Behind every great product is a team of people who genuinely care about what they’re building, and at Argo, Douglas Schmidt is one of those people.

As Software Development Manager, Douglas helps lead the development of Argo’s products while supporting the engineers and product teams behind them. Over the past five years, he has become an important part of shaping both the platform and the culture that powers it.

Based in Curitiba, Brazil, Douglas brings a unique blend of technical expertise, creativity, humor, and curiosity to the team. Whether he’s solving complex engineering challenges, mentoring teammates, talking about new product ideas, or debating the best sci-fi movies of all time, he approaches everything with enthusiasm and authenticity.

We chatted with Douglas to learn more about his role, what excites him about the work we’re doing, and the passions that fuel him outside of work.

Meet Douglas

Douglas joined Argo five years ago and today serves as Software Development Manager, overseeing the development of Argo’s projects and helping manage the company’s growing product team.

While leadership responsibilities now take up much of his day, he still loves getting hands-on with code whenever he gets the chance.

“I oversee the development of Argo’s projects and manage our growing product team. I also love to code, so whenever I find the time, I get my axe to kill some bugs!”

That balance between leadership and technical problem-solving is something Douglas genuinely enjoys. He’s deeply invested not only in building better products but also in helping the people around him do their best work.

And while many managers slowly drift away from development work over time, Douglas still lights up when talking about engineering.

It’s clear he’s someone who simply loves building things.

A Passion for Great Teams and Great Products

When asked about his favorite part of the job, Douglas doesn’t mention technology first; he talks about people.

“Working with a team that is passionate about what they do! Everyone at Argo really cares about doing the best for our users.”

That sense of shared ownership and pride is something he values deeply. For Douglas, great work doesn’t happen by accident; it comes from teams that care, collaborate well, and constantly push themselves to improve.

One recent accomplishment stands out above the rest: Argo’s migration to the Mapbox map engine.

The migration was years in the making and required significant planning, coordination, and execution across teams. But according to Douglas, the impact has already been transformative.

“Definitely the migration of our map engine to Mapbox! It was a huge effort that was being planned for years, but it unlocked so many new possibilities for our users and us.”

The move didn’t just modernize the platform technically; it opened the door for better performance, more flexibility, and entirely new experiences for users.

“Argo is now more performant, and we already have new layers that are super cool, especially winds.”

For a team focused on creating high-quality mapping and weather experiences, those improvements matter enormously.

And for Douglas, seeing those long-term investments finally come to life is incredibly rewarding.

What People Might Not Realize About Leadership

From the outside, software management roles are often associated with meetings, planning, and process. But Douglas sees his role differently.

To him, leadership is fundamentally about helping people unlock their potential.

“My role is to help the team work better, to unleash everyone’s full potential.”

One of the ways he does that is through regular one-on-one conversations with team members, something he genuinely enjoys.

“I do regular 1-on-1’s with everyone, and it’s always so much fun! But also, very good to level up the team in a more personalized way.”

It’s a people-first approach that helps strengthen both the team and the products they build.

The Motivation Behind the Work

For Douglas, one of the most energizing parts of working at Argo is hearing directly from users.

Whether the feedback is positive or constructive, it reinforces the idea that the work the team does actually matters.

“Every time we get feedback from users — either positive or constructive — it’s always so energizing!”

That connection between product and impact is something he never takes for granted.

“It’s really good to know that what we do has an impact on people’s lives, even if it’s just during their leisure time.”

It’s a reminder that even software used for hobbies, travel, or recreation can create meaningful experiences for people around the world.

More Than Just an Engineer

Although Douglas describes himself as someone people often perceive as serious, he insists that impression isn’t entirely accurate.

“I think people have the impression I’m a serious person, maybe it’s my single-tone way of speaking, so I over-compensate by trying to be funny all the time :D”

That dry humor and self-awareness are part of what make him memorable to work with.

Outside of engineering, Douglas has a deeply creative side. One of his biggest passions is painting.

“I love to paint — art, not walls :)”

While he admits he’s not great at showing off his work, he plans to start sharing more of it on Instagram through his account, @douglaslondrina.

Creativity also extends into his love of ideas and products. If given the opportunity, Douglas says he could talk for hours about app concepts, software products, computers, games, art, and food.

In many ways, that curiosity fuels everything he does professionally and personally.

Dirt Bikes, Patagonia, and Brazilian Culture

When he’s not working or painting, Douglas enjoys spending time outdoors and chasing adventure.

He used to compete in amateur enduro dirtbike events and hopes to get back into riding again soon.

“Hopefully I’m back ‘offline’ soon!”

Travel is another passion, especially trips to the Argentinian Patagonia region.

The combination of mountains, scenery, and snowboarding makes it one of his favorite destinations.

And while Douglas appreciates global culture, he also loves sharing Brazilian culture with others, especially through music and food.

When it comes to drinks, his favorites are coffee and yerba mate.

“Mate is best known as an Argentinian and Uruguayan tea, but Brazil is a huge producer and also home to the natives who started this culture.”

Food-wise, his favorite dish is feijoada, the iconic Brazilian black bean and pork stew.

“I love Brazilian food in general, but my favorite is feijoada.”

Heavy Metal and Sci-Fi

Douglas proudly describes himself as a “headbanger.”

His favorite band is Sepultura, one of Brazil’s most iconic heavy metal groups. But his taste is far from one-dimensional; he also enjoys MPB (Música Popular Brasileira) and even created a Brazilian mixtape playlist to introduce American friends to the country’s music culture.

His love of storytelling also extends into movies, television, and books.

Science fiction is his favorite genre, with The Matrix and Blade Runner ranking among his all-time favorites.

More recently, he’s been especially hooked on Foundation.

“I love sci-fi, so I’ve been pretty hooked on the Foundation TV series, and it’s also one of my favorite books.”

It’s easy to see the connection between his love for imaginative worlds and his passion for building products and ideas in real life.

The Tools and Habits That Keep Him Productive

Douglas is also passionate about workflow and team efficiency.

One tool he especially appreciates is Linear.app, Argo’s project management platform.

He played a key role in helping the team transition away from Jira — a process he says was painful at times, but ultimately worth it.

“I was so happy when I was able to move our work from Jira to Linear.”

What he likes most about Linear is the balance it strikes between flexibility and structure.

“It’s flexible for content but strict on how projects work and flow — that helps us keep the team independent and productive.”

As for his work setup, he keeps it simple but effective:

• A good mechanical keyboard
• A standup desk
• Plenty of coffee

And despite his love for heavy metal, Douglas is surprisingly an early bird.

“Early bird, just can’t beat Captain Jeff on that!”

Rapid Fire with Douglas

Sweet or savory?

Sweet — definitely.

Skill you’d instantly master?

Painting masterpieces.

“Although learning is a big part of the ride.”

If your life had a theme song?

Nothing Else Matters by Metallica.

Best advice you’ve ever received?

“That we don’t know what we don’t know.”

Simple, but powerful — especially in technology and decision-making.

Fictional character you’d want as a coworker?

Inspector Gadget.

“Just imagine the possibilities!”

Final Thoughts

Douglas brings a rare combination of technical leadership, creativity, humility, and passion to Argo.

He cares deeply about building great products, helping teams grow, and creating experiences that genuinely matter to users. At the same time, he’s someone who can just as easily talk about painting, heavy metal, science fiction, Brazilian culture, or the next big app idea.

And perhaps most importantly, he’s always willing to help others along the way.

“I’m always available to help people. If you think I can be of any help, please let me know!”

We’re lucky to have Douglas on the team, and even luckier that he still occasionally picks up the axe to squash a few bugs himself.