Joana, Software Developer Travel

Hi, I’m Joana and I work as a Software Developer at CHECK24 in the travel division. I completed both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Media Informatics. During my bachelor’s, I gained my first experience in native app development—through an internship and my bachelor thesis. While doing my master’s, I specifically looked for a working student position focused on app development—and that’s how I found CHECK24 in 2023. The role was a perfect fit both professionally and personally. After finishing my studies, I joined CHECK24 full-time in November 2024.

Together with my colleagues, I work on the continuous development of our Android app. That means fixing bugs, implementing new features, and optimizing existing functionalities. A typical day as an app developer at CHECK24 is pretty varied. In addition to actual development work, regular team communication is a big part of my routine. We conduct code reviews for each other — not just to maintain code quality but also as a great way to learn from one another and grow together. Every now and then, I also take on release responsibilities in rotation with my teammates, which gives me a well-rounded view of the entire development process. It’s this mix of development, collaboration, and responsibility that makes the job exciting and diverse.

Back in school, I had both a creative and scientific side. Media Informatics seemed like the perfect way to combine those interests. I ended up studying at the Hochschule Furtwangen in the Black Forest, at the Faculty of Digital Media. My master’s at HTWK in Leipzig was more technical, which opened up even more perspectives for me.

Honestly, computer science wasn’t even on my radar for a long time. Back in school, I had new ideas all the time—at one point I wanted to be a graphic designer, then a surgeon, an architect, or even join the police. IT was never really part of the plan. But sometimes interests develop unexpectedly along the way—and that’s exactly what happened for me. Now I’m really glad I chose this path.

My start was really smooth. I felt very warmly welcomed and comfortable from day one. The team is incredibly open, helpful, and funny — I haven’t had a single day where I thought, “Ugh, I don’t want to go to work today.” On the contrary — I genuinely enjoy coming into the office because the atmosphere is great and you know you can rely on each other.

That’s tough — I can only guess, of course, I can’t speak for them. But I think I’m still the baby of the team. Maybe they’d describe me as open, reliable, and eager to learn. And one thing’s for sure: I love baking — and that’s always well received!