Building Real Engineering Culture: Thomas Esterer (Lead Developer at pixelart GmbH) on team design, hiring, and AI in practice

Context: A tech lead’s perspective—principles over hype

In “Thomas Esterer, Lead Developer bei pixelart,” we heard a grounded take on how pixelart GmbH structures its engineering organization, selects people, and integrates new technologies without losing focus. Thomas Esterer’s account offers a clear blueprint: three business units with all disciplines on board, stable teams, a value-driven hiring loop, and a pragmatic approach to modern tooling—including AI.

From our DevJobs.at editorial vantage point, this session reads like a masterclass in balancing technical substance with a people-first mindset. It’s the kind of environment that appeals to engineers who want accountability, context, and meaningful collaboration.

Organization at a glance: 66 people, three business units, end-to-end capabilities

pixelart GmbH operates with 66 people distributed across three business units. Each BU houses the full set of competences needed to deliver digital projects end to end: strategy, design, project management, and development. It’s a structural decision with big day-to-day impact.

• Three BUs, each with PM, design, strategy, and development.
• Tight collaboration and short feedback loops.
• Decisions made close to the work, not far removed from it.

For engineers, this translates to fewer handoffs, more context, and a direct line from decision to implementation.

“Small team within a big agency”: stability and cross-pollination

Thomas describes the work model as combining the advantages of a larger agency with the familiarity of a small team:

Stability builds shared context and reduces coordination overhead. At the same time, access to other teams creates learning opportunities and expands your toolbox. If you value deep, sustained project work without losing sight of broader perspectives, this is a compelling setup.

The engineering team: 13 people, clear specializations, lived seniority levels

As Lead Web Developer, Thomas leads a 13-person tech team. The composition is deliberate:

• Clear specialization in frontend or backend.
• A range of levels from junior to senior.
• Additionally, 1–2 interns to bring “fresh wind” into the team.

The mix supports focus and growth: specialists can go deep while seniors mentor and juniors ramp up in a structured environment. Internships inject new perspectives that challenge routines and invite reflection.

Hiring with values: technical depth plus human fit

Thomas puts strong emphasis on the hiring process—co-owned with People & Culture and built on two equal pillars: technical skill and values alignment.

The process in brief

• Joint screening of applications by People & Culture and the tech team.
• Short virtual intro to confirm basic mutual fit.
• In-person “Kennenlern-Tag” at the agency (intentionally not virtual).
• A small hands-on exercise directly with the team—“at a Definsel”—to experience the real work setting.
• Internal debrief with a senior colleague and the team to discuss the overall impression and team fit.

This is notable because it treats candidates as partners in the decision: they get a realistic, first-hand sense of the environment before any commitment. It’s recruiting that aims for retention.

Technical roots since 2004: from CMS to e-commerce, tools, and digital touchpoints

pixelart GmbH has been around since 2004 with a strong technical backbone. The company evolved from classic CMS and corporate website projects to a broader scope in recent years.

For engineers, this signals the ability to navigate technological shifts—from a solid core to a wider portfolio—without losing coherence.

The tech stack—solid, modern, and chosen with intent

Thomas outlines a practical, contemporary stack paired with project-first decision-making.

• Frontend: HTML, TypeScript, Sass; plus Tailwind and Storybook.
• Backend: PHP and Java; with Symfony on the PHP side.

Principles over dogma

There is no stack absolutism here. The “ideal stack” is determined per project, which reflects technical maturity and business pragmatism.

• Kick off with a shared technical review.
• Identify technologies that actually add value for this project.
• Evaluate new tools responsibly and in context.

Collaboration that delivers: proximity, context, shared accountability

The BU model brings strategy, design, PM, and development into daily proximity. Technical decisions are made with full awareness of constraints and goals. For engineers, that means fewer blind spots and more ownership.

The “family” analogy here signals reliability and continuity rather than sentimentality: you work with the same people, develop shared habits, and move faster together.

AI in practice: integrate into workflows, not as an experiment

AI is top of mind, and Thomas calls it one of the most impactful technologies of recent years—especially for development. The key is integration into workflows.

Examples mentioned include ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot, pointing to ideation/assistance and coding support. The goal is measured and inclusive adoption:

• Awareness of impact across development, project management, design, and strategy.
• Focus on embedding tools where they make sense.
• Ensure the whole team “benefits well” from these capabilities.

Why pixelart GmbH is attractive for engineers

Based on Thomas’s session, here are clear reasons why tech talent might gravitate toward this environment.

• Stability and cohesion: Work repeatedly with the same colleagues—trust, speed, and quality grow together.
• Real interdisciplinarity: Strategy, design, PM, and development inside one BU reduces silos and strengthens context.
• Specialization with growth paths: Frontend/backend focus, juniors through seniors, plus internships for fresh perspectives.
• Values-driven hiring: Technical excellence matters—and so does values alignment. That’s how teams stay healthy.
• Realistic preview before you decide: In-person day on site, hands-on exercise with the team, and a thoughtful debrief.
• Solid, modern stack: HTML, TypeScript, Sass, Tailwind, Storybook, PHP, Java, Symfony—adapted per project.
• Project-first technology choices: The “ideal stack” is chosen consciously, not by habit or dogma.
• AI as leverage, not hype: Tools like ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot are integrated into workflows so everyone benefits.
• Big-agency resources, small-team feel: Stability in squads with the ability to exchange with others across the house.

Growth, learning, responsibility: how the environment supports engineers

The level mix, internships, and stable teams create a natural learning runway. Juniors get guidance, seniors anchor knowledge and take responsibility, and interns keep perspectives fresh.

• Mentorship via repeated collaboration.
• Feedback loops through shared project kickoffs and stack decisions.
• Practical learning even during the candidate day—before any contract is signed.

The in-person emphasis makes a difference: you experience the environment—the noise level, the pace, the interactions—and decide with clarity.

Engineering choices with foresight: project kickoffs as a quality lever

Starting projects with a stack discussion is both a quality mechanism and a learning ritual. It consolidates experience, surfaces assumptions, and builds shared commitment.

That “what do we want to look at” matters: it creates a curated space for exploration that remains accountable to project goals.

Agency, but not generic: a distinct mission and profile

What emerges from the session is a clear mission: implement digital projects with substance—from strategy through design to development depth. The technical roots since 2004 are not nostalgia; they’re a compass for decisions that feel substantial and coherent—from stack choices to hiring routines.

For engineers, the profile is attractive:

• End-to-end project visibility rather than isolated tickets.
• A culture where technology and design complement each other.
• Decision-making that is explained and shared, not imposed.

What we learned from “Thomas Esterer, Lead Developer bei pixelart”

• Organization over improvisation: three BUs with all disciplines make interdisciplinary work the default.
• People before formalities: values are as important as skills, and the in-person day makes that tangible.
• Stability is a feature: recurring collaboration accelerates quality.
• Technology with judgment: a solid stack chosen per project—open to new, not dictated by fashion.
• AI with intent: tools like ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot are embedded into workflows, not used as standalone experiments.

Conclusion: An environment that blends substance, proximity, and progress

“Thomas Esterer, Lead Developer bei pixelart” shows how a 66-person agency can combine engineering excellence with a people-first culture. Stable teams, interdisciplinary business units, a clear hiring process, and a balanced tech stack create a space where engineers can focus, deliver, and grow. The stance on AI—integrate deliberately so everyone benefits—underscores the intent to translate innovation into everyday practice.

If you’re seeking a workplace where context, responsibility, and team cohesion matter, pixelart GmbH offers a strong proposition—from the first on-site “Kennenlern-Tag” to the joint decision on the “ideal stack” for your next project.

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