JL
Jon Lee
WorkThoughtsResume

Writing

Thoughts

Essays and notes on software engineering, technical leadership, and what I've learned building systems at scale across aerospace, commerce, and cloud.

All opinions are my own.

#career#leadership#engineering

What No One Tells You About Becoming a Principal Engineer

The title is a milestone, but the real shift happens long before the promotion. A reflection on what the role actually demands — and why most engineers misunderstand it.

Dec 10, 2025
8 min read→
#leadership#engineering#culture

Setting the Standard: Why I Still Do the Small Stuff as a Principal Engineer

Gaining trust and setting a high standard isn't a top-down mandate. It's about setting a precedent through action — and learning that no task is beneath you.

Sep 5, 2025
3 min read→
#security#encryption#javascript

Client and Server Side Encryption with Crypto and CryptoJS

A practical guide to symmetric, asymmetric, and hybrid encryption in JavaScript — covering CryptoJS on the client and Node's built-in crypto module on the server.

Nov 11, 2021
3 min read→
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