Hi, I'mConor Sheppard
Software Engineer specializing in cloud-native Java services. Skilled in building production-ready MVP applications with a focus on testing, CI/CD, automation, and performance. Get in touch for a free consultation.
London, UKconorsheppardwork@gmail.com
About Me
Software Engineer based in London with a decade of experience in the fintech and edtech startup / scale-up space. I specialise in backend development and cloud-native Java services, with the ability to work cross-stack when needed (React, Next.js). I hold a 2:1 Honours degree in Computer Applications & Software Engineering from Dublin City University. I am passionate about leveraging technologies like Docker, Kubernetes, EKS, Redis, Kafka, and Debezium to build highly-available, fault-tolerant systems, and I care a lot about Agile delivery, testing, CI/CD, automation, and performance. Currently, I work as a freelance software consultant, helping businesses streamline their operations with custom tooling and bespoke software solutions. I also have experience leading a team, architecting user-facing software products and working directly with clients and stakeholders to oversee requirements gathering.
Technical Skills
Programming Languages
- Java
- Python
- SQL
- JavaScript
- TypeScript
- C / C++
- HTML / CSS
Frameworks & Libraries
- Spring Boot
- Hibernate
- Quarkus
- Micronaut
- React
- Node.js
Data Stores & Message Brokers
- PostgreSQL
- Kafka
- Redis
- MySQL
- S3
Cloud & DevOps
- Docker
- Kubernetes
- EKS
- AWS
- Git
- GitHub Actions
Working Principles
- Ownership
- Initiative
- Autonomy
- Collaboration
- Impact
- Leadership
Featured Projects
A selection of projects that demonstrate my skills in backend development, distributed systems, and full-stack engineering. Each project features frameworks and technologies I've used in my day-to-day work to build real-world, scalable, & fault-tolerate software solutions; presented in a simple, user-friendly way.
Career Timeline
Consultant Software Engineer
conorsheppard.com - London, UK
August 2023 - Present
Consultant Software Engineer
conorsheppard.com - London, UK
August 2023 - Present
- Contract work with SMEs in the domains of retail, film production and crypto.
- Developed a Kafka-driven Depop listing event dispatcher for a London SME retailer using Spring Boot, Playwright & Postgres to track listing changes in real time, overcoming lack of public API & integrating across sales channels like Shopify, saving hours of manual work each week.
- Built a distributed audio downloader using Micronaut, Quarkus, Kafka, S3 & PostgreSQL capable of downloading 1k+ file playlists in seconds.
- Engineered custom HR system to streamline employee holiday tracking and management processes for London-based production company.
- Process automation, Google Apps Scripting, Agile web development, website migration, consulting, private SWE coaching/mentoring.
- Tutoring and mentoring in the field of Computer Science, focusing on the core fundamentals: data structures, algorithms, time & space complexity, database fundamentals etc.
Senior Software Engineer
Multiverse - London, UK
2022 - 2023
Senior Software Engineer
Multiverse - London, UK
2022 - 2023
- Implemented an advanced knowledge management system within the main platform UI, eliminating reliance on spreadsheets for candidate profile documentation. This enhancement streamlined workflows, resulting in sector-wide time savings of hundreds of hours per month.
- Enhanced the core platform with improved UI/UX and leveraged Elixir/Phoenix to deliver real-time user experience with server-rendered HTML
- Leveraged experience with Docker to improve development experience across the organisation & embed containerisation as a core consideration in the company’s engineering space.
Senior Software Engineer
Divido - London, UK
2017 - 2022
Senior Software Engineer
Divido - London, UK
2017 - 2022
- Led a team of 5 developers to build a credit underwriting system and real-time decision engine with an SFTP loan origination module which facilitated over £128 million in activated finance.
- Successfully delivered several API integrations including credit bureau, loan origination and internal.
- Requirements gathering, client comms, project scoping, automated testing, 99.99% uptime, Agile development, Spring Boot, Hibernate, Java.
Java Developer
Doordeck - London, UK
2016 - 2017
Java Developer
Doordeck - London, UK
2016 - 2017
- Java backend development, Dropwizard, Immutables, Java 8 (Optional, Streams, Lambdas etc.), AWS EC2, Cassandra, Git.
- Mobile development with the Ionic framework.
- Working with BLE and proximity devices (iBeacons, Eddystone).
Java Developer Intern
Openwave Messaging - Dublin, Ireland
2015
Java Developer Intern
Openwave Messaging - Dublin, Ireland
2015
- Successfully delivered a custom XML-to-SQL parser, written in Java.
- Executed load balancer migrations via SSH.
- Contributed effectively both independently and collaboratively.
What People Say
Feedback from colleagues and clients I've worked with
"Conor was recommended to me as a software engineer with expertise in web design and provisioning, and he exceeded all expectations. Professional, easy to work with and attentive to client brief. As someone with limited technical knowledge, I appreciated how he handled my lack of expertise with patience and positivity, keeping me informed and educated as the project developed. Thanks to Conor's enthusiasm and clear communication, what initially felt like a daunting task became something I genuinely enjoyed. I look forward to continuing to work with Conor, both in commissioning further development work and to be taught how to self-manage aspects of the site's ongoing maintenance. I would highly recommend Conor to anyone seeking a highly skilled and client-focused engineer."
John Jupe
Visual Artist at Pacentre.org
"Conor was invaluable in helping me land a senior ML role. He helped me prepare for all 5 technical interviews - including working on my mindset, what questions to ask and negotiation tips. He went above and beyond in preparing for our sessions, being encouraging and giving feedback. Couldn't recommend Conor more!"
Andre Chan
Senior ML Engineer at ML & Crypto
"Conor has helped to shape Divido and its tech culture over several years. Ever learning and adapting to new languages and technologies, Conor played a key role in steering the success of our platform through its various iterations. His work in building a credit and loan origination engine was particularly influential in enabling our transition to servicing more enterprise clients. Conor will be missed at Divido as an ever active supporter of community and culture within the Engineering group as well as the wider company. I look forward to seeing where his talents take him next."
David Clarke
CTO at Divido
"It's been my pleasure to have worked with Conor throughout my time at Divido. The Company has changed much over that time and Conor has been a constant. His work in building a credit and loan origination engine helped underpin one of the technology shifts that supported Divido's move to servicing more Enterprise clients. But aside from his excellent work, Conor has been a great champion of culture at Divido, going out of his way to support company social activities with his creative skills and his passion for community. He will be missed at Divido but I look forward to seeing where his skills and passions take him next."
James Weller
Head of HR at Divido
Get In Touch
Looking for a software engineer to help with your project? Let's discuss how I can help bring your ideas to life.
What I Can Help With
- Building scalable cloud-native applications
- Java microservices and API development
- CI/CD pipeline setup and automation
- Performance optimization and testing
- Technical architecture and system design
Why Choose Me
Free Consultation
Let's discuss your project requirements and see if we're a good fit.
Flexible Engagement
Project-based work, ongoing support, or technical consulting.
Production Experience
I build systems that scale and handle real-world traffic.
Ready to Get Started?
Fill out the form and I'll respond within 24 hours to discuss your project requirements and how I can help.