Meet Matthew Semar, our Senior Software Engineer

What is your role within the company?  

Senior Software Engineer 

What do you like most about working for Intellicore?  

The people! But also, a few other reasons: 

1. I appreciate the diversity of projects that come through the door.  

2. Being given strong ownership on a project and the autonomy to make decisions big or small.  Whether these are small UI tweaks or an architecturally change in the codebase, you are trusted to make the call.  

3. I also appreciate the flexibility that is provided with working hours and the freedom to create outside of office time. 

What first attracted you to your area of expertise?  

A big desire to know how videogames and software was created. I was already tinkering around with websites and Macromedia Flash in school, and it felt natural to continue this line of studying. Once I got a peek behind the curtain, I quickly realised programming provided an excellent problem-solving satisfaction that I found very appealing. 

What are the values that drive you?  

Creating a product that I can feel proud of. Knowing that I have learnt something new or improved upon a skillset in someway in each new project that is reflected in the final solution. Knowing that the rest of the team can rely on me to deliver my part of the project we are tasked with. 

What is a key challenge that your customers face that you want to solve/have helped to solve?  

Adapting a client’s idea into a software solution which may not out of the box work as one. Working together to utilise the strengths of what we can provide and tweak what wouldn’t work from their initial concepts to something even better than they had envisioned. 

What is the most exciting part of your job?  

Collaborating with my teammates to bring something together. This can be in the form of brainstorming a particular tricky solution or revaluating a decision made and coming together to find abetter outcome in the end. When a projects starts to come together where it can be demoed and appreciated by the client. 

‍Outside of work, what are you passionate about?  

Programming of course! Like most programmers I also like to do my job outside of work too. I have a pretty big passion for game design and have spent a good chunk of the last few years working on game projects. This has also allowed me to experiment with design, art and other areas outside of programming which have been equally challenging but rewarding. 

I am also passionate about rock climbing& bouldering. A hobby that has slowly and unexpectedly taken over my life. Unexpectedly because I have a fear of heights. I have found however, that it’s a great way to work on that fear but also to exercise and have fun at the same time (it is possible!) 

Not to be a giant nerd about it but I have found there to be pretty big (and cool) parallels in the way a route will beset on a wall and a puzzle that might be crafted by a game designer, which can be equal parts mentally fun and physically satisfying to solve. 

What’s something about you that not a lot of people know?  

I’ve started competing in street fighter tournaments around the country. That’s kind of weird. 

Describe yourself in three words?  

Curious, dog fan 

What are your hobbies/ what do you do on the weekends?  

Most weekends I will be at the climbing gym (see above) or finding a little extra time to continue some personal projects. Now that I’m living in the highlands of Scotland I’m trying to explore more of the north and west side of the country, areas I’ve never previously attempted to venture out too. Dropping a pin on the map and heading out for a day trip has proven to be endlessly rewarding.