Her Story
About Merel
Merel Jacobs is a software engineer and technical leader based in Portland, Oregon, currently serving as Technical Lead at Call One, Inc. and Software Engineer at Loopdash. She specializes in full-stack software development, SaaS applications, enterprise systems, cloud technologies, and API integrations. Known for her ability to combine technical expertise with business insight, she leads engineering initiatives, develops scalable software solutions, and mentors teams while delivering products that improve operational efficiency and user experience. Jacobs' path into technology began in the fields of psychology and neuroscience. She earned her degree while working as a research assistant at Oregon Health & Science University, where she analyzed complex research data using programming and statistical tools. Her exposure to coding through scientific research inspired a transition into software engineering, leading her to complete a full-stack coding bootcamp through University of Oregon and launch a successful career in technology. Throughout her career, Jacobs has built enterprise applications, proprietary ERP systems, analytics platforms, e-commerce solutions, and AI-powered products. With a passion for start ups, she has experience bringing vision to useable software. As a technical leader, she is recognized for driving digital transformation projects, reducing operational costs through in-house software development, and fostering collaborative engineering cultures. Her multidisciplinary background in research, business, and technology enables her to approach software development with both technical rigor and a strong understanding of human behavior and user needs.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Merel
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my well-rounded career experience and my tenacity to put myself out there. My diverse background, from working in neuroscience research on substance use disorders to pediatric mental health care, sales, and personal training, has given me a unique perspective that helps me understand both the technical and business sides of software development. I actively sought out mentors at big tech companies by going to meetups and company happy hours, even at companies I didn't belong to, because I was really eager to learn. I think my willingness to show up in situations where I'm not the most experienced person, combined with my understanding of how people work and interact with technology from my neuroscience background, has been crucial. I've worked really hard over these three years, and I tell people, do what I did in 3 years and see how hard you work. It's about having that tenacity, seeking out the right mentors and resources, and being outgoing enough to ask for help and opportunities.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice wouldn't be much different whether you're a woman or a man, but I say go for it if you want it. What I always try to mention is that whether you do a boot camp, go to school, or whatever path you choose, don't expect that degree to then hand you a job at Microsoft. I think people think that software engineering means you go to school and then automatically get a job that makes a lot of money. And although that can be true, in our world today, you really need to want it and want to work extra and work hard. You need to find people in the field that will advocate for you, support you, and help you grow, and find resources on your own. So if you want it, go for it 100%, but if you just think it's a get-rich-quick, stable job, maybe do something else. You have to be willing to put in the effort beyond just getting the degree or certification.
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