Nik Buckau

Hello Nik, thank you for taking the time for this interview!

What made you decide to join Checkmk?

One of the main reasons I started at Checkmk was the first interview. The IT team kept the conversation "down-to-earth" while asking all the important questions. It felt more like a small exchange of information, where I was also able to present my own projects and ideas. This "down-to-earth" attitude can be felt throughout the entire company.

What fascinates you most about your work at Checkmk, and what are your responsibilities?

The range of tasks is very interesting. It includes user management and hardware management, scripting and automation, but also implementing patch/threat management with my own ideas or creating IT security concepts.

What tools/technologies do you work with in your team?

Ansible, OPNsense, ManageEngine, OpenLDAP, Jira, Proxmox, Oxidized, Gerrit, and AWS.

What is most important to you in your professional life?

For me, it's important to be able to develop in many directions. The variety of tasks makes it exciting for me. Even though there are standard tasks, I never feel like I'm doing the same thing over and over again.

What do you think makes Checkmk or your team special?

Communication at Checkmk is very direct and open. Everyone is addressed by their first name but still treated respectfully. In some companies, you feel like you’re not truly part of the company unless you're at a higher level. Here, many decisions are made publicly.

What I really like about my team is that we have a lot of fun and laugh together, but are still determined to move forward. Even in stressful situations, I’m never afraid to ask someone for help. That makes it much easier for me to learn a lot.