We’re thrilled to introduce you to our newest team member, Joe Bandenburg, a seasoned full-stack software engineer with 13 years of experience shaping the digital landscape. Originally hailing from Bristol, Joe has a knack for thriving in close-knit teams and a passion for working on innovative projects. 

With extensive experience in a wide range of start-ups and Big Tech firms, we took some time to sit down with Joe to learn more about his passion for new challenges, and why our mission inspired him to turn his hand towards building software for good.

Can you tell us a little more about your experience before you joined our team? 

Sure! I graduated from the University of Bristol about 13 years ago and immediately discovered my love for working with small and medium-sized companies. Something about that dynamic atmosphere and the fast-paced spirit in those teams really drew me in. I loved seeing the challenges that we could overcome when we worked together.  

After moving between a few great projects, I wanted a new challenge, so I made the leap to Canada. Waterloo is a lot like Bristol, with so much innovation and technology. Eventually, I landed a position at Google! 

Last year, I decided to pivot back to the small company atmosphere that I loved, which led me straight to CameraForensics. The thought of contributing my skills to a meaningful mission was something that really resonated with me, so here I am, ready to tackle something new. 

How do you see your role helping us to drive meaningful change? 

In the world of software engineering, I wear the hat of a generalist. My role as a full-stack engineer means that I can get stuck into a wide range of tasks and responsibilities.  

Building software definitely poses some real challenges. It’s almost like trying to build an invisible bridge. It’s an expensive and intricate process and, unlike the real-life equivalent, you can’t often get an appreciation for the level of complexity behind it.  

I’ve come to appreciate that the end product in software development isn’t always clear from the beginning, but that’s what keeps it dynamic and interesting! 

At CameraForensics – where numerous projects are in motion at the same time – priorities are in a constant state of reassessment. That means my role needs to be agile and flexible. Plus, I’ll be working on existing products at the same time as active research projects. That element of unpredictability is something that’s always excited me. No two days are ever the same.  

All that being said, I’m most comfortable in the product space, where I’ll be exploring features and tools to bring the most value possible to our users.  

How does it feel to take on the CameraForensics mission? 

It’s thrilling, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a little daunting! It’s definitely one of the things that excites me the most about joining CameraForensics – that chance to work for a worthwhile cause.  

The prospect of making an impact to help our users is so important. It’s a huge mission – one that so many great organisations and experts are working on worldwide - and I really think that being able to play even a small part in this mission really sets this opportunity apart! 

What are you most looking forward to in your role? 

The dynamic, collaborative culture was a huge pull for me! I like to think of myself as a real team builder at heart, and I thrive on bringing people together. For me, collaboration is so important, especially in a software development role. It means that we can share knowledge and find support when we need it, and we can also discover new techniques and applications to drive progress.  

Looking ahead 

We’re proud to welcome Joe to the CameraForensics team, and can’t wait to see the impact of his work.

To learn more about our team, read some of our other team member Q&As over on our blog. There, we cover a wide range of topics – from AI to the dark web – and team up with innovative partners to dive deeper into the subjects that matter. Discover more today!