Open to opportunities

Dennis Merrell

@dennismerrell

Message

Senior software engineer specializing in backend systems and Go.

Netherlands

Message

What I'm looking for

I seek backend-focused roles leveraging Go and cloud infrastructure, with opportunities to influence architecture, improve performance, and work in collaborative Agile teams; preferably in companies valuing technical ownership and clear impact.

I am a senior software engineer with roughly 10 years of professional experience, dual Dutch/English nationality, and full professional fluency in English and Dutch. I began my career in PHP/LAMP backend development, moved into game development with C++ and Java, and for the past few years I have focused primarily on Go for server-side solutions, delivering production systems, CMS platforms, streaming applications, and real-time telemetry tooling.

I have experience across the full backend stack — databases (MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB), server frameworks (Symfony, Laravel), cloud and ops tooling (AWS, Linux, Nginx) — and have contributed to architecture, user stories, automated testing frameworks, and performance optimization. Notable achievements include shipping a custom real-time web app for sim-racing telemetry and diagnosing/fixing a long-standing force-feedback bug by implementing custom DInput logic.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Freelance Developer

Current

MezzNet

Jan 2022 - Present (4 years 5 months)

Developed an internal CMS and a custom Go + React video streaming application for a large pharmaceutical client's internal platform, delivering backend services and frontend integration.

Go React Video Streaming CMS REST APIs PostgreSQL Linux Docker

Backend Developer

MyWheels

Jan 2021 - Jan 2022 (1 year)

Worked on a Laravel PHP platform interfacing with in-vehicle smart boxes via JSON-RPC and optimized Postgres queries to improve performance of core operations.

Laravel PHP PostgreSQL JSON RPC SQL Optimization APIs Git Linux

Software Engineer

Studio397

Jan 2018 - Jan 2020 (2 years)

Contributed to rFactor2 backend, competition server and web tooling; delivered real-time telemetry and camera-control web apps and fixed long-standing force-feedback integration bugs using DInput.

C++Java Angular Real Time Systems DInput Telemetry Linux

Backend Developer

PressPage

Jan 2015 - Jan 2018 (3 years)

Built backend services in Laravel and Symfony, authored aggregation queries for user statistics, migrated data between MongoDB and MySQL, and integrated AWS services for production systems.

Laravel Symfony PHP MongoDB MySQL AWS Data Migration SQL

Backend Developer

YouWe

Jan 2013 - Jan 2015 (2 years)

Developed and maintained Symfony2 and legacy PHP projects in Agile 3-week sprints, implemented automated Mink/Behat + Selenium testing, and supported frontend integration and testing.

PHP Behat Selenium Mink Agile)WordPress Automated Testing Agile

Backend Developer

Bid Network

Jan 2011 - Jan 2013 (2 years)

Supported and tested Drupal 6-based sites, developed custom Drupal modules, and implemented CI/testing using Selenium RC, Jenkins, JMeter and bash scripting.

Drupal PHP MySQL Jenkins JMeter BASH Drush