Building software does not have to be difficult but building proper software in complex situations is a trade on its own. As an independent, I specialize in building complex, robust software in a public, private or academic setting.

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A small selection of the type of questions I could assist with:

• Interim hire: Temporary support for your software development or architecture team.
• Outsourcing: Building separate modules or complete (distributed) backend applications.
• Consultancy: Analysis of your code base for maintainability issues or other hurdles your software development team experiences.
• Architecture: Consulting on which technology would be best suited with your solution or how to best set up the software architecture.

The technologies I have the most experience with are Python, Java and Rust but, due to my background, I am able to quickly excel in other technologies as well. I mostly use these programming languages in backend, distributed applications where communication technologies such as REST, AMQP or MQTT are used. Naturally I work according to the latest best-practices such as version control, (unit) testing, CI/CD and SOLID principles and with the latest software deployment technologies such as containerisation (Docker) and Kubernetes.

To successfully build complex software I have learned it is necessary to delve into the domain while working together intensively with other experts. While I find that studying domains is necessary, I also enjoy it immensely. I have experience in the following sectors:

Energy Transition: Due to electrification of our energy usage and the move towards other forms of renewable energy, our society is tackling serious digitalization challenges. The grid is increasingly measured (also in realtime) which is resulting in massive amounts of data to be processed. Simultaneously ICT-based control is introduced to energy assets to utilize various forms of energy flexibility.

Rail: Building and maintaining Software for a rolling stock which is not always reachable by a signal can be an interesting challenge on its own. Specifically finding issues in the software is made more difficult. Also because there is not just one rolling stock but a whole fleet. This causes multiple copies of the software to be running in parallel on different types of rolling stocks which introduces all kinds of complexity. A broad perspective and curious attitude kan help to prevent many issues before they occur. Also, a multitude of tests and other forms of certainty are required to transport the passenger to their destination.

Academia: ICT in a scientific context introduces unique requirements for the requested software. Not only must the software be flexible to adapt to new functionalities and requirements quickly, but also the calculated result needs to be valid while similar software has never been engineered before (first-time engineering). Software needs to adapt with the scientist and the research project and this demands adaptability and empathy from the software engineer.

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More about me #

Hello, my name is Sebastiaan la Fleur! In 2018 I graduated Master in Computer Science - Software Engineering with honors from the University of Twente. Since then, I have worked at various organizations including NS and TNO as a software engineer and architect on software in complex environments. Example projects include software running on the rolling stock for communication standardization and first-time engineering projects where scientific insights could be validated.

What characterizes me is that I can structure chaotic situations; I am an natural optimist and keep an eye on the people around me. Also, I have a strong sense for details. My natural habitat is when I am elbow deep in a code base building new functionalities that deliver true value to society or when I am out exploring and searching for the best technology to solve a specific challenge.