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Alfie Renn

Alfie Renn

Software Engineer
Sheffield, UK
alfie@alfierenn.dev

Background

About

About

Hi! I'm Alfie: physics graduate, toki pona speaker, and software engineer. I love to make beautiful things with code (mainly using HTML/CSS/JavaScript and Python), including websites, apps, and graphs. With all my work I create good quality, robust, and well-tested code, as well as powerful automation and well-organised git repositories, empowering collaboration. Do check out my website and GitHub!

Work Experience

Work Experience

  • , Freelance Software Engineer

    Mar, 2023 - Present

    • Co-maintaining gspread, an open-source Python API for Google Sheets with over 8 million downloads per month, demanding a high level of future-planning and project management.

    • Developed new code and tests in JavaScript for a new expansion for keyteki, an online card game, working in a fast-paced and highly collaborative environment ahead of the new expansion's release.

    • Developed a mod for the video game Factorio in Lua, involving a low-level partner-plugin for the voice chat client Mumble, written in C. Released on Windows and Linux.

    • Interfaced with an electronic dot-matrix display discarded from a bus station, using C, requiring an involved knowledge of electronics and low-level communication protocols.

  • Software Engineer, ByteSnap Design

    Aug, 2022 - Mar, 20236 months

    • Utilised Vue and TypeScript to create an intuitive, user-friendly web application, using robust design patterns and best practices to ensure optimal functionality and user experience.

    • Designed and developed a responsive, feature-rich web application using Flutter and Dart, incorporating a range of views and user-friendly interfaces for maximum ease of use.

    • Employed WPF and C# to create a high-performance application, using SQL and an MVC architecture to facilitate the viewing, manipulation, and analysis of data.

    • Streamlined the deployment process of complex code with multiple dependencies, using Docker and GitLab CI to optimise the development process and improve productivity.

  • Solar Physics Research Student, Durham University Physics Department

    Jun, 2021 - Aug, 20212 months

    Researching novel telescope imaging techniques using quantum gases

    • Developed robust code with Python for fabricating and analysing images from a solar telescope.

    • Performed deep literature review to justify techniques used in the creation of said telescope.

    • Discussed and acted upon desires and needs of telescope engineers, theorists, and observationalists.

  • Design Engineer Intern, Viper RF

    Aug, 2019 - Sep, 20191 month

    Programmed and debugged a real-time optimisation algorithm on a microcontroller with C. This was used to minimise power losses for a microwave generator, to be used in an ion thruster for space satellites, improving both industry knowledge and personal skills.

Skills

Skills

  • Data Analysis

    Python

    Statistics

    Jupyter

  • Web Development

    HTML

    CSS

    JavaScript

    Vue

  • Git/Project Management

    Pull requests

    Git issues

    Open source maintainer

    GitHub Actions

  • Great development practises

    Test-Driven Development

    API Design

    Reliable documentation

  • DevOps

    Docker

    Git

    Continuous Integration

    Continuous Deployment

Education

Education

  • , MPhys Physics, Durham University

    Sep, 2018 - Jul, 2022

    Masters Project: Using Machine Learning to Optimise Quantum Optics Experiments

  • , A Level, GCSE, Cottingham High School and Sixth Form College

    Sep, 2011 - Jul, 2018

    A* Physics

    A* Mathematics

    A* Further Mathematics

    (GCSE) A* Mathematics, A English

    (GCSE) + 5A*, 3A, 2 Dist*

Awards

Awards

  • Florence Nightingale Award for Graphical Excellence , Durham University

    Awarded on: Jul 03, 2019

    Awarded for the optimal presentation of quantitative data to illustrate a Helmholtz coil. Used Python for graphing.

Volunteer Work

Volunteer Work

  • Open-source Maintainer, gspread - Simple interface for working with Google Sheets

    Jun, 2023 - Present

    Maintaining an open-source Python library for interacting with Google Sheets, including adding new features, fixing bugs, and responding to user issues.

  • Electrical Tester, British Heart Foundation

    Mar, 2023 - Present

    Testing electrical equipment for sale in charity shops.

Interests

Interests

  • Electronics

    PC buildingArduino (microcontroller and circuit boards)

  • Open-source

    Contributing to open-source projects
References

References

  • Jim Mayock, Viper RF. Matthew O'Keefe, PhD, MBA, Viper RF.

    [... W]e were very impressed with [Alfie]'s outstanding contribution to our business in a relatively short period. He demonstrated extremely high intelligence, organisation, good technical communication skills, work ethic, and a positive attitude. [Available on request.]

  • Alexandre Lavigne, open-source pull request.

    "This is very neat thank you for this contribution."

  • Romano Silva, open-source pull request.

    "Thanks @strib and. @alifeee - very good team work!!!!"

  • Prof. Ifan Hughes, Durham University

    [Available on request.]

  • Graeme Wintle, ByteSnap Design

    [Available on request.]