Boarding Zone: New Graduate Hiring - Gavin Trent

Feb 17, 2026

(San Carlos, CA) – Learning to build in aviation: real users, real constraints, real feedback.

Coming out of school, I always knew I wanted to start my career at a startup. I was drawn to environments where the pace is fast, ownership is high, and learning happens by building real things. I’d had previous startup experience and loved the feeling of creating something from the ground up alongside a small but talented team. When I started interviewing, Beacon immediately stood out. Every conversation with the team reflected a level of dedication, positivity, and care that made it clear people here were deeply invested in what they were building.

I’ve joined Beacon as a software engineer, focusing primarily on the backend systems that power our platform. Although it’s only been a few months so far, I’ve been involved in way more than junior engineering work — I’m also making design decisions and shaping systems. The level of trust that’s been placed in me and my work has been empowering. I’m encouraged to take ownership, make those impactful decisions, and see the work through from start to finish, which has been pushing me to grow quickly, take more responsibility, and deliver great results. When you have a company built around such high levels of trust and ownership, it’s really amazing what can be accomplished.

In addition to the technical growth and responsibility I’m enjoying, there’s a strong sense of purpose behind much of the work I’m doing. We’re building technology that enhances aviation safety and improves the quality of life for aircrew, which is such an important mission that can have widespread implications. Knowing that what I’m building can contribute to safer flights, potentially saving lives, adds a lot of meaning to everything I do here. This also reflects in the technical details. I’m pushed to make sure that everything is high-quality, reliable, and has almost no margin for error. We’re working on truly critical systems and software, and I love that.

I’m so excited to keep building at Beacon. I’ve been growing technically as an engineer, professionally as a teammate, and personally as an individual. There’s so much to continue building, and the potential impact we can have is extremely motivating. I can’t wait to see where Beacon and I are in the years ahead.

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