Austin is available for hire
Hire AustinAustin Pocus
Verified Expert in Engineering
Software Developer
Brimley, MI, United States
Toptal member since April 15, 2025
Bio
Austin is a self-taught software developer with over 14 years of professional experience writing software, primarily for the web. He's comfortable working across the full stack, from front-end UI to back-end APIs and database schemas, to deploying servers. A strong collaborator, Austin thrives in team environments where he fosters innovation by sharing knowledge and embracing new technologies.
Portfolio
Terasense
Go, gRPC, Kubernetes, Docker, Next.js, React, APIs
Pathrise
JavaScript, TypeScript, Node.js, Next.js, React, Ruby, Ruby on Rails 7, APIs
Hacker Noon
Firebase, Google Cloud, React, Node.js, Next.js, APIs, JavaScript
Experience
- Linux - 14 years
- JavaScript - 14 years
- Node.js - 12 years
- React - 10 years
- Next.js - 4 years
- Python 3 - 3 years
- TypeScript - 2 years
- Go - 1 year
Availability
Full-time
Preferred Environment
Linux, JavaScript, Node.js, React, Python
The most amazing...
...solution I've built is a custom headless CMS for Hacker Noon, creating static pages that serve 8+ million page views a month—well before SSGs were commonplace.
Work Experience
Software Engineer II
2023 - 2024
Terasense
- Built and maintained microservices to manage data on network hosts using Go, gRPC, Protocol Buffers, and PostgreSQL, facilitating front-end access to data.
- Collaborated with project managers, engineers, and stakeholders to define project requirements and plan development efforts, resulting in actionable tickets.
- Mentored and trained junior developers by pairing with them and offering guidance on development tasks, fostering a supportive team environment.
- Participated in code reviews by providing actionable feedback on pull requests, ensuring smooth integration of code changes.
- Ensured high-quality code by writing automated tests in Go, enhancing software reliability.
Technologies: Go, gRPC, Kubernetes, Docker, Next.js, React, APIs
Senior Software Engineer
2022 - 2023
Pathrise
- Improved the internal candidate management platform using Ruby on Rails, React, and TypeScript, estimating and working on tickets created by project managers and stakeholders during Agile sprints.
- Mentored and onboarded junior developers, helping them get up to speed by setting up development environments, answering questions, and engaging in pair programming.
- Advocated for and led the gradual adoption of TypeScript in the front-end code.
- Spearheaded the adoption of automated testing tools, such as Jest and React Testing Library, in the front-end code, resulting in more reliable software.
Technologies: JavaScript, TypeScript, Node.js, Next.js, React, Ruby, Ruby on Rails 7, APIs
Full-stack Developer
2019 - 2021
Hacker Noon
- Designed, built, and deployed a custom headless CMS in collaboration with the CTO, using Firebase, Google Cloud Platform, and Node.js. The system supported 8+ million monthly page views on our website.
- Resolved bug reports and addressed community feedback by deploying, operating, and administering a community forum, maintaining positive relationships with our writers.
- Mentored junior developers, helping them ramp up on the platform and contribute code effectively.
Technologies: Firebase, Google Cloud, React, Node.js, Next.js, APIs, JavaScript
Software Developer
2017 - 2018
eFlex Systems
- Coordinated with a team of 10 developers using Agile methodology, including sprint planning, ticket estimation in Jira, daily stand-ups, retrospectives, and code reviews.
- Improved manufacturing software using C#, Node.js, Ember.js, and Redis, deployed via Docker and NGINX in a distributed cluster.
- Designed and built a distributed timer system using Redis and Node.js to synchronize stations across manufacturing plants.
Technologies: Ember.js, Node.js, C#, Zebra Programming Language (ZPL), Redis, Docker, APIs, JavaScript
Co-founder and CTO
2016 - 2017
YesInsights
- Collaborated with co-founders to design and build one-click email surveys using Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, and React.
- Incorporated user feedback by fixing bugs and adding new features through iterative development.
- Helped drive product development and user engagement, contributing to the company's acquisition by Design Pickle in February 2017.
Technologies: JavaScript, Ruby on Rails 4, React, APIs, SQL, Ruby
Experience
Adventure Kit
https://github.com/ajpocus/adventure-kitI developed a toolkit for creating old-school role-playing games in the style of the original Pokémon and Final Fantasy titles. It included a pixel art editor for designing characters and objects and an audio editor for defining custom waveforms and composing music and sound effects. While the project remains unfinished, I've revisited it over the years, including work on a custom scripting language for the game engine.
Skills
Libraries/APIs
Node.js, React
Tools
Canvas
Languages
JavaScript, Python 3, TypeScript, Ruby, SQL, Go, C#, Zebra Programming Language (ZPL), Python
Platforms
Linux, Kubernetes, Docker, Firebase
Frameworks
Next.js, Ruby on Rails 7, gRPC, Ember.js, Ruby on Rails 4
Storage
Google Cloud, Redis
Other
APIs
Collaboration That Works
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