12 Devs in 12 Months: Maxim Picard

Even if our 15th anniversary is behind us, we still have a bunch of amazing employees that deserve to be known. That’s why we’re starting the second edition of 12 Devs in 12 Months. Until March 2022, you’ll get to meet 12 new talented and friendly members of our team.

This month, we’re introducing you to MAXIM PICARD, Programming Team Lead, who has been with us for 4 years.

Enjoy!

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Describe your job in a GIF.

WHAT IS YOUR BEST MEMORY UBI?

BBQ at the Baie de Beauport, bosses flipping burgers, sunshine, volleyball, petanque… really a great day!

WHAT LED YOU TO THE VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY?

Luck? I’ve been a gamer for a long time, but I never imagined a career in video games with my more “data” profile. A position opened up in the small SID team, my profile came up, the timing was right, a good interview with a CEGEP alumnus and that was the beginning of my adventure at Ubisoft!

WHAT WAS THE BEST PROJECT YOU WORKED ON?

Definitely Rocket; a tool developed to provide data to game productions. Special mention for the Backlog Cutline card which was a real challenge to develop through several brainstorming sessions on the whiteboard!

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT WORKING FROM HOME? WHAT DO YOU LIKE LEAST?

The most: The super efficient routine without the stress of travel. Get up at 8:25 and be 5 minutes early for the 8:30 meeting! ?

The least : It’s harder to make the office/home break since the office is now at home! You get better with time.

IF YOU HAD ANY ADVICE FOR SOMEONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO DO THE SAME JOB AS YOU, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Take an interest in agility, no matter what your job is!

WHICH COLLEAGUE HAS MARKED YOU IN THE LAST YEAR AND WHY?

Our team has grown a lot in the last 4 years, I work with a lot of great people! I’ve been impressed by the way our team has adapted to the telecommuting environment. Special mention to Francis Desjardins for his phenomenal ability to learn new things!

WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT OUTSIDE OF WORK?

Sports are a big part of our family life, whether it’s training, soccer, field hockey or karate, we need to get moving and if we can do it all together even better!

WHAT DID WORK FROM HOME ALLOWED YOU TO DISCOVER ABOUT YOURSELF?

The importance for me to make a break between work and home. Before it was in the transport at the end of the day that this break was made, now it is to do it differently, by going for a walk or training at the end of the day for example.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MOST ABOUT GOING BACK TO THE STUDIO?

The gym, the foosball, the coffee shop and all the corners of the studio are great but what I miss the most is the energy that comes out, feeling all the people who are active in the studio. A nice big studio update with everyone crammed into the atrium!

[CEDRICK’S QUESTION] ARE YOU DOING THE JOB YOU WANTED TO DO AS A CHILD?

As a child I dreamed of all kinds of jobs. At Ubisoft, I manage to combine my passion for numbers and gaming. I never imagined that such a job existed when I was a kid

WHAT QUESTION WOULD YOU ASK THE NEXT #12DEVSEN12MONTH PARTICIPANT?

What is the first game that you completed from start to finish… more than once?