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Dare Ryan
Verified Expert in Engineering
iOS Developer
West Hills, NY, United States
Toptal member since March 5, 2026
Bio
Dare is a technologist with over 10 years of experience in iOS development, team management, and prototyping. He has a proven track record of delivering scalable, mobile applications, mentoring junior engineers, and driving operational efficiency. Dare is skilled in Swift and Objective-C development and proficient in cross-functional collaboration, helping deliver products on time and to specification.
Portfolio
Catalina Instrument Corporation
C, Node.js, G-code, iOS, Android, FileMaker, Swift, React Native, SwiftUI...
The Knot
GraphQL, Vendor Management, iOS, Accessibility, SwiftUI, Engineering...
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
iOS, HealthKit, iBeacon, Node.js, Engineering, Mobile App Development...
Experience
- UIKit - 10 years
- iOS - 10 years
- Objective-C - 10 years
- iPadOS - 8 years
- Swift - 8 years
- tvOS - 5 years
- SwiftUI - 5 years
- Node.js - 3 years
Preferred Environment
Swift, Objective-C, Xcode, Postman, Node.js, Visual Studio Code (VS Code), Android Studio
The most amazing...
...experience was building The Knot's wedding registry while also using it to plan my own wedding.
Work Experience
Lead Software Engineer
2022 - 2026
Catalina Instrument Corporation
- Developed native iOS applications that integrate with physical prototypes, built in-house to clients' specifications.
- Built cross-platform iOS and Android applications with React Native for clients who wish to reach the largest possible user base while minimizing technical complexity.
- Trained employees to write and modify programs for precision computer numerical control (CNC) manufacturing.
- Oversaw and maintained the company's technology, including Macs, PCs, server infrastructure, and industrial equipment.
- Managed the company's FileMaker databases and created applications to facilitate inventory management and track order history.
Technologies: C, Node.js, G-code, iOS, Android, FileMaker, Swift, React Native, SwiftUI, Engineering, Mobile App Development, Mobile Development, Leadership, iOS SDK
Lead Mobile Engineer, Registry iOS
2020 - 2022
The Knot
- Supported engineers throughout the development cycle to keep the team unblocked and promoted engineering best practices with in-person code reviews and ad hoc paired programming.
- Maintained our CI/CD process on Bitrise, including dependency management, Fastlane, and Shell scripting as it pertained to various build and distribution processes.
- Integrated RESTful and GraphQL APIs and abstracted over them to make them safer and more digestible for junior developers.
- Monitored and enforced unit testing coverage and best practices.
- Provided guidance and technical documentation to help adopt new dependencies and technologies.
Technologies: GraphQL, Vendor Management, iOS, Accessibility, SwiftUI, Engineering, Mobile App Development, Mobile Development, Leadership, iOS SDK
Lead iOS Developer
2018 - 2020
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
- Rewrote existing iOS and Android applications to remove dependencies on shared, deprecated C++ libraries and created native Swift and Kotlin apps to replace them.
- Led technical interviews for new contractors and maintained code quality with final sign-off on all external pull requests.
- Maintained signing certificates and managed organization-wide iOS app distribution.
- Maintained and prioritized the backlog in Pivotal as the team's certified scrum master.
- Collaborated closely with information security to maintain a safe and efficient API and app that protected users' personally identifiable information (PII).
Technologies: iOS, HealthKit, iBeacon, Node.js, Engineering, Mobile App Development, Mobile Development, Leadership, iOS SDK
Senior iOS Developer
2016 - 2018
Discovery
- Developed the In The Kitchen application for iOS and tvOS from the initial stages.
- Directed the development of various AR and mixed-reality experiences that were seasonally integrated into Food Network's In The Kitchen app for iOS.
- Drove the development of experimental product features, including a hands-free cooking experience utilizing voice recognition and iPad optimization to improve reach and user experience.
Technologies: iOS, tvOS, ARKit, Swift, UIKit, Core Animation, Engineering, Mobile App Development, Mobile Development, iOS SDK
Mobile Developer
2014 - 2016
Cord Project Inc
- Developed an asynchronous voice messaging app for iOS and Android that was ultimately acquired by Spotify.
- Worked independently to develop new applications and features to port the Cord app to as many platforms as possible, including watchOS and Wear OS.
- Collaborated closely with founders to iterate on successful features quickly and impactfully.
Technologies: iOS, WatchOS, Android, Engineering, Mobile App Development, Mobile Development, iOS SDK, Firebase
Mac Genius
2011 - 2014
Apple
- Repaired and troubleshot Apple hardware and software.
- Managed customer relations at the Genius Bar and provided technical support.
- Completed training to become a certified Apple repair technician.
Technologies: MacOS, iOS, tvOS, iPadOS, iPhone, iPad
Experience
The Knot
https://www.theknotww.comThe Knot Wedding Planner app is a free, all-in-one, top-rated mobile tool available on iOS and Android designed to help couples plan their weddings on the go. It features a personalized checklist, budget tracker, vendor marketplace, guest list management, RSVPs, and a free website builder to streamline planning.
Spot On Period Tracker
https://www.plannedparenthooddirect.org/spot-on-period-trackerSpot On enables you to track various birth control methods, including the pill, patch, ring, shot, IUD, and implant. Receive daily reminders for your pill, weekly alerts for your patch, or recurring notifications for your ring every 3-5 weeks, depending on the brand. Additionally, never miss a doctor’s appointment with our handy reminder feature.
If your periods are regular, Spot On allows you to easily track your fertility window using the fertility calendar predictions feature. You can opt in to monitor your fertile window and receive reminders 2 days before and on the day. This helps empower you whether you’re trying to conceive or aiming to prevent pregnancy.
If your periods are regular, Spot On allows you to easily track your fertility window using the fertility calendar predictions feature. You can opt in to monitor your fertile window and receive reminders 2 days before and on the day. This helps empower you whether you’re trying to conceive or aiming to prevent pregnancy.
Food Network: In The Kitchen
In The Kitchen is an app that features recipes and short-form video content from Food Network's vast network of talented chefs and television personalities. Food Network's In The Kitchen app serves as the OTT companion app for Food Network's live streaming mobile app.
Education
2008 - 2011
Bachelor's Degree in Russian and Italian
State University of New York at Albany - Albany, NY, USA
Skills
Libraries/APIs
Core Animation, HealthKit, Node.js
Tools
FileMaker, Xcode, Visual Studio, Postman, Android Studio
Languages
Swift, Objective-C, GraphQL, C, C++, Kotlin
Frameworks
UIKit, SwiftUI, iOS SDK, ARKit, React Native
Paradigms
Mobile Development, Management
Platforms
iOS, Firebase, tvOS, MacOS, WatchOS, Android, Visual Studio Code (VS Code)
Other
iPadOS, iPhone, iPad, iBeacon, Vendor Management, Accessibility, G-code, Engineering, Mobile App Development, Russian-English Translation, Italian-English Translation, Leadership
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