James Forrister
@jamesforrister
Seasoned Senior Python Engineer focused on scalable backend systems.
What I'm looking for
I am a seasoned Senior Python Engineer with extensive experience in building robust and scalable backend systems. My journey has taken me through various roles, collaborating closely with startups, small teams, and larger organizations. I thrive on transforming ideas into reliable applications that address real business needs. My approach goes beyond just writing code; I prioritize understanding the requirements, asking the right questions, and delivering simple solutions to complex challenges.
Throughout my career, I have successfully reduced technical debt and enhanced performance by maintaining clean and manageable systems. My most notable achievements include integrating advanced technologies like OpenAI GPT-4 into SaaS products, developing a B2B consulting marketplace that secured significant funding, and implementing PCI-DSS-compliant microservices for financial platforms. I believe that the best software is built with care, strong communication, and a clear understanding of its purpose, and I strive to embody these principles in every project I undertake.
Experience
Work history, roles, and key accomplishments
Senior Full Stack Developer
Ratio
Apr 2022 - Apr 2025 (3 years)
Integrated OpenAI GPT-4 and LangChain APIs into client SaaS products, powering intelligent customer support chatbots, dynamic onboarding, and AI-driven analytics dashboards. Built a B2B consulting marketplace platform from scratch to connect businesses with independent consultants, delivering the initial MVP in under 4 months which enabled the startup to secure a $500K seed funding.
Backend Python Developer, Founding Engineer
Finxact
Aug 2017 - Mar 2022 (4 years 7 months)
Spearheaded 0–to–1 MVP launch for Finxact’s banking API platform using Django, FastAPI, and gRPC, enabling digital account creation, real-time payments, and instant fund transfers for neobank partners. Designed and implemented PCI-DSS-compliant payment orchestration microservices (Kafka, Celery), processing ACH, Stripe, and Plaid transactions while enabling rapid onboarding of third-party payment
Python Developer, Engineering Coordinator
TAO Connect
Jul 2015 - Jul 2017 (2 years)
Re-architected the mental health portal by migrating legacy PHP to Django/React, enabling secure, HIPAA-compliant video counseling and resource scheduling for thousands of users in higher-ed settings. Developed patient intake and appointment modules with FastAPI and PostgreSQL, streamlining onboarding, insurance validation, and cross-provider scheduling for clinicians and care teams.
Software Engineer
Clikpak
Jul 2013 - Jul 2015 (2 years)
Engineered order management service using Django and Celery, streamlining transaction-heavy order processing for over 10,000 SKUs and enabling same-day fulfillment across the US retail network. Developed a headless checkout API (Flask, FastAPI) to decouple cart and payment flows, reducing page latency and supporting omnichannel shopping carts for mobile and PWA users.
Education
Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework
Florida Gulf Coast University
Bachelor's Degree, Computer Science
Obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science. The curriculum provided a strong foundation in the principles of computing and software development.
Tech stack
Software and tools used professionally
OpenAPI
Blockchain
D3.js
Google Cloud Platform
GitHub
RxJS
Kubernetes
Cloudflare
Jenkins
GitHub Actions
Pandas
MySQL
PostgreSQL
MongoDB
Gmail
Rollout
Django
Next.js
Tailwind CSS
Material-UI
Redis
Terraform
Azure DevOps
Jira
T3
JavaScript
PHP
TensorFlow
PyTorch
scikit-learn
Kafka
RabbitMQ
Django REST framework
FastAPI
PagerDuty
Grafana
Prometheus
New Relic
Datadog
ClickUp
GraphQL
Socket.IO
gRPC
AWS Lambda
pytest
Tabnine
SendGrid
OAuth2
sso
Twilio
NGINX
Vibe
SQL
NgRx
Availability
Location
Authorized to work in
Skills
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