Want to work with me?

👋 Hey, future coworker! Thank you for checking in, and welcome to my corner of the internet. Your being here probably means you’re interested in working with me. Let me tell you what to expect.

Who am I?

I’m a Ruby on Rails programmer, a writer, and a former stained-glass master (yup).

I’ve worked in tech for ten years, and I’ve been a professional developer for the past five years, mainly focusing on back-end programming. Before being a programmer, I worked in product and marketing for startups, and held a lot of positions, both in tech and non-tech fields for 20 years. It’s quite the story!

My go-to languages are Ruby and Ruby on Rails (each with their respective toolbox). Mostly, I use boring technologies - Postgres, Redis, Sidekiq, vanilla Javascript, RSpec, Git, etc.

I like majestic monoliths. I think they work very well for 99% of companies. But when needed, I’ve shipped micro-services in production as well (relying on Kafka).

Despite focusing on back-end programming, I also worked on some front-end for a few years.

My daily contributions as a mid-level software engineer

As I’ve moved up the Individual Contributor path, my daily contributions now revolve around:

• designing and implementing features,
• writing specifications,
• code architecture,
• codebase consolidation,
• shipping APIs used by millions of users,
• increasing code coverage,
• interacting with databases,
• troubleshooting,
• mentoring junior developers,
• documenting practices and processes,
• and so much more.

To give you a concrete idea of what I can do, here are a couple of projects I’ve worked on over the past few years.

Real-time Developer Notifications (RTDN)

I helped implementing the mechanism handling server-to-server notifications from Google Playstore for subscription renewals based on specifications written with a senior developer. This new mechanism eventually replaced a monthly manual verification of our Playstore subscriptions, which was prone to errors and missed revenue.

Data synchronization across micro-services

I designed, specified and implemented bookmarks synchronization between legacy JAVA applications and an upcoming new version using Kafka events. This project allowed (and still allows) the back-end team to focus on building their latest application while ensuring data integrity.

Minimal feature flag manager

I designed and implemented a feature flag manager to enhance release phase for large features. You can read about the process here: Build a minimal feature flags manager in under an hour.

Writing about what I learn

I also run this website where I share what I learned while building software. It’s my way of giving back to the dev community. My posts are often featured in Ruby Weekly, HN, etc… As of 2022, more than 18,700 unique visitors visited this website. Some articles even got me invited on podcasts.

My top 3 articles are:

• Exploring dependency injection in Ruby (4.7k views)
• Build a minimal feature flags manager in under an hour (3.7k views)
• Introduction to Git Bisect: travel through time and bugs (2.9k views)

As of early 2024, the best ways to get my posts are through RSS and my (newsletter!).

Work history (as a software engineer)

Previously at Youboox (acquired by Nextory), Hosman, and Le Wagon. Before that, I worked as a marketing manager for a tech startup for four years. For more details, see my CV.

What am I looking for?

In terms of technical challenges:

• Mid-level back-end contributions: feature specifications, code architecture, implementing features across their lifecycle, improving performances and code coverage, etc.
• Shaping features based on the needs of users and the companie’s goals.
• Mentoring junior developers and reviewing merge requests.
• Improving the tooling and the engineering standards.

In terms of working environment:

• Calm companies: Clear processes over chaos, emails over meetings, product clarity over investor-pleasing roadmaps, deep focus over long hours.
• A focus on creating value for both users and company.
• Warm, kind, supportive colleagues in a high-trust environment.
• Working within a diverse team with various backgrounds and expertise.
• Fully remote.
• 4-day work week.

You can check my user manual.

How do I like to interview companies?

• My favorite technical tests are remote live codings where we hash out a real-life challenge: Build a tested API or add a feature to an existing codebase with preliminary refactoring.
• I like meeting with several people from my future team and other teams.
• I ask questions about your investors, your financial strength, or how you resolved conflicts.
• I usually back-channel my way into your employees’ DMs to get a less “corporate-y” sense of your company.
• A reject fast, reject early mentalilty.

For me, interviews are a two-way street. You get to know me. I get to know you.

I’ve realized, over the past 20 years, that the recruiting process is a good preview of what I can expect as a collaborator. It shows the quality of your processes, your priorities, how you handle requests, etc…

FAQ

Q: In-office or remotely?

I’ve been working remotely for the past four years and I intend to keep it that way for the foreseeable future.

Remote working has been a godsend for me. It has allowed me to do my best work, focus on better communication, and create (much) more value.

Q: Would you relocate to __?

No, I love living near the mountains so very much. I’ll only consider fully remote positions.

Q: Are you willing to come to the office from time to time?

For the past three years, I’ve come to the office once a year. But I’m open to come more often.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Every time I tried to answer this question, I ended up somewhere unexpected. After all, I’m a former stained-glass master turned developer. It speaks for itself, right?

Right now, I enjoy moving up the IC track. (By the way, do you have an IC track at your company?)

Q: Tea or coffee?

Coffee, please! I’d say a lightly roasted coffee with notes of acidity and floral scents. I usually purchase my coffee from my local roastery, in Crest, France.

Sounds good?

Then let’s chat!