Piotr is available for hire
Hire PiotrPiotr Gawle
Verified Expert in Engineering
Software Developer
Location
Gdańsk, Poland
Toptal Member Since
September 16, 2014
Piotr is a seasoned developer with more than 16 years of experience as a senior JavaScript developer and engineering manager. He has always loved puzzles, which led him to solve more complex problems as he grew older—he constantly strives for improvement. Removing complexity, experimenting, and optimizing for performance are his constant goals. Piotr looks forward to providing technical help and creating something great for his clients.
Portfolio
Toptal
Lean, Management, Stakeholder Management, Conflict Resolution, Scrum...
Famous
CSS3, Responsive UI, Front-end, Storybook, Jira, Git, CSS, JavaScript, Electron...
Cortina Productions
CSS3, Responsive UI, Front-end, WebSockets, AngularJS, Redux, React, JSON...
Experience
Availability
Part-time
Preferred Environment
MacOS
The most amazing...
...thing I've achieved is building and integrating a new team into the company culture in four months. I also equipped them with in-depth domain knowledge.
Work Experience
Engineering Manager
2020 - 2023
Toptal
- Formed a team consisting of five developers and one manager. In four months, I integrated the team into the company culture and equipped them with in-depth knowledge of their respective domains.
- Architected and developed a project boilerplate for the team, tailored to migrate acquired pages to Next.js. This solution achieved great success, prompting other teams to adopt it for their own projects.
- Led and mentored a team of 7 – 13 engineers, consistently delivering 90% of projects on time and within budget.
- Developed and executed quarterly and annual plans through effective collaboration with the project manager, achieving organizational goals while maintaining high quality.
- Enhanced website performance and SEO, leading cross-functional efforts and collaborating with other engineering teams to improve good URLs from 30% to 90%, as measured with Core Web Vitals metrics.
- Developed tools to monitor key SEO quality metrics, reducing the time required to review the impact of changes from four weeks to just one day.
- Led and built an SEO meta squad, responsible for engineering training and the adaptation of SEO best practices across 15 engineering teams, resulting in improved website performance and SEO quality.
- Facilitated the onboarding process for managers and developers, ensuring a smooth transition and comprehensive introduction to our company's culture, policies, and workflows.
- Conducted monthly performance reviews for all engineers on the team, providing constructive feedback and identifying areas for improvement.
- Testimonial: "Piotr is a unique character who excels both technically and interpersonally. You don't meet such people very often in the industry." – Adam Chwedyk, Engineering Manager and Technical Team Lead.
Technologies: Lean, Management, Stakeholder Management, Conflict Resolution, Scrum, Scrum Master, JavaScript, React, HTML, Architecture, Team Development, JSON, GraphQL, Webpack, ECMAScript (ES6), Performance
Senior Software Developer
2018 - 2019
Famous
- Overhauled and refactored a front-end codebase to be manageable based on reusable components.
- Implemented robust and versatile theming functionality. By carefully designing and coding the necessary components, I enabled users to personalize and customize the visual appearance of the application according to their preferences.
- Created a library of components in a storybook for designers and developers.
- Optimized and solved performance problems on web and desktop apps.
- Provided expert guidance on UI design concerns, collaborating with designers to enhance user experience.
- Testimonial: "Piotr is a fire-and-forget resource, and I'd work with him again without reservation." – David Brickhill, Vice President of Engineering.
Technologies: CSS3, Responsive UI, Front-end, Storybook, Jira, Git, CSS, JavaScript, Electron, MobX, React, JSON, TypeScript, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Web Development, GitHub, REST, Unit Testing, Front-end Development, Engineering, Webpack, ECMAScript (ES6), Performance
Senior Engineer
2018 - 2018
Cortina Productions
- Architected and built games in React, Redux, and WebSocket with a focus on animations and speed. It was prepared for mobile and desktop devices with responsive graphics.
- Built multiple games (interactive experiences) in AngularJS and WebSockets, focusing on animation and performance.
- Consulted on projects where speed was crucial. I helped optimize animations and loading speed.
- Testimonial: "Piotr['s] skills and work ethic are [top-notch]. [...] He was a huge asset for us, and I look forward to working with him again on future projects." – Patrick Mittereder, Software Development Coordinator.
Technologies: CSS3, Responsive UI, Front-end, WebSockets, AngularJS, Redux, React, JSON, TypeScript, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Web Development, REST APIs, GitHub, REST, Unit Testing, Front-end Development, Data Visualization, Engineering, B2B, Webpack, ECMAScript (ES6), Performance
Senior Web Developer | Scrum Master | Front-end Manager
2016 - 2018
Consumer Affairs
- Coached colleagues, resolved conflicts, introduced new members to the team culture and built team spirit, which can be challenging when done remotely. During my time on this team, it became one of the best scrum teams in the company.
- Recruited employees, set goals, motivated the team, evaluated performance, and coached developers. I was also a part of the team responsible for process refinement and Jira administration.
- Shared my page performance knowledge with the team, as it was really important. Together, we experimented with AMP and with different approaches to code loading. We were able to cut two seconds (on average) in three months.
- Testimonial: "Piotr is a natural problem solver and a great team leader. [...] Through his efforts, [he] has helped us shape what our engineering team is today. I would love to work with him again. "– Ronald Timoshenko, Director of Architecture.
Technologies: Management, Team Leadership, Agile Software Development, CSS3, Responsive UI, Website Performance, Front-end, Git, Docker, Gulp, Jira, Scrum, Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP), HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Team Development, Lean, Conflict Resolution, Scrum Master, JSON, Responsive Web Design (RWD), APIs, Web Development, REST APIs, GitHub, REST, Unit Testing, Front-end Development, Delivery Management, Agile Project Management, Team Management, People Management, Software Development Management, Engineering, Engineering Management, Performance
Senior JavaScript Developer | Project Manager | CEO
2010 - 2018
Bushido Games
- Developed pixel-perfect, cross-browser, cross-device web apps in JavaScript, CSS, and HTML.
- Built AngularJS applications.
- Developed advanced charts in D3.js.
- Created REST API services (PHP and FRAPI).
- Created an Adobe DPS app.
- Consulted on user experience and game design.
- Developed a build system from front-end projects called BBuilder.
- Held lectures on HTML5 games. The lecture video can be found here: https://vimeo.com/79727591.
Technologies: Storybook, Management, Team Leadership, Node.js, iOS, Android, Project Management, Agile Software Development, Webpack 4, Game Design, Scrum, CSS3, Responsive UI, Website Performance, Front-end, D3.js, AngularJS, Less, Ant Design, Adobe Photoshop, Subversion (SVN), MySQL, PHP, CSS, HTML, JavaScript, Team Development, Lean, Conflict Resolution, Scrum Master, JSON, WordPress, Responsive Web Design (RWD), APIs, Web Development, REST APIs, GitHub, REST, Unit Testing, Front-end Development, Data Visualization, Delivery Management, Agile Project Management, Team Management, People Management, Software Development Management, Engineering, Engineering Management, Jest, Canvas 2D
JavaScript Developer | D3.js Specialist
2016 - 2016
Capital Energy Data Services (via Toptal)
- Created multiple interactive charts in D3.js for a portfolio page.
Technologies: CSS3, Responsive UI, Front-end, CSS, HTML, JavaScript, D3.js, Scrum Master, JSON, Responsive Web Design (RWD), APIs, Web Development, GitHub, REST, Unit Testing, Front-end Development, Data Visualization, Agile Project Management, Engineering, B2B
Scrum Master | Senior JavaScript Developer
2009 - 2010
Nokia Gate5 GmbH
- Built the desktop version of NokiaMapsHere.com using JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.
- Optimized map components for better performance.
- Developed the mobile version of places (restaurant and hotel information) on maps to work on Symbian phones using JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.
- Worked with multiple internal and external APIs and services.
- Used different JavaScript frameworks, including MooTools, jQuery, and Nokia Internal.
- Created automated tests using QUnit and Selenium.
- Led the Places team as a scrum master and team leader.
Technologies: Management, Team Leadership, Agile Software Development, CSS3, Responsive UI, Front-end, Selenium, QUnit, Jira, Apache Maven, Adobe Photoshop, Subversion (SVN), Ant Design, Apache Velocity, jQuery, CSS, HTML, JavaScript, Team Development, Lean, Conflict Resolution, Scrum Master, JSON, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Web Development, REST APIs, REST, Unit Testing, Front-end Development, Delivery Management, Agile Project Management, Team Management, People Management, Software Development Management, Engineering, Engineering Management
Team Leader | Senior Front-end Developer | Junior Java Developer
2006 - 2009
BLStream Sp. z o.o.
- Developed web portals for mobile operators, insurance foundations, and local governments.
- Created the back end in Java EE.
- Consulted on user experience.
- Led the front-end division of the development team.
Technologies: Management, Team Leadership, PostgreSQL, SQL, Agile Software Development, User Experience (UX), CSS3, Responsive UI, Front-end, Adobe Photoshop, Subversion (SVN), jQuery, CSS, HTML, JavaScript, Lean, Conflict Resolution, Scrum Master, Web Development, REST, Unit Testing, Accessibility, Front-end Development, Delivery Management, Agile Project Management, Team Management, People Management, Software Development Management, Engineering, Engineering Management, B2B
Experience
Famous Instant App
https://famous.co/Famous enables designers to import their design and turn them into live interactive web experiences very, very quickly.
ConsumerAffairs
https://www.consumeraffairs.com/A site that provides expert resources and verified reviews to help you make smarter buying decisions. I was responsible for performance, reducing code debt, code optimization, and maintenance. Tech: JavaScript, CSS, HTML
Soccer Trivia Game (Cortina Productions)
https://www.cortinaproductions.com/celebrating-u-s-soccer/Created for a National Soccer Hall of Fame experience. Multiple players can enter the trivia game with mobile and kiosk devices and can follow live results on a host screen. Everything is synchronized with websockets.
I was responsible for architecture, communication with servers, external API and CMS. It was done in React and Redux.
I was responsible for architecture, communication with servers, external API and CMS. It was done in React and Redux.
Interactive Experience for Museum in React and Redux (Cortina Productions)
An app was made so museum visitors can view and make decisions similar to what settlers from Europe had to do before crossing the ocean—stay in England or move to Jamestown.
I was responsible for architecture and code. It was done in React and Redux with integrations with an external API and CMS.
I was responsible for architecture and code. It was done in React and Redux with integrations with an external API and CMS.
Square Solitaire Duel
Multiplayer social media game done in JavaScript, CSS, HTML, and PHP that enables players to challenge each other in a square solitaire game. Desktop and cross-browser versions are available on Facebook.
Future Ville
Advanced mobile controller (visible on video) for a game. Can be played by visitors of London Science Museum. Done in HTML/CSS/JS.
AARP Mobile App
Native app designed for iOS and Android tablets and created with Adobe Digital Publishing Suite (DPS). The visual part was done in HTML5, JavaScript, and CSS.
Nicho - Visual Marketing Platform
Platform to integrate and filter feeds from different social platforms. Done in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Multiple Games Created in Bushido
http://play.bushidogames.com/Games created at Bushido Games. Done in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and optimized for performance, responsiveness, and the ability to run across devices and browsers.
BBuilder
https://github.com/pgawle/BbuilderCustom build system. Can output different language versions, minify JS/CSS, and compress images.
Skills
Languages
HTML5, CSS3, CSS, HTML, JavaScript, Less, Sass, TypeScript, ECMAScript (ES6), SQL, PHP, GraphQL
Libraries/APIs
React, REST APIs, jQuery, D3.js, MobX, Node.js, Redux-Saga
Tools
Jira, GitHub, Git, Adobe Photoshop, Apache Ant, Webpack 4, Webpack, Canvas 2D, Apache Maven, Gulp, Subversion (SVN), Figma
Paradigms
Management, Scrum, Agile Software Development, Team Development, Agile Project Management, Responsive Web Design (RWD), REST, Unit Testing, B2B
Storage
JSON, JSON-LD, PostgreSQL, MySQL
Other
Team Leadership, Website Performance, Responsive UI, Front-end, Usability, Scrum Master, Team Management, People Management, Software Development Management, Engineering, Engineering Management, Web Development, Accessibility, Front-end Development, Data Visualization, Performance, WebSockets, Storybook, Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP), User Experience (UX), Game Design, SVG, Web Accessibility, Stakeholder Management, Delivery Management, Lean, Conflict Resolution, Architecture, APIs
Frameworks
Ant Design, Redux, QUnit, AngularJS, Electron, Apache Velocity, Selenium, YARN, Angular, Jest
Platforms
Android, iOS, MacOS, Docker, WordPress
Industry Expertise
Project Management
Education
2000 - 2006
Master's Degree in Computer Science
Szczecin University of Technology - Szczecin, Poland
Collaboration That Works
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