About Magnet Forensics
Magnet Forensics specializes in software solutions for digital forensics and incident response. Based out of Waterloo, Ontario, Magnet employs approximately 500 employess internationally. They use a wide variety of technologies and are on the leading edge of digital forensics.
Job Description
I was hired on as a Software Product Developer Co-op. I had the opportunity to work on the idea lab team (the research and development team) at Magnet Forensics. Much of the work I performed during my term was considered confidential so I cannot discuss it in great detail. This position involved working in many different fields of programming including, proposal and business development, back-end web development, front-end web development, desktop app development, and DevOps. For web devlopment I used ASP.NET, Socket.IO, Figma, and Docker. For desktop development, I learned how to create and work with C# WPF applications. Finally, in DevOps I used Azure, AWS, and Datadog to setup, manage, and monitor cloud infrastructure used for the project.
Learning Goals
Creativity
One of my goals was to effectively contribute new ideas to the team. I planned on doing this by engaging and cooperating with the other members of the team for ideas, as well as researching new data and techniques to generate ideas on my own. At the end of my term I could effectively engage and cooperate with my team through brainstorming and collaborative problem solving. I was able to contribute both technical and non-technical ideas during team discussions and pair programming. Overall, I feel much more confident in my ability to effectively contribute new and creative ideas to the team.
Technological Literacy
Another goal was to learn more about the languages and frameworks that the company uses on a regular basis. I did this by discussing with my team members, participating in online courses to further my knowledge, and doing self-guided research. During my term I was able to work on numerous projects and learn a wide range of new technical skills. I increased my ability and knowledge in using the .NET framework, Docker, AWS, Datadog, Figma, as well as C++ during the companies Hack-a-thon. At the end of my term, I felt more confident coding and working with the tools that Magnet uses on a regular basis.
Teamwork
My final goal was to learn how to more effectively work with a team to design, prototype, and develop software. The Idea Lab team at Magnet is largely based on group based projects. I spent a lot of time in group discussions, meetings, and work sessions. I also participated in team events and discussions to further my teamwork skills. At the end of my term I felt very comfortable working with my team and developed strong working relationships with everyone. My confidence in speaking improved over the course of the term, and by the end I felt fully confident participating in discussions with the team. This position was the most team-based atmosphere I have experienced.
Conclusion
Working at Magnet Forensics greatly increased my technical knowledge. However, I learned a lot about team based work culture and business development. My experience at Magnet helped me determine the type of work culture I enjoy. My team was extremely collaborative, helpful, and fun. I also felt as if my work mattered at Magnet, and contributed to helping real people. This is the type of work environment that I thrive in, and I can’t wait to return in the summer.
