Francois Laubscher, Developer in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
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Francois Laubscher

Verified Expert  in Engineering

Software Engineer and Developer

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

Toptal member since October 21, 2024

Expertise
Front-endCSSJavaScriptReact.jsPWANode.jsReduxC#TypeScriptSQLGraphQLFirebaseCloudflarejQuery
Bio

Francois is a seasoned software engineer with 11+ years of experience specializing in developing and maintaining robust web applications. With a proven track record across diverse industries, from established corporations to dynamic startups and agencies, he excels at crafting software solutions that streamline business processes and enhance efficiency. As a remote worker for 6+ years, Francois has cultivated a strong work ethic and the ability to thrive in flexible environments.

Portfolio

Toptal
TypeScript, React, Redux, GraphQL, Jest, Cypress, SCSS, GitHub Actions, Figma...
Self-employed
C#, ASP.NET, .NET Core, Microsoft SQL Server, TypeScript, React, Chakra UI...
Leadhome
C#, .NET Core, Entity Framework, PostgreSQL, JavaScript, React, Redux, Next.js...

Experience

  • JavaScript - 11 years
  • CSS - 11 years
  • Responsive UI - 11 years
  • Redux - 8 years
  • React - 8 years
  • C# - 6 years
  • Jest - 6 years
  • TypeScript - 4 years

Availability

Part-time

Preferred Environment

React, TypeScript, SCSS

The most amazing...

...project I've worked on enabled employees to screen their COVID-19 symptoms daily, allowing me to make a meaningful impact by writing the code.

Work Experience

Senior Front-end Engineer

2022 - 2024
Toptal
  • Mentored junior front-end developers, improving CSS skills and advocating for best practices by incorporating TypeScript and React within the team.
  • Headed product initiatives, collaborating closely with engineering and product managers to ensure timely delivery. Scoped Jira epics using tickets based on Figma designs to drive project execution.
  • Enhanced unit and component testing practices, addressing tech debt by migrating older tests to current standards and libraries. Improved code quality and reliability.
Technologies: TypeScript, React, Redux, GraphQL, Jest, Cypress, SCSS, GitHub Actions, Figma, Jira, Front-end

Freelance Software Engineer

2020 - 2022
Self-employed
  • Managed freelance projects, consistently meeting client expectations. Communicated effectively to understand needs, tailored solutions, and demonstrated adaptability to overcome challenges.
  • Developed a progressive web app for occupational health, empowering employees with self-screening capabilities and streamlining COVID-19 case management processes for employers.
  • Demonstrated versatility by leading front-end development while actively contributing to back-end architecture and guiding client development teams.
Technologies: C#, ASP.NET, .NET Core, Microsoft SQL Server, TypeScript, React, Chakra UI, SCSS, Progressive Web Applications (PWAs), Front-end

Software Engineer

2018 - 2020
Leadhome
  • Demonstrated versatility by joining as a front-end engineer and contributing to back-end development when back-end engineer capacity was limited, playing a key role in building .NET microservices.
  • Oversaw development of Carbon, an open-source PWA boilerplate for internal React front ends. Contributed significantly to core features, documentation, and maintenance.
  • Worked remotely, collaborating with UX and marketing teams to ensure optimal web performance and compliance with industry standards, including Lighthouse and accessibility guidelines.
Technologies: C#, .NET Core, Entity Framework, PostgreSQL, JavaScript, React, Redux, Next.js, RabbitMQ, Docker, Figma, TypeScript, Front-end

Software Engineer

2017 - 2018
MADE Code
  • Gained expertise in embedding analytics software into web applications and ensuring adherence to web performance and accessibility standards. Contributed to the agency's overall digital marketing strategy.
  • Developed an open-source Node.js library for exporting datasets to Excel spreadsheets, contributing to a company culture that encouraged sharing knowledge and tools with the broader community.
  • Delivered a complex project, an interactive 3D world map, using React and Three.js, demonstrating a rapid ability to learn and apply new technologies effectively.
Technologies: JavaScript, SCSS, React, Redux, Node.js, Angular, MongoDB, Three.js, D3.js, Sketch, Zeplin, Front-end

Freelance Front-end Developer

2016 - 2016
Cape Networks
  • Gained proficiency in React and Redux while developing the front-end dashboard for a network monitoring startup. Contributed to the early stages of the company's growth and product development.
  • Collaborated effectively with remote developers contracted for the IPO, adopting asynchronous communication strategies to ensure efficient project delivery.
  • Demonstrated resilience and adaptability in navigating the early stages of a startup, effectively managing changing software requirements and maintaining a high level of productivity under pressure.
Technologies: JavaScript, Bootstrap, React, Redux, Firebase, SCSS, Front-end

Software Engineer

2015 - 2016
Wetu
  • Developed an internal metrics dashboard using C#, ASP.NET MVC (Razor), and JavaScript. The dashboard, built with D3.js for data visualization, empowered colleagues to monitor key performance metrics efficiently.
  • Developed a mobile itinerary SPA (single page application) using C#, ASP.NET MVC (Razor), and JavaScript. This mobile-first web app enabled tourists to seamlessly view and manage their trip itineraries on their mobile devices.
  • Championed the adoption of ES6 and React for building SPAs, significantly improving development efficiency and code maintainability. The company subsequently adopted these technologies for all front-end projects.
Technologies: C#, ASP.NET MVC, Microsoft SQL Server, jQuery, JavaScript, SCSS, D3.js, Front-end

Junior Technology Consultant

2013 - 2015
Intervate
  • Created an app framework for Windows Phone 8 and the corresponding back-end (WebForms admin interface and REST API) as the sole team member in Cape Town, collaborating remotely with daily sync calls.
  • Pioneered the mobile app division as a junior developer, championing the adoption of Azure cloud technology and leading to the company's first cloud-based mobile app.
  • Awarded "Rookie of the Year" for outstanding contributions to the mobile app division.
Technologies: C#, ASP.NET, JavaScript, CSS, SQL, Azure, XAML, Front-end

Experience

Barracks

https://github.com/fjlaubscher/barracks
A free and open-source PWA designed as a companion tool for the tabletop game Bolt Action. This app offers a comprehensive rule book and army list builder, empowering players to access essential resources anytime, anywhere.

Built with React, TypeScript, and IndexedDB, Barracks leverages browser APIs for offline access and sharing. A custom component library, developed for personal hobby projects, is integrated into Barracks to streamline development and enhance the user experience.

As a dedicated Bolt Action enthusiast, I created Barracks to address my needs and share them with the community. I continue to use and refine the app, ensuring it remains a valuable resource for fellow players.

Education

2012 - 2012

Diploma in Computer Science and Comprehensive Programming

CTI Education Group - Cape Town, South Africa

Skills

Libraries/APIs

React, Node.js, jQuery, D3.js, Three.js, Entity Framework

Tools

RabbitMQ, Figma, Jira, Sketch, Zeplin

Languages

CSS, JavaScript, HTML, TypeScript, C#, SCSS, SQL, GraphQL, XAML

Frameworks

Redux, Jest, Cypress, ASP.NET, ASP.NET MVC, Bootstrap, Angular, .NET Core, Next.js

Platforms

Firebase, Azure, Docker

Storage

Microsoft SQL Server, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, IndexedDB

Other

Responsive UI, Front-end, PWA, Chakra UI, Progressive Web Applications (PWAs), GitHub Actions, Cloudflare, Relational Database Design

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