Brian Neeland, Developer in Edmonton, AB, Canada
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Brian Neeland

Verified Expert  in Engineering

Full-stack Developer

Edmonton, AB, Canada

Toptal member since March 7, 2022

Bio

Brian is a skilled full-stack developer with over eight years of experience. Proficient in JavaScript and Python, Brian has extensive experience with technologies like React, Next.js, Vue, Node.js, and more. His work spans a range of APIs and libraries, including Stripe, Discord, and Ethers. Brian has successfully developed numerous web apps for dynamic startups and established companies, including notable projects such as LuxAlgo and Palmswap.

Portfolio

Uptrack
React, JavaScript, Django, Django REST Framework, Python...
Palmswap
JavaScript, Vue, CI/CD Pipelines, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Unit Testing...
Coverdash
JavaScript, React, Next.js, Tailwind CSS, Prisma, PostgreSQL, NPM, Back-end...

Experience

  • Front-end Development - 8 years
  • Full-stack Development - 8 years
  • Back-end Development - 8 years
  • JavaScript - 5 years
  • Django - 4 years
  • Python - 4 years
  • React - 3 years
  • Next.js - 2 years

Availability

Part-time

Preferred Environment

MacOS, GitHub, TypeScript

The most amazing...

...thing I've done as a software developer is build and maintain an entire web app for a startup from start to finish.

Work Experience

Full-stack Developer

2017 - PRESENT
Uptrack
  • Built Optimaxx, a task-management and productivity web app, using React / Next.js and FaunaDB. (optimaxx.io).
  • Developed a full-stack web application using Django, a Python-based web framework, for a caterers' food ordering and delivery platform. Operated and maintained the platform for a year, including rolling out multiple new features and multiple updates.
  • Created a full-stack web application using Django (Python) for the back end and Vue (JavaScript) for the front end for a math schoolwork ed-tech startup.
  • Developed an industrial logbook application for a large oil company to track maintenance and operation events by multiple shifts using Django (Python).
  • Built an API using the Django REST Framework for a decentralized version of DoorDash, with both vendor and delivery apps connected to the API.
  • Built Borealhead, an electronic daily journal app. It is a full-stack web app built with React, using the Next.js framework, with user authentication/authorization, user data encryption, and a combination of server-side and client-side rendering.
  • Developed an industrial alarm classification system for industrial events and alarms, with a machine learning algorithm to identify the root cause of failures. Built using the Keras deep learning library (Python).
  • Built a simple DApp using Web3.js on the Ethereum network. The DApp interacts with a smart contract and has a React front-end user interface. Two users can play a game and stake ether, and the winner is paid the full balance.
  • Built a React / Next.js app that allows groups to coordinate and manage a gift exchange. The app randomly assigns participants, allows setting certain rules and exceptions, and sends emails to participants keeping gifter-giftee assignments secret.
  • Built multiple web apps using combinations of React, React Native, Next.js, the MERN stack, and several different APIs.
Technologies: React, JavaScript, Django, Django REST Framework, Python, Full-stack Development, Front-end Development, Back-end Development, Tailwind CSS, Blockchain, Prisma, Bcrypt, PostgreSQL, Git, CryptoJS, Solidity, Python 3, Node.js, Bootstrap, eCommerce, HTML, CSS, TypeScript, MongoDB, Web3.js, Vue, Express.js, Redux, Celery, NPM, REST APIs, Auth0, Auth0 API, Full-stack, Back-end, Front-end, Google Maps API, Private NPM Modules, Next.js, GitHub, Web App Development, Tailwind UI

Full-stack Developer

2022 - 2023
Palmswap
  • Built several features of a fully-featured decentralized cryptocurrency exchange platform, including front-end trading and portfolio UI, and backend infrastructure.
  • Built a user interface for users to keep track of their referral discounts and commissions, and claim funds periodically.
  • Crafted, configured and maintained several backend AWS services using a combination of the AWS console and SDK, as well as infrastructure-as-code deployments.
  • Built a fully-featured administrative dashboard to track business and infrastructure metrics, and to perform certain backend tasks more easily.
  • Fixed critical bugs on short notice, and completed important infrastructure deployments after-hours.
Technologies: JavaScript, Vue, CI/CD Pipelines, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Unit Testing, Data Visualization, Node.js, Serverless Framework, GraphQL, Full-stack Development, Front-end Development, Back-end Development, Tailwind CSS, Finance, REST APIs, Solidity, Back-end, Front-end, Auth0, GitHub, Amazon DynamoDB, Amazon API Gateway, Amazon CloudFront CDN, Web App Development, GitHub Actions, Amazon EC2, Amazon Route 53, AWS SDK, Tailwind UI, Ethers.js, Pulumi, AWS Lambda, Web 3.0

Full-stack Developer

2022 - 2022
Coverdash
  • Built a full web application platform for an insurance brokerage startup from scratch.
  • Created the architecture for the web application, including the database schema, authentication and authorization, front-end framework, and styling library, as well as supporting external APIs and tools.
  • Built a public component library published on NPM to be used by external business partners.
Technologies: JavaScript, React, Next.js, Tailwind CSS, Prisma, PostgreSQL, NPM, Back-end, Front-end, Auth0, Auth0 API, Tailwind UI, Finance

Mechanical Engineer

2016 - 2022
City of Edmonton, AB
  • Acted as the project engineer for a complete mechanical systems replacement for a 22-floor office tower. Old air systems, hydronic heating, and cooling systems were replaced, including air handling units, boilers, chillers, cooling towers, and pumps.
  • Managed a project to conduct a forensic investigation into ventilation deficiency in a multi-purpose facility with a large vehicle garage, multiple paint booths, cleaning hoods, and chemical storage.
  • Created a marginal abatement cost model for energy efficiency and carbon emission reduction strategy for a portfolio of 900 buildings.
  • Compiled around 200 energy conservation measures into marginal abatement cost curve, with a data visualization in D3.js.
  • Acted as the engineer of record for multiple mechanical systems designs, including chlorine gas room ventilation and controls upgrades, plant control building ventilation, filtration and controls upgrades, and aquatic basin anti-entrapment upgrades.
Technologies: HVAC Design, Mechanical Engineering, AutoCAD, D3.js, Finance

CEO, Full-stack Developer

2020 - 2021
Meal Hippo
  • Acted as the CEO of Meal Hippo, a catering food ordering and delivery app. Started the company as a startup and ran it for one year. Built the web application platform, got vendors and users/customers onboarded, and completed orders.
  • Built the web application prototype using Django (Python) with Stripe payments integration and Bootstrap CSS framework for front-end styling. Celery (Python) integration for asynchronous email sending tasks with Postman integration.
  • Took care of all business development activities, including meetings with and recruiting vendors to the platform, meeting with and recruiting users/customers, and getting feedback from vendors and customers. Arranged all deliveries and logistics.
  • Iterated the web application platform following Lean Startup and Y Combinator practices. Did programming for all web app development and maintenance over the product's life, from prototype to each product iteration.
Technologies: Python 3, Django, Startups, Full-stack Development, Celery, Front-end Development, Back-end Development, Bootstrap, REST APIs, PostgreSQL, Full-stack, Back-end, Front-end, Web App Development

Mechanical Engineer

2011 - 2016
Stantec Consulting
  • Conducted multiple plant-wide engineering studies on building and process heating, cooling, and ventilation systems for a municipal wastewater treatment plant. Calculated heating and ventilation loads for all buildings.
  • Performed all load and sizing calculations for a new hospital and long-term care center. Selected pumps, air handling units, and VAV boxes for a new HVAC system. Produced systems schematics for hydronic heating and cooling and ventilation systems.
  • Acted as the lead engineer, designing and drafting complete new mechanical systems for a new power engineer education center.
  • Acted as a mechanical engineer to design a combined heat and power system for a wastewater treatment plant using waste methane from the plant process.
Technologies: HVAC Design, Mechanical Engineering, AutoCAD

CEO, Mechanical Engineer

2010 - 2016
Metryx
  • Developed a novel cranial drill in collaboration with a neurosurgeon at the University of Alberta. Designed the cranial drill in a team of five engineers.
  • Manufactured several prototypes of our cranial drill design out of surgical stainless steel.
  • Tested materials, tools, and prototypes on a combination of cadavers and other analog materials. A group of neurosurgery residents tested the final prototype in a focus group session.
  • Presented the design and prototypes to several neurosurgeons in formal and informal settings.
Technologies: Manufacturing, Medical Devices

Full-stack Developer

2008 - 2011
University of Alberta
  • Developed web-based software and websites for both academic and administrative staff, including many websites with custom CMS capability and major projects with custom web application capability.
  • Created a custom web application for an external client using PHP and MySQL that allows users to enter Aboriginal language verbs and automatically conjugates them.
  • Developed a template for a prototype content management system for the University of Alberta's Moodle learning management system (LMS), used by approximately 40,000 students. Selected based on prior performance on Moodle templating projects.
  • Built several custom standalone websites with content management system capability for professional use by faculty, university institutes, academic journals, and student groups, using WordPress, Moodle, and CMS Made Simple (PHP, HTML, and CSS).
Technologies: PHP, HTML, CSS, Learning Management Systems (LMS), MySQL, SQL, Full-stack, Back-end, Front-end, Full-stack Development, Front-end Development, Back-end Development, Web App Development

Palmswap—Full-stack Developer for Decentralized Crypto Exchange

https://palmswap.org
Full-stack developer as part of a small team building and maintaining a new decentralized cryptocurrency exchange (palmswap.org).

Our team built a fully-featured trading platform interface, complete with market, limit, and take profit / stop loss orders, real-time market and trading data and charts, as well as several user dashboard pages showing detailed order and trade history, profit and loss history, etc. We ran trading competitions and built detailed leaderboards tracking competitors' performances and rewards. We built crypto token farming and staking features, as well as referral program infrastructure, along with features to track and claim referral earnings and discounts. We also built a detailed administrative dashboard to track business and infrastructure data and metrics.

We used a Vue3.js frontend, interfacing with smart contracts deployed on Binance Smart Chain using Ethers.js, and used a GraphQL subgraph deployed on The Graph. We also used several AWS services including S3, EC2, Lambda, DynamoDB, API Gateway, and Route 53, managed via a combination of AWS console, AWS SDK, Serverless Framework, and Pulumi. We created a custom Vue3 component library using TailwindCSS and TailwindUI.

Coverdash—Complete Startup Web App Prototype

https://www.coverdash.com
Built a full web application platform for an insurance brokerage startup from scratch. The web app included a user dashboard with the ability to buy and manage financial products, manage ongoing financial claims, manage accounts, and contact the support team.

The web app was built using Next.js (React framework) with a back-end API and a full-featured front-end, including several React-based UI components using TailwindCSS and HeadlessUI. Used a PostgreSQL database with Prisma for object-relational mapping. Used Auth0 for authentication and authorization (with custom Auth0 actions for customized signup process).

The system also included a complex component package built with React and deployed to npm, allowing partners to integrate the product into their own platforms. The package included Google Maps APIs to autocomplete an address form field and display the selected address in an embedded, dynamic Google Map.

Optimaxx—Complete Startup Web App

https://www.optimaxx.io
Built a complete task management and productivity web application. The app allows productivity-minded users to build a weekly routine in an interactive calendar, create and manage tasks within clear time-blocks, and more. The app helps users stay on task by clearly communicating their current top priority.

Meal Hippo

Meal Hippo is an application that provides meals from local caterers to replace home cooking. I started Meal Hippo in Spring 2020 and ran it for approximately one year as a tech startup.

I programmed and designed Meal Hippo with the Django web framework and a Bootstrap responsive layout and UI CSS framework, with asynchronous email using Celery and Stripe for payments.

Spannel API

Spannel is a delivery REST API. Developers can use the Spannel API to enable vendors to offer delivery for their online sales orders. Developers can also use the Spannel API to allow couriers to receive these delivery orders and fulfill them for vendors.

I conceived of Spannel and designed and built the API using Django REST framework.

Borealhead

http://borealhead.com
Borealhead is a daily personal journal web application.

I built Borealhead from start to finish, using React (JavaScript user interface library), interacting with a custom REST API within the Next.js framework. I used a PostgreSQL database, Prisma for object-relational mapping (ORM), Next-Auth for authentication/authorization, bcrypt for password hashing, CryptoJS for user content encryption, and the Tailwind CSS framework.
2014 - 2020

Master's Degree in Business Administration

University of Alberta - Edmonton, AB, Canada

2006 - 2010

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering

University of Alberta - Edmonton, AB, Canada

AUGUST 2016 - JULY 2022

Professional Engineer (P.Eng.)

Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta

Libraries/APIs

React, Auth0 API, Web3.js, REST APIs, Stripe, D3.js, CryptoJS, Node.js, Vue, Google Maps API, Recharts

Tools

AutoCAD, Git, Auth0, Prisma, Celery, NPM, GitHub, AWS SDK, Amazon CloudFront CDN

Languages

JavaScript, Python, HTML, CSS, PHP, Solidity, TypeScript, Python 3, SQL, GraphQL

Frameworks

Next.js, Django, Django REST Framework, Bootstrap, Tailwind CSS, Express.js, Redux, Serverless Framework, Jest, OAuth 2

Platforms

MacOS, Windows, Linux, Blockchain, Firebase, Amazon Web Services (AWS), AWS Lambda, Amazon EC2

Storage

PostgreSQL, MongoDB, MySQL, Amazon DynamoDB

Paradigms

Unit Testing, Web App Design

Other

Mechanical Engineering, HVAC Design, Full-stack Development, Front-end Development, Back-end Development, Full-stack, Back-end, Front-end, eCommerce, Learning Management Systems (LMS), Finance, Bcrypt, NextAuth.js, Startups, Medical Devices, Manufacturing, Private NPM Modules, CI/CD Pipelines, Data Visualization, Amazon API Gateway, Pulumi, FaunaDB, Apollo, Ethers.js, Amazon Route 53, Tailwind UI, GitHub Actions, Web App Development, Web 3.0, OAuth

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