Hey, I'm Jacob Herper
Senior Software Engineer from the UK
As a passionate front-end developer, I create amazing websites and web apps to make the internet a better place. I am an advocate for web performance and accessibility as well as a JAMstack enthusiast with experience in serverless technologies.
I am √1,024 years old and have been a web developer for as long as I can think. The technologies I work with are JavaScript, HTML and CSS with a focus on the frameworks React.js, Gatsby, Next.js, Node and Express. I use code not only to do my day-to-day job, but also to solve everyday problems I come across.
When I am not writing code I love to spend time with my wife and 3 year old daughter at home in London or travelling around the world. We are quite a multi-cultural family with me having grown up in Germany 🇩🇪 and my wife being from Mexico 🇲🇽, which is why we raise our daughter trilingual. I myself speak five languages (some better than others). Furthermore I enjoy cooking fresh food when I come home after a long day at the office.
Podcasts I enjoy
Experience

Senior Software Engineer
Aug 2020 — presentHolland & Barrett
Technologies: TypeScript, React, Next.js, Redux, GraphQL, Rest APIs, Jest, Cypress
Technologies: TypeScript, React, Next.js, Redux, GraphQL, Rest APIs, Jest, Cypress
- Joined Holland & Barrett as a senior software engineer, first with front-end expertise in the fulfilment squad (alongside six back-end engineers)
- Led hiring process of several further UI engineers across multiple squads
- Tech lead developing a custom-built customer services portal based on React and Next.js using TypeScript and Redux, retiring a third-party solution, saving a 6-digit sum in licence fees
- Increased non-existent test coverage to 90+%
- Introduced e2e tests using Cypress

Senior Front-End Engineer
Oct 2019 — Aug 2020Dennis Publishing
Technologies: JavaScript, ES6, React, GraphQL, Sass, Node.js, Express, Webpack, Apollo
Technologies: JavaScript, ES6, React, GraphQL, Sass, Node.js, Express, Webpack, Apollo
- Developed web applications using React, JavaScript (ES6), GraphQL and Sass
- Tech lead for the rebuild of site applications, liaising between engineering and product teams
- Optimised performance and accessibility of React applications
- Contributed to advanced error and bug tracking strategy to increase application reliability
- Improved test coverage by writing unit and integration tests with Jest and Enzyme
- Implemented platform-wide ad injection logic to work within the SSR React application and AMP pages
- Mentored more junior engineers through pair programming, code reviews and 1-on-1s

Front-End Web Developer
Jan 2019 — Oct 2019Raconteur
Technologies: TypeScript, React, Gatsby, Next.js, GraphQL, Rest APIs, Styled-Components
Technologies: TypeScript, React, Gatsby, Next.js, GraphQL, Rest APIs, Styled-Components
- Joined as first JavaScript developer to lead the move away from WordPress-based monolithic architectures to more robust and modern React-based systems
- Developed React web applications using TypeScript, Next.js, Gatsby, GraphQL and Styled-Components with global state management through Context API
- Worked with WordPress as a headless CMS using GraphQL and REST APIs
- Developed B2B web applications for several Fortune 500 clients using vanilla JavaScript (ES6) and React
- Worked on legacy projects using ES5 JavaScript syntax with Gulp as a task runner

Founder & Director of Engineering
May 2018 — Dec 2019Creativ Agency
Technologies: JavaScript, PHP, Sass, React, Angular, Gatsby, WordPress, Drupal
Technologies: JavaScript, PHP, Sass, React, Angular, Gatsby, WordPress, Drupal
- Development of web applications for small and medium-sized businesses using JavaScript, React, PHP, Sass, HTML5, WordPress, Drupal and different e-commerce solutions
- Specialised in bespoke client solutions for London-based startups
- Design of digital assets and print products
- Management of freelance and contract engineers for international projects
- Search engine optimisation and search engine marketing

Front-End Developer
Dec 2017 — Jan 2019The Specialist Works
Technologies: JavaScript, PHP, React, WordPress, jQuery, Rest APIs, Sass
Technologies: JavaScript, PHP, React, WordPress, jQuery, Rest APIs, Sass
- Tech lead in design and development of new website following brand guidelines based on WordPress, PHP, HTML5, CSS and JavaScript
- Orchestrating web development work between London and Atlanta offices
- Collaborating with teams in Beijing, Dublin, New York and Bonn offices to develop custom experiences for clients across the world
- Development of a web application for a contender energy provider in collaboration with TSW Creative for critical campaign launch under time pressure
- DevOps tasks monitoring and maintaining Apache server infrastructure and DNS
- Development of PWA (React) for an event with 250+ attendees
- Collaborated with internal creative agency to deliver assets for pitches

Co-Founder & CTO
Apr 2014 — Oct 2021Immovato
Technologies: React, TypeScript, Next.js, Node.js, Express, Sass, Angular, MongoDB
Technologies: React, TypeScript, Next.js, Node.js, Express, Sass, Angular, MongoDB
- Built a web app to revolutionise the real estate sector in Germany
- Developed Immovato from the first concept to release of MVP
- Managed two developers (front-end and back-end) in the development of our application, initially based on Angular (JavaScript) and Laravel (PHP)
- Moved tech stack to MERN (MongoDB, Express.js, React, Node.js) for an improved performance and DX

Group Creative Director
Jun 2008 — Oct 2014ASA Europe
Technologies: PHP, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, MySQL, Sass
Technologies: PHP, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, MySQL, Sass
- Started working for ASA as a web designer and developer during final years of college, building and maintaining e-commerce websites and product landing pages
- First insights into day-to-day operations of e-commerce business (B2B and B2C)
- Design and conception of new products, packaging, brochures, advertising material
- Design and execution of international trade shows and B2B events
- Launch of UK branch of ASA Europe in Chelmsford, Essex
- Market research and legal compliance analysis for the trade of tobacco products in the United Kingdom, meetings with UK Trade & Investment and HMRC to explore importing of restricted goods
- Built retail business to become highest-grossing of its kind in the UK within 12 months
Education
I am mostly self-taught, but here are some of the most relevant certifications I have achieved:
Full-Stack Open
Sep 2019University of Helsinki
Course Contents: React, JavaScript, Node.js, Express, GraphQL, Cypress, Jest
