
Dakota Lightning
Verified Expert in Engineering
Software Engineer and Developer
Victoria, BC, Canada
Toptal member since February 27, 2025
Dakota is a senior software engineer with over 15 years of experience, specializing in turning complex challenges into elegant solutions. His expertise includes TypeScript, React, Node.js, Rails, and cloud technologies. Excelling in both team leadership and hands-on development, Dakota combines technical expertise with innovative problem-solving. He thrives in dynamic environments where innovation is crucial and is always eager to learn.
Portfolio
Experience
- Ruby on Rails (RoR) - 10 years
- Node.js - 10 years
- NestJS - 10 years
- Next.js - 10 years
- React - 10 years
- GraphQL - 8 years
- ASP.NET - 4 years
- C# - 4 years
Availability
Preferred Environment
Ruby on Rails 8, Ruby on Rails 7, Node.js, React, Next.js, NestJS, Docker, Microservices, GraphQL, PostgreSQL
The most amazing...
...project I spearheaded involved creating a healthcare training platform that transformed the delivery of medical education.
Work Experience
Senior Software Engineer IV
Asurion
- Developed front-end applications using React Hooks and the Context API, improving application speed by 10% and enhancing overall optimization.
- Implemented and maintained CI/CD pipelines for automated testing and deployment, reducing deployment time by 40%.
- Mentored five junior developers while integrating AWS Lambda and an event-driven architecture, improving system scalability by 30%.
- Facilitated cross-functional collaboration with directors to optimize internal applications, increasing customer engagement metrics by 15%.
- Conducted biweekly stakeholder meetings to align project progress with business objectives, resulting in a 25% improvement in customer sales conversion rates.
Senior Full-stack Engineer
Enjoy Technologies
- Developed and maintained comprehensive component libraries using Next.js and GraphQL, resulting in 30% faster development cycles and improved code reusability.
- Implemented automated testing strategies and CI/CD pipelines, achieving 95% test coverage and reducing deployment time by 40%.
- Architected scalable solutions using React and Node.js, handling 50,000+ concurrent users while maintaining subsecond response times.
- Created optimized custom hooks and Apollo Client integrations for GraphQL, reducing data fetching latency by 60% and improving application performance.
- Mentored five junior developers in modern web development practices, leading to the successful delivery of three major product features ahead of schedule.
Founding Developer | Senior Software Developer
Animikii Inc.
- Oversaw the development of a rewards platform, resulting in a 25% increase in sales through improved customer engagement and retention strategies.
- Directed scaling operations at an Indigenous-focused technology company, growing the team from three to 30+ employees while ensuring high-quality deliverables and team efficiency.
- Architected and implemented custom software solutions using Docker, React, Ruby on Rails, and cloud technologies for prominent Indigenous organizations.
- Established and optimized Agile development processes across multiple cross-functional teams, reducing project delivery time by 30%.
- Mentored junior developers and conducted code reviews, resulting in a 40% reduction in production bugs and improved code quality.
- Designed and implemented CI/CD pipelines, reducing deployment time by 50% and increasing release frequency from monthly to weekly.
UX and UI Developer
West Edmonton Mall Property Inc
- Spearheaded UX/UI initiatives for North America's largest shopping center, implementing design improvements that enhanced overall customer experience and navigation.
- Rearchitected the systems management infrastructure, significantly improving efficiency and performance metrics.
- Collaborated with a cross-functional team to develop and deploy an electronic kiosk system, driving increased sales conversion and positive customer feedback scores.
Experience
San'yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training Program
https://sanyas.ca/Working with a cross-functional team of five developers and three UX designers, I delivered the platform within a six-month timeline. I integrated multiple healthcare provider databases and implemented HIPAA-compliant data protection measures. Since its launch, the platform has grown to serve over 50,000 monthly active users and has facilitated more than 75,000 mental health consultations.
Web Application
To enhance usability, I built advanced filtering and sorting capabilities, enabling users to manage collections of over 10,000 cards efficiently. I also developed a responsive web application using React and Node.js, ensuring a seamless user experience. Within the first quarter of launch, the app received 98% positive feedback and achieved 45% month-over-month growth. Additionally, I optimized database queries and implemented caching strategies, reducing average page load times by 65%.
Rewards-tracking App
Education
Diploma in Writing for Business
Royal Roads University - Victoria, BC, Canada
Certifications
Career Essentials in Data Analysis by Microsoft and LinkedIn
Microsoft
Cybersecurity Foundations: Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC)
Foundations of Project Management
Learning Program Management
Umbraco Certified Developer
Umbraco Org
Skills
Libraries/APIs
Node.js, React, jQuery
Tools
Webpack, Git, Figma
Languages
GraphQL, TypeScript, CSS, HTML, JavaScript, HTML5, C#, SQL
Frameworks
Next.js, NestJS, Redux, Express.js, Tailwind CSS, Ruby on Rails 7, Ruby on Rails 6, Ruby on Rails 4, Ruby on Rails 5, ASP.NET, Ruby on Rails (RoR), Angular
Platforms
Umbraco, Docker, Mapbox, Windows, Dokku
Paradigms
Microservices
Storage
PostgreSQL
Industry Expertise
Project Management
Other
CI/CD Pipelines, Web Development, Large-scale Projects, APIs, Third-party APIs, Responsive UI, Front-end Design, A11Y, Front-end Development, Storybook, API Integration, SVG, Ruby on Rails 8, Program Management, Enterprise Cybersecurity, GRC, Data Analysis, Web Security, WebGIS, GeoJSON, IIS, Technical Writing, Business
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