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Jacob Heijligers

@jheijligers

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Freelance software consultant with over 10 years of experience.

Netherlands

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What I'm looking for

I'm looking for high-impact work that values creativity and problem-solving.

I'm a freelance software consultant with a master's in Computer Science & Engineering from TU Delft and over 10 years of experience bringing complex ideas to life, fast. I thrive on full ownership and enjoy building products end to end, from architecture to launch. I'm passionate about creative problem solving and love finding elegant solutions to hard or unconventional challenges.

Whether it's reverse engineering a closed protocol, scaling backend systems, or shipping experimental side projects, I like to push the boundaries of what's possible. I'm highly self-directed but also comfortable collaborating within teams, especially when clarity, speed, and high standards matter. I communicate clearly, move quickly, and take pride in delivering high-quality, high-complexity systems with minimal overhead.

Outside of client work, I build tools and prototypes to explore new ideas or improve my own life. I'm currently available for high-impact work. Remote-first, but happy to meet in person when it makes sense.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Solo Developer

Current

Miljoenhuizen.nl

Jan 2020 - Present (5 years 8 months)

Rebuilt a real estate platform from the ground up. Created a Rust-based ingestion pipeline, backend, and modern TypeScript frontend. Optimized PostgreSQL queries for fast page loads while maintaining a lean, maintainable codebase.

AWS Rust Python TypeScript PostgreSQL

Current

Founder

Current

Ragebot

Jan 2018 - Present (7 years 8 months)

Designed a distributed, Kubernetes-backed system resilient to platform changes and adversarial behavior. Grew into a full-featured, AI-enhanced group admin bot used by millions.

Python Kubernetes AI Reverse Engineering GCP

Current

Backend Architect

Current

Somnox

Jan 2017 - Present (8 years 8 months)

Architected and implemented the backend for a smart sleep robot startup on AWS. Integrated IoT data ingestion, analytics, authentication, and OTA firmware updates as the sole backend engineer.

Java PostgreSQL AWS IoT

Current

Full Stack Engineer

Current

Chaser.nl

Jan 2014 - Present (11 years 8 months)

Built and maintain backend (Java), web frontend (TypeScript), and mobile apps (React Native) for a Dutch flight ticket aggregator. Fully responsible for feature development, scaling, and platform stability.

Java TypeScript React Native MySQL Web Development

Full Stack Engineer

MediaLab / Kik

Jan 2018 - Jul 2025 (7 years 6 months)

Worked across the stack on backend services, features, and Kubernetes infrastructure. Hardened the platform by fixing widespread security issues, built an antispam system, broadcast bot, and rebuilt the public-facing website.

Java Kubernetes Terraform Cassandra Pub Sub Go GCP AWS

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

TU Delft

Master of Science, Computer Science & Engineering

Completed a Master's degree in Computer Science & Engineering, focusing on advanced topics in the field. Gained in-depth knowledge and practical skills in various aspects of computer science.