UtilityAPI is growing, but we’re still a compact organization. Every new person we hire has a noticeable effect on who we are as a company. Strong hires are key to our success, and thus, to yours. Meet our latest strong hire, Yi-Ping Lai. 

What first impressed us about Yi-Ping was the absolute elegance of her code. UtilityAPI asks all engineering applicants to complete a coding test. The test represents a good chunk of the work we ask our engineers to complete. They need to do it quickly and accurately. Yi-Ping knocked it out of the park.

How was she able to do that? “I am known for being an engineer, though my background is more electrical. I really enjoy the analytical, rational world. I am very organized. Both of my parents are math teachers in Taiwan, which is not the same as engineering, obviously, but similar,” she explained.

Why ‘elegant’ code matters

‘Elegant’ code isn’t just a thing other engineers admire — it translates directly into maintaining UtilityAPI’s competitive edge: our product actually works, and does exactly what it’s supposed to. There’s a reason we’re able to offer you your data for free if we can’t get it for you within 24 hours. 

Yi-Ping is also very athletic, competitive, and (fun fact) a certified lifeguard. She loves badminton, with table tennis coming in a close second. It can be hard to find people to play with in the U.S., but “if you try hard enough, you can still find some. You just go to the courts and people will show up.” We admire her competitive drive.
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UtilityAPI is really happy to be able to help launch a woman into her career in software engineering. What convinced her to join us? “I feel like this is a group of people I can work with comfortably. I also like the company mission and culture (diversity and clean energy). And lastly, I like the flexibility of a remote job.”