PayPay Card Infrastructure Engineer Continuing to Take on New Challenges with AWS Deployment

The “Professionals” series showcases talented experts who support PayPay Group’s operations.
In this issue we interviewed Tsutsumi-san, who supports the PayPay Card infrastructure and discussed the nature of his work and job satisfaction.

Participating in a Large Project for AWS Implementation

Tell us about your background and why you joined PayPay Card

I previously worked in the telecommunications infrastructure industry, where I was involved in the construction, operation, and maintenance of telecommunications facilities and business improvement, but I changed jobs because I wanted to work closer to users. I wanted to work for a company that provides services directly to their users, and develop a user’s perspective while deriving satisfaction from that feeling of your work being useful to many people.

In PayPay Card, I could contribute to the lives of many users in the increasingly cashless society, and it was also a perfect environment for me because I wanted to someday return to my hometown in Kyushu to work there.

Tell us about your work and mission

The CCoE Group is the department responsible for operating and building PayPay Card infrastructure environments, both on-premises and in the cloud.

I have been a part of the infrastructure team for the last two years for a core system renewal project, and have been involved in building systems on AWS. It is a large project, covering migration of core systems from a mainframe to an open system, as well as a platform change from on-premises to the cloud, and involving 20 to 30 infrastructure engineers. We were able to successfully switch over in April, and now are in the operational phase.

Was anything particularly challenging for you?

This project was the first time for me to build a system on a public cloud, so I started by growing my knowledge. It was both difficult and interesting to ‍take baby steps in actually working on the system.

Since we are still accumulating know-how even now, I feel that it’s challenging for my team, because this task tends to be biased toward those with prior knowledge of AWS. We continue to challenge ourselves by sharing information with each other and introducing new features within the team!

Motivated by the Satisfaction of Contributing to a Large Number of Users

What motivates you at work?

The same thing that was my motivation for joining the company—being able to work while knowing that the systems I have built with my own hands are enriching the lives of many users. It is also very rewarding to be involved in both on-premise and cloud computing, and to be able to try out new technologies while ensuring the Reliability required for financial services.

What do you value in your work?

Communicating with those around me to get things done. We are also aware that we should not only do the work given to us, but also find issues on our own and go out to solve them. I believe that being proactive like this is often required, especially after becoming accustomed to the job.
In terms of PayPay 5 Senses, I especially agree with “Communication is necessary, ego is not welcome” and “Be sincere to be professional”.

Catching up on new skills and knowledge is essential for solving or improving current issues. As an engineer supporting what can be called a social infrastructure service used all over Japan, I want to always keep up with latest technologies and improve my skills, so I can contribute to our users. I want my team members to also always think about upskilling as engineers not only in their day-to-day work but also in the mid- to long-term.

Tell us about your team members and the atmosphere

Everyone is very friendly and pleasant to communicate with. It’s very helpful that I can talk to them without hesitation if I need anything. Currently, we have two offices, one in Tokyo and one in Fukuoka, and I have never met some members in person, but we can communicate via Slack and Zoom, so we can work without being conscious of the distance.

What are you mindful of regarding communication in your work?

We communicate a lot by text, so I’m working on my writing to convey emotion better. Always keeping teamwork in mind, I try to create an environment where I can have frank conversations even when working remotely, just as I do when I am in the office.

Especially for those who have just joined the company, we ask them to catch up step by step by working on projects with experienced seniors at first, and hold regular meetings for questions and consultations. Communication among team members is also active, as they share and discuss issues regarding their work during daily morning meetings.

Toward an Operating Environment that Takes Advantage of Cloud Computing

Tell us what you hope to accomplish in the future

As a team, we want to transform our systems and operations so that we can enjoy the benefits of the cloud environment. We would like to create an environment where we can provide better services to our users by reducing the development and operation load through utilizing the advantages of the cloud, such as managed services.

Lastly, do you have a message for potential candidates?

PayPay Card continues to grow at a rapid pace, so it is ideal for people who can think independently and are self-sufficient. The environment is conducive to casual conversation, even with senior staff and supervisors, and there is ample support when there are questions or problems.
If there is something you want to do, you are free to propose it, so we would love to work with people who can take the initiative and take on AWS and other cloud computing challenges!

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