Hi I'm Richard!

A Backend Developer

& Software Engineer

5 years of professional experience in backend systems engineering, with interests in performance, security, and scalability

About

About Image

Hello, I'm Richard. I work as a Backend Systems Engineer in financial messaging. When it comes to programming, I’m especially interested in writing performant yet human-readable code, security, and distributed systems. I also enjoy contributing to projects on GitHub when I can and have been dabbling in front-end development to round out my skill set.

Outside of tech, I have a mix of hobbies—long-distance running (getting back into it after some recent post-marathon downtime), experimenting with different coffee brewing methods (currently going back and forth between the AeroPress and V60), and trying to do the occasional backpacking or hiking trip when I get the chance. I also have a tendency to tinker with my home server setup and Docker containers when something new catches my interest.

Projects and Experience


SWIFT (Global Financial Messaging Network for International Payments)

2020 - Present | Hybrid

  • Implemented and tested a high-performance Kafka producer in containerized instances (using Kafka and Docker) written in Java, capable of processing thousands of transactions per second at peak with fast and strong scalability and resilience in production.
  • Led the modernization of a legacy internal web application, migrating to a React frontend and a Python backend that resolved long-standing technical debt, improved performance, and enhanced the user experience. Ultimately, this resulted in over 80% less support tickets for our team and our internal users were much happier.
  • Served as the lead developer in modernizing and qualifying a Java-based message non-repudiation and signature verification system, collaborating with multiple developers to drive implementation, define development priorities, and shape testing strategies.
  • Mentored interns during two summer programs, providing technical guidance and career development advice.
  • Assisted in evaluating and interviewing candidates for both intern and full-time roles helping identify strong candidates who aligned with team needs and company culture.
  • Enhanced and maintained an internal test automation tool, improving efficiency in running nightly regression tests across hundreds of scenarios, reducing manual intervention and accelerating release cycles.

Freelance Software Developer

2015 - 2020 | Remote

  • Developed custom plugins and websites for clients, primarily using Java, PHP, and MySQL, managing projects from initial design to deployment.
  • Completed 10+ projects while balancing studies in high school and college, gaining experience in working directly with clients, full-stack development, and project management.

Pilot Training Simulation - Subscription and Billing System

pilotapproach.com - 2021

Stack: PHP, Laravel, Stripe API


  • Designed and implemented a complete subscription and billing system for a flight simulation training application in collaboration with a colleague.
  • Integrated Stripe for secure and efficient online payment processing, ensuring seamless transactions for users.

Homelab

Image of homelab rack as of 2025

My homelab has been a fun and rewarding hobby for several years that has allowed learn more about hardware, data protection, and containerization. It originally started with simply wanting to have network attached storage, but has expanded into an outlet for me to experiment with new tools and systems.

One of the challenges I've faced is working with a somewhat limited space and budget, which has pushed me to work to optimize more and choose what I want to prioritize. I have enjoyed trying to find cost-effective solutions for self-hosting and am always looking for practical applications that add value in my day to day life. This work has not only been fun but has also helped me deepen my understanding of both the software and hardware sides of system administration.

I’d like to eventually document the full setup—hardware, software, and networking—on GitHub.