Requirements for a new job (wishlist)
Hello,
I’m not actively seeking new opportunities at this time.
My career spans nearly three decades in technical roles, primarily as a mix of Senior Consultant, System Architect and Systems Engineer. My focus areas include HCL Connections on Kubernetes, WebSphere Application Server, and automation of deployment with Ansible. I was an IBM Champion from 2013 to 2019 and an HCL Ambassador from 2019 to 2025.
My professional experience encompasses numerous domains: Blogging, Public Speaking, Apprentice Training, Mentoring, Linux Administration, Container Technology, Systems Administration/Engineering, DevOps, Technical Architecture, Technical Solutions, Team Leadership, Product Ownership, Team Coaching, Project Management, Open Source Contribution, Infrastructure Automation, and IT Security/Penetration Testing basics.
I’m frequently speaking at various events and congresses including Opensource/Linux, Social Connections/Let’s Connect, and IBM Connect. I’ve maintained a blog for more than 20 years at stoeps.de.
Moving forward, I aim to balance more people-focused work involving communication and development while maintaining technical involvement. I prefer working with smaller companies and startups, though I’m open to opportunities with larger organizations if their culture is particularly appealing.
After 25 years in technical roles, I value leveraging my accumulated knowledge. Positions that interest me include:
- Trainer/Apprentice Instructor
- Conference Speaker
- Workshop Facilitator
- Small Team Manager
- Team Coach
- Product Owner
- Technical Account Manager
- Technical/Solution Architect
- Project Manager
- System Architect
- Presales Engineer
- Security-focused roles
Ideally, any role would combine open-source technologies with business applications.
Work Environment Preferences
Beyond role responsibilities, I value transparent discussions about working conditions and benefits. The following represents my professional wishlist:
I believe genuine workplace flexibility goes beyond standard arrangements with core hours. True flexibility allows for autonomy in managing one’s schedule while ensuring responsibilities are fulfilled.
My workplace preferences include:
- Freedom to choose my client operating system with local admin rights
- Unrestricted internet access
- Commitment to Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS)
- Dedicated training budget
- Support for open source conference participation including:
- Recognition that events often occur on weekends
- Coverage for travel and accommodation expenses
- Allocated work time for presentation preparation
- Opportunities to represent the employer at industry events
- Fair compensation with appropriate advancement opportunities
- Travel benefits such as a BahnCard 100 or at minimum a Deutschland Ticket
- Remote work options:
- Strong preference for fully remote environments
- For hybrid settings: At least two fixed remote days weekly
- Professional autonomy and trust
- Opportunities for skill development and mastery
- A culture that empowers employees to make reasonable decisions without excessive approvals
- Free tea ;-)
For technical positions, I additionally value:
- Working with cutting-edge technologies
- Dedicated “engineering time” to explore and implement new technologies
If you’ve read this far and these preferences align with your organization’s approach, I’d be interested in further conversation.
For contact options, please visit my author profile on stoeps.de .
Cheers, Christoph