Backend & Domain APIs
Scalable patterns with clean contracts
- C#/.NET • Node.js • NestJS
- GraphQL + REST gateway orchestration
- Auth flows → JWT, Firebase, OAuth
- Relational data at scale with PostgreSQL
Senior Fullstack & Product Engineer crafting confident digital experiences.
I ship resilient platforms end-to-end — aligning product strategy with pixel-level craft. Seven years in, I still obsess over the detail that makes users trust and teams move faster.
Build Stack
Mordern-grade tech tuned for velocity and thoughtful polish
Every tool here supports rapid iteration with guardrails. It’s how I help teams deliver confidently, even when roadmaps shift mid-sprint.
I adapt to existing ecosystems fast. This stack is my launchpad, but I’m at home plugging into established pipelines and modernizing as we go.
Next.js
Hybrid rendering, routing, and performance budgets tuned for production-grade launches.
Tailwind CSS
Utility-first theming with design tokens that keep multi-brand experiences consistent.
Framer Motion
Micro-interactions and page choreography that give teams a living design system.
Strapi CMS
Structured content layer enabling non-dev teams to ship updates without blockers.
GraphQL + Apollo
Typed contracts between platforms and services, reducing integration churn.
Node.js + PostgreSQL
Battle-tested runtime and storage tuned for observability, resilience, and speed.
00 • Range
Technical fluency that keeps momentum high
I bridge design intent and engineering delivery. These are the arenas where I’m repeatedly trusted to unblock teams and ship with confidence.
Need a different stack? No problem. I map fundamentals quickly and adapt patterns without breaking what already works.
Experience Engineering
Pixel-perfect frontends that can evolve
- React, Next.js, Vue, React Native
- Design systems, token-driven theming
- Accessibility baked into every flow
- UX research handoff → Figma to prod
Delivery & Ops
Confidence through automation
- CI/CD → GitHub Actions, Jenkins, Bitbucket
- Containerization with Docker, orchestration ready
- SLA monitoring, feature flags, observability
- Cloud: DigitalOcean, Vercel, Firebase
Support & Alignment
People-first systems thinking
- Stakeholder comms, roadmap facilitation
- Product discovery, user interviews, usability loops
- Knowledge base + onboarding playbooks
01 • Who I Am
Product-minded engineer with 7+ years turning ideas into durable outcomes
I’m Ian Mugambi — a Nairobi-based senior fullstack engineer and designer. I thrive where ambitious UX and systems architecture meet. From fintech to SaaS, I’ve led cross-functional squads, shipped high-stakes launches, and kept the craft sharp while doing it.
My path started in high school, prototyping a national award-winning digital police records system. Since then, I’ve architected platforms used daily by global operators and designed experiences that keep customers loyal.
Operating System
Pragmatic optimism, ruthless prioritisation, and craft that makes complex products feel effortless.
Currently exploring
Machine-assisted UX workflows, high-scale data pipelines, and ways to mentor the next wave of builders in Nairobi.
02 • Signature Interfaces
Vybes Africa
Live builds, performance dashboards, and product ecosystems crafted to feel native on every device. Swipe through to see how each surface scales with almost edge-to-edge precision.
Explore the live previews
Swipe
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03 • Journey
7+ years trusted to own outcomes end-to-end
From seed-stage velocity to enterprise governance, I embed with teams, build empathy fast, and leave every org with processes that keep shipping after I’m gone.
FullStack Engineer (FE Heavy)
Dadanada Group — 2023-12-01 to Present
Kenya (Hybrid)
I lead the design and development of the Daremit mobile and web applications, ensuring an intuitive user experience, secure transactions, and efficient financial workflows.
UI/UX Design
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/daremit/id6736922935- Led end-to-end UI/UX design for the Daremit and Daremit Agent mobile apps (iOS & Android) and web platform
- Designed key financial components, including currency and country inputs, transaction and account cards, and listings for Daremit Web & Mobile
Software Development
https://daremit.com/- Led end-to-end software development for the Daremit & Daremit Agent mobile apps (iOS & Android)
- Enabled multilingual support using i18n, ensuring a seamless experience for users across different regions
- Implemented transaction history management with filtering, detailed transaction views, and replay functionality
- Implemented profile settings, user preferences, and authentication security settings
- Engineered wallet creation, funding mechanisms, and profile-based transaction quotations
- Developed secure authentication systems, including email sign-up/login, identity provider onboarding, PIN/password, and biometric authentication
- Integrated Vi Americas and Money International for seamless transaction processing
- Built sender and beneficiary onboarding with full CRUD capabilities, including payment account management
- Implemented region-based profile setup, KYC verification, KYB compliance (Principals & UBOs), and human verification using Onfido
- Developed transaction workflows, including funding via in-app wallets or third-party services, quotation review, additional details update, and initiation via our APIs or an external provider URL using an in-app browser
- Utilized Bitbucket for version control, Jenkins for CI/CD automation, and SonarQube for code quality and security analysis
2FAAWSBiometric AuthBitbucketCI/CDDockerGoogle Analyticsi18n / LocalizationJenkinsJestJiraReact NativeSentrySlackSonarQubeTailwind CSSTypeScriptPush Notifications
Mobile Engineer | UI/UX Designer
Zamara Kenya — 2023-04-01 to 2024-01-01
Nairobi Kenya
Zamara is a financial services firm that primarily offers Actuarial Services, Pensions Administration, Consulting, and Insurance Brokerage Services. I worked to develop and automate solutions that improved software delivery, customer service and made administration efficient.
IT
https://zamaragroup.com/- I designed UI/UX for the different mobile apps and web portals using Figma
- I helped maintain existing web applications developed using React and WordPress
- I developed a prototype of an events website with booking, notifications, and ticketing for events and summits held for customers and networking
- I developed a GraphQL server using DotNet that was consumed on the events portal
- I wrote policy documentation on our internal SDLC and Networking practices
- I proposed and received a go-ahead to reimplement our system architecture to use microservices and a CI/CD pipeline powered by docker images and Azure Repos that uses Microsoft Teams for notifications and Jira for Issue Tracking and has an internal staging and an external production environment
- I built cross-platform mobile apps using React Native and Expo
- I developed Rest API endpoints using DotNet that were consumed on the mobile apps
- I deployed web applications and api servers to run in docker containers exposed using IIS on a Windows enterprise server
Azure ReposCI/CDDocker.NETExpoFigmaGoogle AnalyticsGraphQLJiraNext.jsReactReact NativeREST APITailwind CSSTypeScript
Product Developer
Prolox Solutions — 2023-02-01 to 2023-12-01
Nairobi Kenya (Part Time)
I was contacted by the Managing Director to help improve their existing in-house platform. The company was expanding to multiple locations, and their existing system did not provide this functionality. The system had not been actively maintained and did not provide functionality to manage multiple stores.
Software
https://prolox.co.ke- I designed the receipts, emails, UI and UX for the system portals using Figma
- I designed and implemented the system architecture to serve two web applications that consume a Rest API with 2FA on protected routes and a windows client application for the POS application
- I deployed the online store and admin endpoint using docker containers on Nginx in a linux server running on a digital ocean droplet
- I used NextJS and TailwindCSS to build a public website for store listings and self-checkout that has a good performance score and follows best SEO practices
- I used ElectronJS and ReactJS and Typescript to build the windows desktop client for the sales staff
- I used GitHub workflows to build new docker images and Watchtower to pull updates, implementing a simple CI/CD pipeline
DigitalOceanDockerElectronFigmaFirebaseGitHub ActionsGoogle AnalyticsMongoDBNext.jsNginxReactREST APITailwind CSSTypeScript
Fullstack Developer
Space Next Door — 2022-02-01 to 2023-03-01
Singapore (Remote)
I was part of the product development team. The product was a self-serving platform to allow customers to book self-storage units in and around East Asia. The product had over 500 active accounts and 7000 monthly visitors.
Web Development
https://spacenextdoor.com/- I was on the team tasked to maintain, improve, and update the customer platform developed with Next JS
- I collaborated in developing an in-house prototype storage web app with NextJS to use a third-party provider, Storaganise API
- I worked as part of the team tasked to maintain, improve, and update an in-house admin platform for listings owners, developed with Vue.js
- I fixed bugs and helped release new features while tracking progress and issues on Jira
- I updated or created components respective to the issued Figma design
- I was enrolled in an advanced NestJs course and REST-based microservices API development in Go lang to advance my backend knowledge
- I worked as part of the team that optimized the customer's platform performance. We raised it from 7% to 85% on desktop and 73% on mobile - web.dev
AWSCI/CDDockerFigmaHotjarMaterial UINext.jsSlackTailwind CSSVue.js
Junior Developer
Kabarak University — 2021-07-01 to 2022-02-01
Kenya (Hybrid)
I was part of a team responsible for designing and deploying a general-purpose Election Voting Info System (EVIS) with a backend developer and a Project Manager. The product was used to conduct over 5 elections with over 5000 voters each and has since been adopted by neighboring universities.
Innovation and Engineering
- I worked on creating API routes to serve the Backend on the Frontend. Laravel PHP
- I designed the UI/UX for the different endpoints. Figma
- I developed a mobile android application using React Native for voting
- I developed separate web endpoints using ReactJS: clerks, voters, and admin
- I created jobs to send HTML emails for authentication and system prompts using Laravel views and the SendGrid API
- I wrote a custom algorithm to filter voter ballots based on dynamic variable voter properties
- I worked on creating the system database schema. Postgres
- I deployed all endpoints in docker containers and configured an Nginx server on a digital ocean droplet
DigitalOceanDockerFirebaseFigmaGitHub ActionsLaravelNginxReactReact NativeSendGrid
Computer Science Intern
Prolox Solutions — 2020-12-01 to 2021-07-01
Kenya (Hybrid)
I designed and implemented digital solutions to improve the performance of the sales team. Since its deployment, the system has facilitated the sale of over 1,000,000 seals and services for 1750+ customers. My solutions focused on inventory management, sales processing, data analysis, automated emails, and a simple online store for the company's web presence.
IT
https://prolox.co.ke/- I developed separate user applications using ReactJS. Sales, Admin
- I created jobs that sent out custom emails for receipts and official correspondence that reflected the company's brand
- I used react-native to build a lite version of the admin application for mobile
- I designed the UI/UX for the different endpoints. Figma
- I designed the system database schema. MongoDB
- I deployed the online store and admin endpoint using firebase hosting
FirebaseFigmaGitHub ActionsReactSendGridTypeScript
04 • Experiments & Impact
From zero to resonance
Side hustles, prototypes, and lab work that sharpen my instincts. Each project taught me something about scale, usability, or how to guide teams toward evidence-backed decisions.
Concept Lab
Terminal Tetris
I developed a CLI version of Tetris, powered by NodeJS and distributed on npm. I always wanted to write a CLI application and challenged myself by building a CLI version of Tetris. The game features colored blocks, a difficulty setting, the ability to save and resume, and a high score feature, all written using Typescript. While initially, I had planned to use text files as assets for the grid and tetromino, I eventually found better ways to render the game as I integrated controls and the game logic. This project taught me the essence of accomplishing small objectives, reassessing long-term goals, and pivoting accordingly—a more efficient and creative way to solve problems.