James Hearn

Junior Software Engineer

Building impactful, accessible digital experiences, prioritising creativity and profitability.

About

My earliest memories are of me being surrounded by arcade machines, video games and buckets of computer parts. Growing up in this environment fostered my love for technology, problem solving and creativity which remains to this day. At the age of 12 I was creating private servers for my, websites in notepad using, building my own pc's and trying to find more reasons to justify sitting infront of my computer to my parents.

Fast forward to today and Ive had the privilege of working with small companies, startups, some of my favourite creators and even running my own business in the video game space. From designing and developing websites, to merch designs, social graphics, marketing materials, managing communities, and now full stack applications, I've been able to wear many hats and learn a lot along the way.

In my free time I like to learn new things, contribute to open source projects, share knowledge on various forums, occasionally watchand spend way too long theory crafting new DND characters. When I'm finally away from the computer, my time and energy go to the most important part of my life, my wife and children.view my full cv

Experience

  1. 2024 — Present

    Bootcamper - School of Code

    I engineered and executed full-stack applications utilising agile methodologies to design, build and ship products, presenting them to industry experts. Through pair programming, championing essential version control tools and automating CI/CD pipelines with test scripts, I was able to boost team collaboration and developer velocity. Whilst working through the projects, I made sure to take time to assist my peers by providing personalised 1:1 support, and actively engaged with the tech community to expand my professional network.

    • TypeScript
    • HTML & CSS
    • React
    • Next.js
    • Node.js
    • Express
    • TailwindCSS
    • REST
    • Jest
    • Vitest
    • Git
    • Figma
    • UML
    • Python
  2. 2023 — Present

    Designer Developer - Freelance

    Ideate, design and ship high quality marketing materials, video game mods, game UI's, websites and promotional videos. Consulted on customer relationship management and support systems, curating documentation based on consumer feedback and managing community platforms. Also, optimised SEO for ecommerce clients.

    • Photoshop
    • Illustrator
    • After Effects
    • React
    • JavaScript
    • Node.js
    • TailwindCSS
    • Figma
    • MaterialUI
  3. Feb 2018 — Jan 2023

    Director - Modit

    Identified a problem within the market and monetised a solution. Spearheaded entire product design and delivery process, curating a product that provided value to tens of thousands; developers and consumers. Lead a team of 32+ developers of various skillsets, maintaining constant product build and market lifecycles. Assisted in the planning and development of complex systems surrounding payment, file security and documentation. Built and delivered Modit 2.0, a complete re-vamp of the standard shopify theme and an account dashboard, to provide a custom branded experience whilst maintaining the highest standards for SEO, analytics and speed insights.

    • HTML
    • SCSS
    • JavaScript
    • React
    • Liquid
    • Shopify
    • Photoshop
    • After Effects
    • Illustrator
    • Lua
    • WikiJS
  4. JULY 2015 — NOV 2016

    Computer Systems Consultant - Eclipse Computers

    I transformed my passion for building computers into a career, leading the front-of-house team at my local computer store. Specialising in high-spec systems, I handled sales, customisations, repairs, and upgrades, ensuring exemplary service. I collaborated closely with the warehouse team on inventory management and assisted in negotiating deals to stay current with tech trends. Assisted in hosting gaming events and giveaways, enhancing community engagement and loyalty.

    • 2013 — JUNE 2015

      Graphic Designer - Freelance

      Operated within niche communities for twitch streamers, youtubers and various family members, curating their brand and marketing strategies such as social media banners, logos, thumbnails and emotes

      • Photoshop
      • Illustrator
      • After Effects
      • Premiere Pro
      • Obs
      • HTML

    Projects

    1. PluggedIn Music App Preview Thumbnail

      Plugged-In Music

      Web app for personalised music experiences. Users can create playlists, control audio through a static music controls bar, and manage profiles. Developed with a focus on agile methodologies and user-centric design.

      Demoed to multiple companies and industry experts

      • Typescript
      • Next.js
      • Tailwind
      • Supabase
      • Node.js
      • Vercel
    2. Modit Store 2.0 Theme Preview Thumbnail

      Modit 2.0 - Shopify Dawn Restyle

      Transformed the Shopify Dawn theme into a fully custom theme, leveraging Shopify 2.0's SEO optimisation features to increase my Ahrefs audit score from 66 to 96, while designing a unique and engaging user experience for my store.

      Over 60,000 monthly unique sessions with repeat positive feedback

      • Shopify
      • Liquid
      • HTML
      • SCSS
      • JavaScript
    3. DND Automated Character Sheet Preview Thumbnail

      DND Autoamted Character Sheet

      Created a user-friendly character sheet for Dungeons and Dragons, utilising custom, complex formulas to automate complex character actions and details with minimal user input, enhancing gameplay for my family campaign

      Published to public forum and received numerous upvotes

      • Google Sheets
      • Formulas
      • CSV
    More detailed documentation