The faces of our Blockchain team - Meet Daniel Pichler

Today, we’re talking to Daniel Pichler, Blockchain Engineer, about his career at Bitpanda.

Could you tell us about your start at Bitpanda?

While I’ve been in the space before and have been engaging with Bitcoin since 2013, I only started working for Bitpanda in February of this year.

Because of the pandemic, I actually haven’t met all of my team members in person yet, but the introduction to the job worked well despite that. So well, in fact, that we’re now hiring fully remote team members.

What does a blockchain engineer at Bitpanda typically do on a daily basis?

As a blockchain engineer, you are responsible for the infrastructure - usually the blockchain nodes - and the adjacent code basis to enable customers the safe and quick deposits and withdrawals of funds. In the morning we usually see if there were any incidents during the night and check as a group if there are upcoming upgrades or hard forks for the existing services. Once that is resolved, we focus on implementing new blockchains and additional services for existing chains into the platform, mostly using Python for any interactions with nodes and services. Before we release a new version of one of our microservices, we check for errors by reviewing each others’ code and giving tips for further efficiency or code readability improvements.

Why did you choose Bitpanda?

I've been quite passionate about the topic for a long time, within which Bitpanda in particular has done a lot of things very well over the years. I worked quite happily in another growing company before, but the lure of the industry pulled me in. With the growth trajectory and challenges we currently see, I am now happy that I pulled the trigger and joined the Blockchain team at Bitpanda. There is a lot to learn for builders in the industry, and while I did so mostly on my own or as part of Bitcoin Austria, I now enjoy improving together, while being able to do what I like on a full-time basis within this team.

Where do you see blockchain engineering one year from now?

The blockchain engineering role is still somewhat undefined. For us, it’s currently clear that it mostly means interaction with various blockchains for hedging and payment purposes, but I see the field expanding and becoming more complex in the future. Smart contracts have already become a significant player in the market and second-layer solutions like the Lightning Network or Polygon are here to scale cheap payments and blockchain interactions. I think as an engineer in this space, there is always going to be something completely new to learn about and you get to be one of the first to interact with it professionally.

Thank you

We’re on the lookout for those fast-moving, talented, “roll-up-your-sleeves-and-make-it-happen” kind of people who want to build Bitpanda with us. If you’re someone who thinks big, moves fast and wants to make an impact right from day one, check out our current blockchain position and apply now! We’d love to have you onboard for an amazing journey ahead. Let’s go!