PayPay Inside-Out People and Culture

Tech Talks vol.30 – iOS Engineer

2023.07.12

About Tech Talks

In this Tech Talks series, we will share with you the attitude and vibe of the PayPay Tech Team through the voices of the unique product members from around 50 countries!
This time, will be speaking with Nikhil, Tech Lead for the CoreApp iOS team.

Nikhil Tammanache

Originally from India, Nikhil joined PayPay two years ago and currently serves as Tech Lead of the feature development in the CoreApp iOS team. With over nine years of experience, Nikhil is a seasoned professional with expertise in the Swift programming language.

Tell us about the CoreApp iOS Platform team and its mission

Our mission is to create a user-first application that caters to all citizens of Japan. Our primary goal is to develop stable and seamless application that offers users a trouble-free experience.

As a Tech Lead, I play a crucial role in providing technical support for quarterly projects. I assist the project manager and team members by conducting technical preliminary research and facilitating information sharing. With many new members on board, my expertise lies in answering questions, solving problems, and ensuring smooth project operations.

Any particularly impressive projects?

I am always impressed with projects related to the Home screen because they are always challenging. If something goes wrong, it can have a big impact on the users, so we have to be vigilant.

One of my tasks was to add a “Pay Later” feature to the Home screen, which was very difficult to rollout quickly without affecting any other elements. Finally, we were able to deliver it quickly and with ease.

I had the opportunity to present our work on the Home screen at the PayPay DevTalk held in February 2023. The main topic was about improving the loading speed of the PayPay app.

Currently, the PayPay app loads very quickly, but previously, when the network was unstable, it took longer to open and display barcodes. Therefore, based on our analysis, we made a number of improvements, such as removing unnecessary API requests and using cache responses, to achieve a significant increase in speed such as reducing the speed of barcode display by more than 60%. This initiative was a great opportunity to showcase the efforts of our application team.

What made you decide to join PayPay?

Before joining PayPay, I had experience working as an iOS Engineer for a company in India. However, I felt a strong desire to expand my horizons and explore new opportunities. PayPay’s remarkable product, extensive user base, and inclusive culture caught my attention.

The prospect of working on a platform that directly impacts millions of users filled me with excitement. Contributing to a product that has such a wide-reaching impact aligned perfectly with my career aspirations. Moreover, PayPay’s commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion creates a collaborative environment where I can learn from talented professionals with diverse backgrounds.
Joining PayPay has opened doors to endless possibilities for professional development and the chance to be part of a dynamic and supportive team.

Tell us about some challenges at PayPay

One of the most challenging experiences for me was assuming the role of a tech lead four months ago. As a tech lead, I not only had to comprehend the frontend aspects but also grasp the entire PayPay architecture from a backend perspective to address issues comprehensively. Despite the complexity of coordinating with multiple teams, I considered it invaluable experience. It allowed me to connect with numerous stakeholders and PayPay members, gain a holistic understanding of the company’s architecture, and truly embrace my role.

What is the atmosphere of the team?

The CoreApp iOS team has been helpful and supportive ever since I joined. If I have any problem or question, I can ask anyone and they are quick to respond. Everyone is polite and respectful of individual opinions and eager to learn new skills.

Although I basically work from home, we communicate well because we can talk directly with each other at the monthly office meetups. I personally look forward to each meeting very much because it is a good opportunity to learn about each other’s personalities and different cultures, and I rarely miss one!

What challenges do you want to take on in the future?

Looking ahead, the team aspires to continuously innovate our architecture and design by incorporating cutting-edge technologies. To achieve this, all team members are actively pursuing learning opportunities and enhancing their skills.

My personal goal is to become a mobile technical architect by gaining expertise in mobile development platforms, acquiring leadership skills, and keeping up-to-date with current industry trends.

Finally, do you have a message for our readers?

PayPay provides an environment that fosters both technical and personal growth. Our diverse and knowledgeable team offers ample opportunity to enhance your expertise. As effective communication is crucial for remote collaboration, we value individuals who can express their opinions and listen to others.

If you are seeking further growth and wish to contribute to developing a top-notch product, we invite you to join our group of highly skilled professionals.

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*Recruitment status and employee affiliations are correct at the time of the interview.