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Erik Ostrom
Verified Expert in Engineering
CSS Developer
Minneapolis, MN, United States
Toptal member since July 29, 2019
Bio
Erik is a senior software engineer and technical lead specializing in front-end web application development, with experience in healthcare, arts, politics, and education. He enjoys collaborating with designers, engineers, stakeholders, and users to create products that both aid and delight. Erik is passionate about the craft of coding and the impact well-designed applications can have.
Portfolio
Livefront
Front-end Development, TypeScript, React, Next.js, Web Components, Netlify...
SwagLeft
Front-end Development, TypeScript, React, Next.js, Astro, Netlify, Jest, CSS...
South Arts
HTML, CSS, Sass, MySQL, jQuery, JavaScript, Ruby on Rails (RoR), Ruby, Web...
Experience
- Test-driven Development (TDD) - 20 years
- SQL - 20 years
- CSS - 20 years
- Ruby on Rails (RoR) - 13 years
- React - 6 years
- Next.js - 6 years
- TypeScript - 6 years
- Front-end Development - 6 years
Work Experience
Lead Web Developer
2019 - 2026
Livefront
- Led development of Optum Perks, a complex set of interlinked web apps delivering prescription drug discounts and telehealth to consumers. Ten-week contract, extended to 6+ years.
- - Shipped initial version of Optum Perks as part of a 2-3 engineer team.
- - Led front end team as it grew from 2 to 12 engineers.
- - Worked with technical and non-technical staff across three companies, including a Fortune 50 enterprise.
- - Designed APIs, solved production issues, and improved processes working with back- and front-end teams.
- - Owned major code architecture efforts, including migration to the Next.js App Router.
- - Guided team's adoption of AI for code generation, review, and developer tools.
- - Devised practices for translating design system into maintainable code.
- - Ensured code quality, security, and accessibility via pairing, code review, documentation, and automated tools.
- - Designed and documented monorepo architecture, allowing multiple apps with shared components to be developed together and released separately.
Technologies: Front-end Development, TypeScript, React, Next.js, Web Components, Netlify, Jest, CSS, Web, Test-driven Development (TDD), Debugging, Git, Web Accessibility, Communication, Code Review, Team Leadership, Remote Team Leadership, Web App Development, GitHub, Node.js, API Integration
Chief Technology Officer
2021 - 2024
SwagLeft
- Created a web application for selling artist-designed merchandise to benefit political campaigns. Sole technical staff for this project.
- Prototyped and then implemented production web app (ultimately in Next.js).
- Architected system to support both specialty one-at-a-time product cadence and future multi-product lineups.
- Ran experiments on donations (optional, required, baked into product price), allowing us to maximize total donation amount.
- Implemented FEC requirements for donation limits and requirements.
- Worked with external payment system developers to help define their APIs.
Technologies: Front-end Development, TypeScript, React, Next.js, Astro, Netlify, Jest, CSS, Web, Test-driven Development (TDD), Debugging, Git, Web Accessibility, Communication, Web App Development, GitHub, Node.js, API Integration
Lead Web Developer (Contract)
2012 - 2021
South Arts
- Developed a web app to help arts organizations assess and improve their emergency readiness, initially on a 15-month contract that was extended to over 8 years.
- Modernized and strengthened codebase, allowing long-term development.
- Added test coverage analysis to ensure correct app operation.
- Isolated tests from external systems to improve developer efficiency.
- Integrated with Authorize.Net subscription/payment system and Salesforce CRM.
Technologies: HTML, CSS, Sass, MySQL, jQuery, JavaScript, Ruby on Rails (RoR), Ruby, Web, Test-driven Development (TDD), Debugging, Git, Capybara, RSpec, SQL, Web Accessibility, Communication, Full-stack, Web App Development, GitHub, API Integration, Cucumber
Senior Software Engineer (Contract)
2019 - 2019
Software for Good
- Developed and enhanced Hoodstarter, an app to gather neighborhood input on potential development.
- Implemented continuous integration and deployment for faster delivery of features and fixes.
- Led a cohort of four engineering apprentices through their first professional software project.
- Taught the fundamentals of Ruby on Rails and full-stack development.
- Guided apprentices in client communication, problem-solving, backlog management, and productive code review.
- Mentored all four apprentices, with each securing full-time software engineering positions at companies including Software for Good, Drip, and Microsoft.
Technologies: CSS, HTML, JavaScript, Ruby on Rails (RoR), Ruby, Full-stack Development, jQuery, PostgreSQL, Web, Test-driven Development (TDD), Debugging, Git, Capybara, RSpec, SQL, Web Accessibility, Communication, Code Review, Team Leadership, Full-stack, Web App Development, GitHub
Lead Web Developer (Contract)
2015 - 2019
Teaching Excellence Network
- Developed a survey platform and feedback tool that aligns the voices of educators, students, and families to build community-responsive schools. Four-month contract, extended to four years.
- Migrated an unmaintainable PHP app to Ruby on Rails, allowing further feature development.
- Migrated needlessly complex Angular front end to lighter-weight Vue components.
- Simplified user interface, resulting in a 50% increase in survey completion on mobile devices.
- Developed chart UI for stakeholders to assess impacts.
- Improved performance through SQL query tuning, view caching, and more.
Technologies: HTML, CSS, Sass, MySQL, Vue, Ruby on Rails (RoR), Ruby, jQuery, Web, Test-driven Development (TDD), Debugging, Git, Capybara, RSpec, SQL, Web Accessibility, Communication, Team Leadership, Code Review, Full-stack, Web App Development, GitHub, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Cucumber
Project History
Optum Perks
http://perks.optum.comSuite of web applications delivering prescription drug discounts and telehealth.
• Led a team of front-end developers as it grew from 2 to 12, working with back-end and mobile engineers across three companies, ranging from a small consulting firm to a Fortune 50 enterprise.
• Grew the codebase from one app to three (plus widgets embedded on third-party sites).
• Onboarded and mentored developers, ensuring team cohesion and consistent code.
• Owned major code architecture efforts across 6+ years of development.
• Led a team of front-end developers as it grew from 2 to 12, working with back-end and mobile engineers across three companies, ranging from a small consulting firm to a Fortune 50 enterprise.
• Grew the codebase from one app to three (plus widgets embedded on third-party sites).
• Onboarded and mentored developers, ensuring team cohesion and consistent code.
• Owned major code architecture efforts across 6+ years of development.
SwagLeft
https://www.swagleft.com/A web application for selling artist-designed merchandise to benefit political campaigns. I was the sole developer and architect for this project, owning all technical decisions. Prototyped and then implemented the production app, meeting FEC requirements for donation limits and eligibility. Sold some shirts for good causes.
ErikOstrom.com
https://www.erikostrom.com/Personal/professional website, covering my experiences both in web development and in the performing arts. A simple static website designed and developed by me, using Astro. Features a blog I occasionally remember to post to.
Education
1994 - 1998
Master's Degree in Computer Science
Northeastern University - Boston, MA, USA
1992 - 1994
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science
Gustavus Adolphus College - St. Peter, MN, USA
Skills
Libraries/APIs
React, REST APIs, Vue, Node.js, jQuery
Tools
RSpec, Cucumber, Git, GitHub, Astro
Languages
TypeScript, Ruby, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Sass, SQL
Frameworks
Ruby on Rails (RoR), Capybara, Jest, Next.js, Electron
Paradigms
Test-driven Development (TDD)
Platforms
Web, Netlify, Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Storage
MySQL, PostgreSQL
Other
Debugging, Front-end Development, Full-stack Development, Full-stack, Web App Development, API Integration, User Interface (UI), Web Accessibility, Web Components, Communication, Code Review, Team Leadership, Remote Team Leadership
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