Hi! I'm Jonathan (he/him)

and I really want to be your next staff test engineer!

TL;DR: I’m not joking when I say I do actually care about good UX/UI, open source, and analytically (and programmatically) contributing to making good software great. Between my experience and my interests, I believe I’d be a good fit as the next member of Automattic’s team, and I crafted a project to prove exactly that.

As an introduction to my skills and interests, I had Claude.ai help me create a simple QA-related web app which I spun up into a Wordpress site (seemed especially fitting), and then documented the test automation of that site on my Github. Hopefully you agree with me that it’s a good example of my interest in testing, UX, and Automattic, and shows my ability to work with Javascript, Playwright, Github Actions, and HTML/CSS with AI-assisited efficiency.
The web app site is QAstats.com,
and my Github profile can be found at github.com/wombatman70

In undergrad I studied art (I like to think of it as a degree in creative problem solving), but I was also the only art major taking financial accounting classes as electives.
I’ve long been proud of the fact that the law school I attended is one that teaches plain English legal writing - emphasizing the value of making complex issues approachable. Shortly after school I moved to Nashville to “see about a girl” (to quote Goodwill Hunting), I started my career in finance/fintech. All that to say: I pride myself in having an “ambidextrous” brain - both creative and analytical - and think that effective, efficient communication is key to success in virtually every role.

Since moving to “Music City” I’ve been honing the skills that should help me help Automattic continue to thrive - I was an implementation analyst and regulatory valuation software product owner at a small hometown SaaS company that was acquired by IPREO (then again by IHS Markit). There I spent three and a half years neck-deep in client data, manual QA testing for every release, gathering business requirements, and deep app expertise for both internal trainings and client-facing communication. Then I was a subject matter expert that helped write technical documentation and diffused passionate client situations as a marketing and community manager for a blockchain media company.

Most recently I spent three and a half years as an analyst managing clients’ equity plans at JP Morgan (I joined when it was Global Shares, which was then acquired by JPM). I spoke regularly with executives large companies, and participated in at-least-monthly UAT efforts, as well as being known as a voice advocating for UI improvements.

(In-between those roles I also proudly did a stint as a stay-at-home dad, which taught me patience, focus, compassion, listening and clear communication skills in a way few other experiences can)

All that to say: I’m a creative and deeply analytical individual with experiences and comfort with testing and agile software development that directly apply to job at hand, and someone who is passionate about effective, efficient, emotionally intelligent communication.
I come alive when I get to learn new things, solve meaningful puzzles, and make sure that clients and end-users feel like royalty. In the middle of a three-circle Venn diagram connecting objective analysis, kind & effective communication, and creative problem solving, we find my professional happy place. I would love the chance to build a career helping Automattic ensure its software is as great as it can be.

p.s. You can find a few highlights from my resume below for an additional glimpse into my background.

Location

Nashville, TN USA
 

EMAIL & SOCIAL

Jonathanwesley @ gmail .com
LI:    /jonathanwesleywhite
Github: /wombatman70

WORK HISTORY

Judicial Clerkship Intern

U.S. Dist. Court for the Western District of Michigan
Assessed and co-drafted corresponding opinions to applications for writs of habeas corpus with the late Hon. Robert Holmes Bell & his clerks

Trainer/producer

Midwest Barista School
Trained students of various backgrounds, hailing from all over the country (and world) in barista skills, customer relations, and point-of-sale psychology and procedures. Produced DVDs and curriculum for students and fellow trainers

education