Johannes Traa

About Johannes Traa

Hello! My name is Johannes Traa. I am a data scientist, AI researcher, software developer, leader, and coach.= Engineering =I started my career in research as a grad student at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where I worked on signal processing and machine learning algorithms in the audio domain. Following that, I joined Analog Devices as a research scientist where I developed new technologies in various industry segments as both an individual contributor and technical lead.I am passionate about building end-to-end, AI software systems from ideation to deployment. My primary technical disciplines include ML/AI, real-time signal processing, algorithm development, cloud architecture, and backend web development.= Leadership and coaching =In addition to being a technologist, I thoroughly enjoy developing individuals and teams. I serve as both a team leader and community organizer, bringing people together to learn and do their best work. I coach early-career engineers and scientists to support their personal and professional development. I have designed and led workshops on a range of topics including teamwork and leadership. I am also finishing a Master\'s in Industrial-Organizational Psychology.Selected initiatives- Founder, blog on organizational culture and human connection: Lead organizer, Meetup group based in psychology and personal development- Life/career coach: Career vision =I have helped colleagues craft a vision for their careers. But I have also developed my own. In any professional group that I am a part of, I contribute through both technical work and people development. Great leaders possess a rare combination of technical skill, emotional intelligence, organizational understanding, and humility. It is this ideal that I strive for each day in my collaborations.

Experience

1. Senior Software Engineer

   Klaviyo

   May 2025 — Present · Boston, MA, US

   Backend software development for marketing automation- Platform for phased feature releases and online experimentation- Infrastructure for low-latency, personalized product recommendations at scale.

Education

• Washington International School

  International Baccalaureate

• Northwestern University

  B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering

• Harvard Extension School

  Master's in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Psychology and Management

• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering