in the industry. But even internal processes are becoming more and more digital and automated.” He himself is also in charge of the deployment process: for versioning, testing, managing, and launching new software.

He joined Hansgrohe because the company has an exceptional reputation regarding training. When he’s not working from home in Offenburg, he commutes by train nearly 50 kilometers to the headquarters in Schiltach, where a majority of the IT team is based. He uses the discounted job ticket, which Hansgrohe offers its employees free of charge.

What else does he like about his employer? “My cool, motivated colleagues and my helpful boss, who is always available to answer any questions. The flexible working times, the good income. Oh yeah, and the dart games during lunch breaks.”

Are you an IT developer who wants to help shape the future?

Then join the Hansgrohe team. As one of the market leaders in the sanitation industry, we employ more than 90 people in IT and are only growing. We’ll offer you all of the training you need in your own time and acquaint you with an impressive portfolio.

What You Contribute:

Depending on the IT segment that tickles your fancy, you should have some experience in the relevant script and programming languages. When it comes to web development, you’re well acquainted, for example, with Java, PHP, or Angular. In terms of app development, you’re familiar with Objective-C, C, C++, Swift, or Python, or have a firm understanding of ABAP for SAP development. Having worked with tools such as Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket, Jenkins, SonarQube, and Teams will improve your chances with us.

Why Hansgrohe?

With us, you can give free rein to your full personality, develop your talents and implement your ideas. With us, you will also be part of a diverse team of IT experts with flat hierarchies. We’ll also support you if you discover your passion in a different IT segment.

Software Developer: a Job at Hansgrohe

Front end? Back end? It doesn’t matter as long as it’s high-end.

Jochen Walther joined Hansgrohe in 2013, just after completing his Abitur qualification, with the integrated work/study degree program in Applied Computer Sciences – and has been here ever since. What he finds so fascinating about his job at Hansgrohe is the diversity of his responsibilities. He appreciates that the company promotes independent working and offers him sufficient time to solve problems. “I’m also happy whenever I can simplify work for my colleagues with internal tools and websites.”
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