November 16, 2021

Stargazer to Software Engineer at EquipmentShare - The Unconventional Path of Cassie Levett

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Profiles

Cassie Levett has always been fascinated by flying. She spent her childhood hoping to become a pilot or astronaut so she could blast off and explore the final frontier. But as she grew up, she encountered one obstacle that stopped her just short of her dream — literally. Cassie discovered during basic training that she was just half an inch too short to meet the minimum height requirement for Air Force pilots and NASA astronauts.

So, what do you do when your dream hits a roadblock? Cassie took her disappointment and turned it into an opportunity by joining the military. She still got to work with flying machines and technology, while also serving her country in the United States Air Force. Cassie had a variety of roles in the USAF, where she worked in information technology, air traffic control and special vehicle maintenance. 

When her time in the Air Force came to an end and she transitioned to civilian life, Cassie wanted to find a way to continue to fulfill her love of solving problems and technology. A fan of video games and tabletop role-playing games, Cassie looked for something that engaged her curiosity and creativity. Her love of video games, much to her mother’s chagrin, inspired Cassie to get into programming. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Columbia College in Columbia, Mo., taught herself how to code, and set her sights on entering the world of software engineering.


“My mom hated me playing so many video games growing up,” Cassie said, with a laugh. “She has apologized now that she sees where video games have gotten me in life and my career.”

Before she took on her current role of Engineering Manager at EquipmentShare, Cassie worked supporting engineers for 10 years. She joined EquipmentShare in a quality assurance role and worked to become a software engineer. Now, she leads her team by example: She works hard and has fun along the way.

“I like to solve problems; that’s my favorite part of the job,” Cassie said. “I love making our users’ experience better, and I can come to work and experiment and be curious and see where that takes me. I want to bridge the gap between the work my engineers do each day and how that impacts our business goals. I want the work we do to make someone else’s work a little easier and their life a bit better.”

According to Career Karma, women make up just 25% of the software engineering workforce, which means Cassie stands out in her field as one of the women leading the charge.


“Working at EquipmentShare is great because of the flexibility and trust,” Cassie said. “Programmers don’t usually work traditional hours — so being able to have a schedule that works for me as long as the work gets done is great. We can solve problems and have fun doing it while improving the user’s experience.”

Cassie also enjoys the wellness initiatives at EquipmentShare. She can be found in the gym, going for walks and enjoying healthy meals at EquipmentShare’s headquarters in Columbia, Mo.

“EquipmentShare walks the walk,” Cassie said. “[The company] truly does care about us as team members and our health and well-being. I also love the community aspect and giving back. Great pay and benefits are cool, but I want to make a difference in my community, and that is encouraged at EquipmentShare.”

If you love to explore, be innovative, solve problems and make a difference like Cassie, then come find your calling at EquipmentShare, where the only limits you have are the ones you place on yourself.

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