Raúl is available for hire
Hire RaúlRaúl Gómez Acuña
Verified Expert in Engineering
Front-end Developer
Madrid, Spain
Toptal member since August 2, 2022
Bio
Raúl is a senior software engineer with 12+ years of experience and 10+ years in React/React Native, known for solving complex challenges around performance, scalability, and architecture. He has built high-usage consumer apps for global companies like DAZN, IBM, and RNWBL, and created open-source libraries with 4,000+ GitHub stars. A former Callstack engineer, Raúl has spoken at international conferences and authored Meta’s Advanced React course on Coursera (100,000+ students, 4.7 stars).
Portfolio
RNWBL, LLC
React Native, Mobile App Design, iOS, Android, GraphQL, React Apollo...
SureSkills
React Native, React, University Teaching, JavaScript, Expo.io, API Integration...
Photora
React Native, React, Firebase, Node.js, Express.js, TypeScript, Objective-C...
Experience
- JavaScript - 9 years
- React - 9 years
- Mobile UX - 8 years
- React Native - 8 years
- Web App Development - 6 years
- Testing - 6 years
- Node.js - 5 years
- TypeScript - 5 years
Work Experience
Mobile Engineer
2023 - 2025
RNWBL, LLC
- Acted as the mobile app’s technical expert, consistently tackling and solving the most complex challenges as one of only two developers on the project.
- Designed and implemented a robust offline-first architecture, including a custom Apollo optimistic sync link, ensuring seamless user experience regardless of connectivity.
- Introduced React best practices, type-checked the entire codebase, and enforced quality standards through CI hooks.
- Built a scalable design system, with a strong focus on layout optimisation (Reactnative.university/blog/rethinking-layout-practices).
- Reduced Sentry issues to a minimum through proactive debugging and monitoring.
- Optimised app performance to the limit by squeezing out every drop of efficiency.
- Developed a two-way iOS Live Activity integration (Reactnative.university/blog/live-activities-unleashed).
- Delivered “Expo wizardry” by migrating all native code to the prebuild system and leveraging custom plugins.
Technologies: React Native, Mobile App Design, iOS, Android, GraphQL, React Apollo, User Experience (UX), Expo.io, API Integration, GraphQL API, App Store
React & React Native SME
2022 - 2023
SureSkills
- Developed the Advanced React course for the Meta Front-end Developer Professional Certificate in Coursera, with 4.7 stars and 100,000+ students enrolled (Coursera.org/learn/advanced-react).
- Created the Working with Data course for the Meta React Native Specialisation in Coursera, with 4.8 stars and around 10,000 students enrolled (Coursera.org/learn/meta-working-with-data).
- Developed the Capstone project for the Meta React Native Specialisation in Coursera, with 4.8 stars and around 7,000 students enrolled (Coursera.org/learn/capstone-react-app).
- Collaborated with other subject matter experts and instruction designers to guarantee high-quality content.
- Ensured technical accuracy of all content delivered.
Technologies: React Native, React, University Teaching, JavaScript, Expo.io, API Integration, App Store
Co-founder and CTO
2021 - 2022
Photora
- Created the platform from scratch—a React Native application, a web application, and a back-end infrastructure.
- Bootstrapped the idea from inception to the stores.
- Owned all the technical processes in the organization.
- Reached a £200 monthly recurring revenue (MRR) in six months via in-app purchases and studio bookings.
Technologies: React Native, React, Firebase, Node.js, Express.js, TypeScript, Objective-C, Java, Android, iOS, Web App Development, HTML5, Mobile UX, Cloud Firestore, Stripe, CircleCI, Continuous Development (CD), Continuous Integration (CI), Git, Jest, Leadership, User Experience (UX), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Google Analytics, Performance, Responsive Design, Mobile Development, JavaScript, Architecture, Mobile, Serverless Architecture, NoSQL, Mobile App Design, Mobile App Development, Cross-platform App Development, Mobile Apps, Mobile Applications, Full-stack, Expo.io, API Integration, App Store
Senior React Native Engineer
2021 - 2021
TreeCard
- Implemented a custom navigation button bar using specific SVG shapes and shadows.
- Helped the team ship the MVP of the mobile application within the deadline.
- Implemented dynamic video that allowed users to see in an interactive way how many trees they had planted depending on their spending.
Technologies: React Native, React, Firebase, Swagger, TypeScript, Android, iOS, Mobile UX, Continuous Development (CD), Continuous Integration (CI), Git, Performance, Mobile Development, JavaScript, Mobile, Mobile App Development, Cross-platform App Development, Mobile Apps, Mobile Applications, Hybrid Apps, Expo.io, API Integration, App Store
Technical Lead
2020 - 2021
Just Auto Insurance
- Led the technical architecture and development of the core React Native mobile application for Android and iOS.
- Collaborated with the design team to ensure we followed the best UX practices.
- Mentored team members to make them more proactive and participative and helped them embrace the startup culture.
- Collaborated actively with the CTO and head of engineering to optimize funnels and improve user conversions.
- Developed and open-sourced a React Native scroll bottom sheet—a complex component to display user transactions, similar to Monzo. It has collected 1,400 stars.
Technologies: React Native, Leadership, User Experience (UX), React, CircleCI, Bluetooth Low Energy (LE), Geofencing, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), TypeScript, Kotlin, Android, iOS, SQL, GraphQL, Testing, Mobile UX, Continuous Development (CD), Continuous Integration (CI), Open Source, Git, Jest, Redux, Redux Thunk, Mentorship, PostgreSQL, Google Analytics, Performance, Responsive Design, Mobile Development, Swift, JavaScript, QR Codes, Architecture, Mobile, Serverless Architecture, NoSQL, Heroku, Mobile App Design, Mobile App Development, Cross-platform App Development, Mobile Apps, Mobile Applications, Hybrid Apps, Full-stack, API Integration, GraphQL API, App Store
Senior React Native Engineer
2019 - 2019
Feeld
- Conducted an exhaustive analysis and code review of the project to suggest potential improvements.
- Advised and helped the engineering team in identifying performance bottlenecks.
- Provided optimal solutions to boost the overall performance of their React Native app.
Technologies: React Native, Android, iOS, Git, User Experience (UX), Redux, Performance, Mobile Development, JavaScript, Mobile, Mobile App Design, Mobile App Development, Cross-platform App Development, Mobile Apps, Mobile Applications, Hybrid Apps, API Integration, App Store
Senior Software Engineer
2018 - 2019
DAZN
- Built the next generation of DAZN 2.0 video players using React, TypeScript, and RxJS.
- Developed a proof of concept in React Native to explore and research its potential for a new generation of cross-platform players, integrating it with the existing architecture.
- Took an active role in developing internal OSS for the player state management.
Technologies: React, TypeScript, React Native, RxJS, Amazon Web Services (AWS), tvOS, Streaming, MobX, CSS, HTML5, Testing, Continuous Development (CD), Continuous Integration (CI), Open Source, Git, Jest, Performance, Responsive Design, Web App Development, Mobile Development, JavaScript, Video Streaming, Smart TV, Cross-platform App Development, Mobile Apps, Mobile Applications, Hybrid Apps, Full-stack, API Integration
Senior Front-end Engineer and Team Leader
2017 - 2018
Callstack
- Provided React and React Native expertise across the globe to different clients.
- Built one of the most innovative projects for a Swedish client, wearevoice.se, a fully-fledged music player for choirs. The conference presentation can be accessed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9Qn8nb6jf8.
- Contributed actively to renowned open source projects maintained by the organization.
- Mentored other members to improve their writing skills for tech articles.
- Participated at several conferences in Poland, Ukraine, and Spain as a speaker.
- Held React Native workshops at several conferences in Poland, Romania, and Spain.
- Led the trendsetters team, whose goal was to share knowledge online via articles and videos to increase brand awareness.
Technologies: React Native, React, Open Source, JavaScript, Kotlin, Leadership, Workshops, Tech Conferences, CSS, HTML5, GraphQL, Testing, Android, iOS, Continuous Development (CD), Continuous Integration (CI), Git, Jest, User Experience (UX), Mentorship, D3.js, Performance, Web App Development, Mobile Development, Swift, Architecture, Mobile, Serverless Architecture, Mobile App Design, Mobile App Development, Cross-platform App Development, Mobile Apps, Mobile Applications, Hybrid Apps, Full-stack, API Integration, App Store
Front-end Software Engineer
2016 - 2017
Young / Skilled
- Built the B2B eCommerce platforms with React for several Scandinavian brands.
- Mentored some junior team members, teaching them React.
- Helped in organizing local React meetups to attract more talent to the company.
Technologies: React, Redux, Redux Thunk, JavaScript, CSS, HTML5, Git, Web App Development, API Integration
Front-end Web Developer
2015 - 2016
IBM
- Implemented a new suite of internal security web applications from scratch to replace the legacy ones.
- Formed part of a team that was one of the pioneers using React, proving to be the right tool to build apps at scale with confidence.
- Created a complete automated test suite, having unit, integration, or E2E tests as a requirement for any unit of work to be considered complete.
Technologies: JavaScript, React, Jest, Selenium, Jenkins, Redux, CSS, HTML5, Testing, Continuous Development (CD), Continuous Integration (CI), Git, Responsive Design, Web App Development, API Integration
IT Technical Analyst
2013 - 2015
Credit Suisse
- Developed a hybrid app using a native iOS container and embedding web content for the client technology solutions team.
- Enrolled as a member of the TA committee, aimed at guiding colleagues in their career progression.
- Created the first TA newsletter, issuing weekly publications.
Technologies: iOS, Angular, Less, JavaScript, Objective-C, Mentorship, Mobile Applications
Project History
We Are Voice
A React Native app for choral singers, where users can practice singing with the help of a catalog with thousands of arrangements.
I was the main developer of the application implementing the core logic of the music player, which ended up being one of the most satisfactory results ever seen with the framework from a performance standpoint.
The music player at its core had to play music in the background. At the same time, the score moved horizontally or vertically following the tempo, and the current notes being played were highlighted.
As a result, I delivered a talk at React Alicante conference to share with the community how we achieved such a performance that felt completely native.
I was the main developer of the application implementing the core logic of the music player, which ended up being one of the most satisfactory results ever seen with the framework from a performance standpoint.
The music player at its core had to play music in the background. At the same time, the score moved horizontally or vertically following the tempo, and the current notes being played were highlighted.
As a result, I delivered a talk at React Alicante conference to share with the community how we achieved such a performance that felt completely native.
Feeld
https://feeld.co/A React Native application for dating. I was the liaison between the CTO and their internal team of developers, acting as an SME. I conducted an exhaustive analysis and code review of their project to suggest potential improvements, advised and helped the engineering team in identifying performance bottlenecks, and provided optimal solutions to boost the overall performance of their React Native app.
WondrGo
A React Native application that made discovering and finding things to do in a user's local town a piece of cake.
Back in the day, Facebook events were messy to navigate. WondrGo was designed to solve that problem, having as features:
• Excellent entry point for checking public events happening today and tomorrow, as well as the most popular ones of the month
• Temperature map to locate the hottest events
• Seamless Facebook integration to manage and RSVP events without leaving the app while enjoying a personal feed to see only events from users' favorite Facebook organizers
• Many reminders for events so that users don't forget about them
• Translation of the event's description into any language
• Ability to filter by category and to sort by popularity or date
• Favorite list to bookmark events
• Events sharing with other people
The project had to shut down since Facebook suddenly closed all access to source public events via their APIs.
Back in the day, Facebook events were messy to navigate. WondrGo was designed to solve that problem, having as features:
• Excellent entry point for checking public events happening today and tomorrow, as well as the most popular ones of the month
• Temperature map to locate the hottest events
• Seamless Facebook integration to manage and RSVP events without leaving the app while enjoying a personal feed to see only events from users' favorite Facebook organizers
• Many reminders for events so that users don't forget about them
• Translation of the event's description into any language
• Ability to filter by category and to sort by popularity or date
• Favorite list to bookmark events
• Events sharing with other people
The project had to shut down since Facebook suddenly closed all access to source public events via their APIs.
Education
2008 - 2015
Master's Degree in Telecommunications
University of Malaga - Malaga, Spain
Skills
Libraries/APIs
React, Stripe, Node.js, MobX, GraphQL API, RxJS, D3.js
Tools
Expo.io, CircleCI, Git, Redux Thunk, Jenkins, Google Analytics, React Apollo
Languages
JavaScript, TypeScript, CSS, GraphQL, HTML5, Objective-C, Java, Kotlin, Less, SQL, Swift
Frameworks
React Native, Jest, Express.js, Swagger, Redux, Selenium, Angular
Paradigms
Testing, Mobile Development, Mobile App Design, Continuous Development (CD), Continuous Integration (CI), Serverless Architecture
Platforms
Android, iOS, Mobile, Firebase, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Heroku, Bluetooth Low Energy (LE), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), tvOS
Storage
PostgreSQL, Cloud Firestore, NoSQL, MongoDB
Other
Mobile UX, Open Source, User Experience (UX), Web App Development, Architecture, Mobile App Development, Cross-platform App Development, Mobile Apps, Mobile Applications, Hybrid Apps, API Integration, App Store, Responsive Design, Video Streaming, Full-stack, Leadership, Geofencing, Streaming, Workshops, Tech Conferences, Mentorship, Performance, QR Codes, Smart TV, University Teaching
Collaboration That Works
How to Work with Toptal
Toptal matches you directly with global industry experts from our network in hours—not weeks or months.
1
Share your needs
Discuss your requirements and refine your scope in a call with a Toptal domain expert.
2
Choose your talent
Get a short list of expertly matched talent within 24 hours to review, interview, and choose from.
3
Start your risk-free talent trial
Work with your chosen talent on a trial basis for up to two weeks. Pay only if you decide to hire them.
Top talent is in high demand.
Start hiring