Ryan had been tinkering with PowerShell to do individual tasks for several years before he started working on the service desk for Bellwether. Although creating automations wasn’t technically in his job description at the time, he was curious to see what he could do with PowerShell and he asked for the opportunity to experiment. What he received was space to learn.

Fast forward to the present, and Ryan is neck-deep in PowerShell every day as a Security Automation Engineer. You might say that discovering this application has led Ryan to his calling but he’s not just a fan. He’s fanatic about the technology and the PowerShell ball cap that he wears every day is a sign of his devotion.

PowerShell is a programming language that interacts with different types of software and integrates them with automated workflows. It’s not the only technology tool that Ryan uses in his work, but the expertise that he’s developed through working with PowerShell has made it easier for him to pick up other programming languages and work with databases.

“It’s been a great experience to be able to find my path and the things that I enjoy and am good at, and fit that into my role at Bellwether,” said Ryan.

Security Automations for Efficiency and Fast Response

As a Security Automation Engineer, Ryan works closely with Bellwether’s security analysts to automate routine tasks that are used to audit security processes, hunt for threats, and respond to alerts. Automation makes some tasks much easier, however, there’s no way to automate everything.

“My goal is to constantly look at the tasks and procedures we perform and figure out whether they can be automated in part or as a whole,” Ryan explained. “When it’s possible, it’s helpful in high-stress situations and using automation in those situations can speed up response with more reliable and consistent results.”

While the end result of Ryan’s work is a carefully thought-out sequence of activities, the way that he gets there is more like solving a puzzle. He works with small sections of a process and puts them together until they achieve the desired outcome. With each project that he completes, Ryan gains confidence in his capabilities and an eagerness to tackle the next challenge.

Team Player with Client Expectations in Mind

Ryan’s position is unique but he doesn’t act like he’s a one-person show, according to his supervisor, Corey. Ryan is always open to ideas and makes sure that everyone on the team is included when decisions need to be made. He’s also in tune with client objectives and expectations.

“Ryan always has clients’ best interests in mind. He does his due diligence and he’s very thorough.” said Corey. “Whether we’re rolling out a new feature or an update, he’s going to make sure that it doesn’t interrupt client operations.”

Because he’s innately curious, Ryan thinks that he probably would have been experimenting with automation technology on his own. He feels fortunate that he works at a company that understands that breakthroughs emerge from experimentation.

“I was able to do a project recently that was more R and D, and it was not likely to pan out immediately,” Ryan recalled. “It wasn’t super high stakes but it was going to cost money. When I said I want to try this, the answer was give it a try and see what happens.”

Input and Personal Aspirations Valued by Management

That type of a request wouldn’t have gone too far at a company that doesn’t value employees’ opinions but that’s not at all what it’s like at Bellwether. Ryan feels that his voice is heard, and his ideas get serious consideration. He says that the company does a good job of keeping an open mind and makes an effort to discover different perspectives.

Ryan’s remote work situation is another example of how open-minded Bellwether management is. He had plans to move to North Carolina before remote working became widespread with the COVID pandemic. He told his boss that he was moving but he’d like to continue working for Bellwether and management worked with him to make that happen.

There’s a common theme that runs through Ryan’s story of his Bellwether experience and that’s freedom to take his career and life where he wants it to go. He’s grateful for the opportunities that he’s had and recognizes that this probably could have only happened at Bellwether. He has an invitation for like-minded tech professionals.

Here’s Ryan’s advice, “If you’re curious and find things you want to learn, Bellwether is probably going to help you find that space.”