
A **highly numerate software engineer** with a **strong background in physics and maths** and a breadth of experience across technology, process engineering and education. I love learning new technologies, gritty technical challenges and solving complex problems.


profile


- JavaScript and Typescript (ES6/ES7)
- Node
- React
- Docker
- Apache Kafka
- K8s w/ Helm
- Jest


key skills


## StoneX, London

> fulltime, Nov 2020-present

StoneX is a Fortune 100 multinational which provides commodity trading services to a wide variety of clients. As a member of the development team supporting the metals front office, my role has mainly been on greenfield projects developing services in support of the base- and precious-metal trading and operations staff.

### Selected projects:

- **Trade Execution Platform**: Primary developer on the base metal team's flagship trade execution project. This project will afford in-house traders as well as clients direct access to market price and trade execution facility, from within our enterprise micro-frontend platform. I was responsible for making a basic POC production-ready, including a large re-write of the main Java backend service, a fully-responsive and accessible redesign of the trading widget, and full-stack design and implementation of a separate "activity log" widget.

1. Java
1. Typescript
1. Lightstreamer
1. FIX protocol
1. React
1. Kafka

- **Credit Optimisation Tool**: A data exploration and visualisation tool built in React/Typescript, with an express backend service acting as a cache/query layer. The tool affords front-office staff excellent visibility of their client accounts, allowing them to explore allocation of credit lines in comparison with revenue via a rich search, aggregation and filtering interface. The first phase release of this tool has been hugely successful, and I was asked to present it the CEO and executive committee as a potential strategic tool to be expanded and rolled out to other business lines.

1. React / Express
1. Typescript
1. Highcharts
1. Express
1. SQL, MongoDB, Postgres

- **Multi-stage CI/CD Pipelines**: I did a complete re-write of our teams CI/CD pipelines. This improvement allowed higher fidelity unit-testing inside replica production containers, as well as adding automated SemVer management for all our microservice containers.

1. Azure DevOps
2. CI/CD
3. Docker
4. Jest

- **Trade Blotter**: A React micro-frontend allowing the user to perform complex search queries on a trade information API, which is then presented to the user in a sortable/filterable/searchable table view.

1. React
1. Typescript
1. AG-Grid

- **SonarQube Integration**: I have overseen our team's integration with SonarQube for static code-checking and code-quality checks, incorporating it into our PR and CI/CD workflow.

## Stylus Education, London

> freelance, Jan 2019-late 2020

As a key member of the Stylus Education team, I have built and deployed the **Node, Python and React/Redux architecture** for this London EdTech start-up. The company supports science, English and maths tutoring by providing students and tutors with bespoke practice exam-papers and detailed, targeted feedback reports. (Note: as of mid-2021, Stylus is no longer trading).

### Services implemented:

- **Customer Dashboard**: Customer-facing web app for customer admins, tutors and students to monitor the completion of learning cycles, pausing service, and reviewing outcomes over time.
- **In-house client**: single page web app to allow staff to monitor and execute product workflows. It includes a drag & drop interface for producing exam papers from the question bank, and an interface for assigning tasks to 3rd party partners.

1. React/Redux
2. Amplify
3. amCharts
4. CI/CD&nbsp;with&nbsp;AWS&nbsp;Codebuild

- **Client API**: The REST API serving the web apps. Exposes the interface to our database and implements the service that generates our personalised exam papers.

1. Python
2. Serverless&nbsp;Framework
3. Reportlab
4. AWS&nbsp;Lambda
5. S3
6. API&nbsp;Gateway
7. Cognito

- **Paper Processing Service**: a Node-based lambda service which receives PDFs via an email endpoint, parses the email and attachments, performs pdf-image conversion, OCR, and database updates. Implemented using [**Serverless Framework and Step Functions**.](https://medium.com/swlh/how-to-add-human-decision-making-into-automated-workflows-using-aws-step-functions-serverless-46c0a3412fe4)

1. Lambda
2. Node
3. CloudFormation
4. Rekognition
5. AWS Step Functions
6. DynamoDb
7. SES
8. CI/CD with Seed

## Finura Partners, London

> freelance, 2019

This successful London financial services company employed me to streamline how their financial advisors get new business prospects into their in-house tracker. After consulting with them on their requirements I delivered:

- **Frontend SPA** A web app composed of a Formik form with dynamic fields and validation schema

1. React
2. Formik
3. Amplify

- **Backend API** A REST API which securely updates their internal tracking system using the Google Apps APIs

1. AWS Lambda
2. API Gateway
3. Python

The directors reported that the app has significantly reduced both overheads and errors associated with performing the tasks manually.

## Airtable Python Wrapper

> open source contributor, 2020

Through using this library for my project work I identified and implemented a way to make certain batch operations [**≈10x faster than the previous implementation**](https://github.com/gtalarico/airtable-python-wrapper/pull/88).

1. Python
2. Tox
3. Pytest


developer experience


## Front Office Metals Developer

> 2020-present StoneX

1. Full Stack
2. Node
3. Azure
4. Docker
5. Kubernetes
6. React
7. Express
8. Helm

As a developer in the London Base and Precious metals trading office I work closely with the team to deliver bespoke software to support and streamline their trading workflows. Please see my **<a href="/developer-experience">developer experience</a>** for more.

In early 2022, I was approached by the precious metals desk to join their team in a trading capacity. I will be taking up that role in June 2022, with a remit to drive better technical fluency and adoption of trading technology on the desk.

## Teacher of Physics, Head of Key Stage 5 Science, Specialist Leader in Education (SLE) for Physics

> 2015-2020, Holy Family Catholic School

1. Mentoring
2. Leadership
3. Communication
4. Education

I have a deep passion for physics and have had a very rewarding five years sharing my love of the subject in the classrooms of this East London Comprehensive. I became a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-school-to-school-support-from-system-leaders#specialist-leaders-of-education-sles">Specialist Leader of Education (SLE)</a> for Physics in 2019, and in that role have **delivered many training and coaching sessions** supporting non-specialist physics teachers. **I was later awarded an “Expert Practitioner” award for outstanding mentoring of trainee teachers** by the University of Cantebury.

I’m proud that my A-level students’ progress was recognised as being in the **top 10% nationally** (via ALPS) in 3 of my first 4 years. I have appeared on Radio 4 with my students discussing a collaborative project I ran with Queen Mary University.

**I am passionate about sustainability and creating a more equal society**. In 2019 I proactively secured a £95k grant to improve the school’s energy efficiency with a lighting overhaul. I brought together a team of colleagues into a task-group aimed at reducing energy, paper and plastic usage and formed a student group to give the student body agency in driving sustainable initiatives. **I care deeply about female and BAME representation in STEM subjects**, co-ordinating my school’s involvement in a pilot study with King’s College and the Institute of Physics which resulted in a 5-fold increase in female uptake of A-Level physics.

## Oil and Gas Technical Safety and Risk Engineer || Nuclear Technical Safety and Risk Consultant

> Xodus Group, Perth Australia (2011–2014) || RPS Risk Management, Warrington UK (2008–2011)

1. Risk Management
2. Technical Authoring
3. Managing Complexity
4. Communication

As a risk consultant I worked with colleagues and embedded in client teams on **large, high-hazard and highly regulated process industry projects**. We were tasked with analysing complex systems using a breadth of techniques and software to assess risks associated with fault conditions, and thus demonstrate acceptability of risk to regulators. In these jobs—as in software development—**clear, unambiguous communication in complex contexts** was essential.


employment history


- **Master’s Degree in Physics and Astronomy** (1st class) | _University of Manchester_
- **Postgraduate Certificate of Education** | _UCL Institute of Education_
- **Physics (A), Chemistry (A), Maths (A) A-Levels** | _Nottingham High School_


education


**I’m a passionate believer in the power of education, the importance of sustainability, and ensuring equal opportunities in our society**. I want to work in a company that embodies those ideals, not just in their rhetoric but in their choices about CSR, hiring, and the projects they’re engaged in.

I want to work in a company with a **strong team ethos**, with knowledge-sharing and **high code-quality** (through pair programming, code-review, TDD, CI/CD) central to the culture.

During my diverse experience working in different teams and across industries, I have had the opportunity to develop excellent skills in communication, teamwork, and leadership and I would add huge value to your multidisciplinary team. If you think you agree, [I'd love to hear from you](mailto:hi@ollimansell.co.uk).


Full Stack JS/TS

Currently on the metals front-office development team at StoneX.