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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

  • Syntax.fm
  • JS Party
  • The Changelog
  • ShopTalk
  • Darknet Diaries
  • Swindled
  • Command-Line Heroes
  • Business Wars

Experience

Holland & Barrett

Senior Software Engineer

Aug 2020 — present

Holland & Barrett

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
Dennis Publishing

Senior Front-End Engineer

Oct 2019 — Aug 2020

Dennis Publishing

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
Raconteur

Front-End Web Developer

Jan 2019 — Oct 2019

Raconteur

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
Creativ Agency

Founder & Director of Engineering

May 2018 — Dec 2019

Creativ Agency

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
The Specialist Works

Front-End Developer

Dec 2017 — Jan 2019

The Specialist Works

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
Immovato

Co-Founder & CTO

Apr 2014 — Oct 2021

Immovato

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
ASA Europe

Group Creative Director

Jun 2008 — Oct 2014

ASA Europe

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:

University of Helsinki

Full-Stack Open

Sep 2019

University of Helsinki

Course Contents: React, JavaScript, Node.js, Express, GraphQL, Cypress, Jest

Harvard University

CS50x

Jun 2020

Harvard University

Course Contents: C, Python, SQL, Algorithms, Data Structures