rc.

Independent engineer · practical software

Need a website or app? Let's build it together.

Bring an idea, even an early one. I’ll help turn it into a clear plan, handle the technical side, and keep you involved as it gets built.

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Robert Cristian Photo

Who you'll work with

Hi, I'm Robert Cristian — an engineer who enjoys making hard problems feel manageable.

I've spent the last several years building software for teams big and small. These days I work with people who have a strong idea but need a technical partner to help shape it, solve the hard parts, and turn it into something real.

🏃 Stays active 🧠 Reads psychology 🛠 Likes building things 💻 Enjoys new tech
More about me →

A few things I’ve built.

Each project started with a real problem, a lot of small decisions, and a goal to make something useful for the people using it.

Click any project to see how →
Built the cashback engine behind a new fintech card

A Canadian fintech wanted to reward every purchase. I built the system that tracks spending across customers' cards and pays out cashback each month — accurately, automatically, and at scale.

Ruby React Vue Postgres
Cleared a bank's critical security flags before the cutoff
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Ran a delivery company's whole operation on one system
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Let a non-technical team build their own forms
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Download résumé (PDF)
Full experience
The complete history behind the highlights.
Nov 2021 — now
Software Engineer
Cognizant Technology Solutions
Large US Bank Healthcare Payment Solution
  • Healthcare dedicated and Integrated end-to-end healthcare payments platform with seamless integration into the largest Electronic Medical Record (EMR) solutions in the U.S.
  • Ruby update to v3 and Rails upgrade from v5 to v8, including custom libraries.
  • Planned and handled the transition from a legacy DataMapper to ActiveRecord ORM, including rewriting validations, tests to also keep compatibility with current database.
  • Egress proxy implementation for a couple of microservices to restrict external communication.
  • MTLS service to service integration for internal communication between microservices.
  • Triage and fix/mitigate any outstanding CVE’s
US Rental Managing/Banking tool.
  • A finance and a rental managing tool combined web app that owners to monitor their rentals, they could track expenses, income, and set up automated rent collection. On the finance part they could open new checking accounts directly from the dashboard.
  • Developed a cash-back feature that would run monthly and credit back a percentage directly on the debit cards
  • Created various CVE/Excel reports that aggregate and present financial data for customers.
  • Integrated third party services like background checks for potential property buyers/renters.
TypeScript React Next.js Node Postgres
June 2019 — November 2021
Software Engineer
Wolfpack Digital
UK based Train Company
  • Created a permission based dashboard from scratch that would serve as an aggregation point for all the train/train station defects that would be reported by customers, and where mechanics could update/discard these defects by uploading proofs in different stages of the repair lifecycle. This app also fetched different month to month graphs(as pictures) from S3 and displayed in the app.
Last Mile parcel delivery based in Ireland
  • Last mile parcel delivery with electric bicycles/vans. Involved with a small team in the whole development cycle from client facing web app where customers could place parcel delivery orders(integration with stripe) to warehouse Rest API that was used by android app used as a warehouse on the fly parcel scanning to actual delivery to different places across Ireland.
Football federation in-house/course platform
  • Developed a private invite based video course platform with quizzes and resume capabilities. Also integrated a CMS system and supervised different junior engineers.
Other
  • Working on fast iteration cycles and tight deadlines using an agile/scrum methodology.
  • Write API Documentation with Apipie/Swagger/Confluence.
  • Collaborated with Product Owners regarding product definition, schedule, scope and project-related decisions.
React GraphQL AWS Node
Nov 2018 — June 2019
Contractor
Meevo(Digital Agency)
Education/Course platform serving mostly B2B customers
  • Implemented a newly redesigned and overhauled version of the platform.
  • Implemented a new per entity voucher system.
  • Implemented a new credits and priority spots system.
Python Django Vue Postgres
February 2017 — November 2018
Junior developer
rankingCoach GmbH
  • Front-end implementation of customer discount coupon system.
  • Helped the company reach more LA-TAM customers by implementing AllPago payment system provider and also it's integration with Zuora.
  • Develop different customer registration pages for regional A/B testing, as per required design.
JavaScript PHP HTML/CSS
Education & foundations

B.Sc. in Computer Science, West University of Aurel Vlaicu (2016). Ongoing self-directed learning

Prefer a one-pager? Download résumé

I worked with Robert for several years across multiple projects, and he’s one of the best web developers I’ve worked with. He writes clean, high-quality code, understands the business value behind the work, and consistently delivers on time. He’s also the kind of teammate who advocates for best practices, supports junior developers with patience, and helps make the final product something everyone can be proud of.

Recent writing

All posts →
Initial impressions of Claude Design, as a developer that can't design Jul 2026

Have something you want to build?

Tell me where you’re starting from. I’ll help you think through the shape of it, what it might take, and the simplest way to get moving.

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Common questions
What if my idea is still rough?

That's completely fine. Most good projects start that way. I’ll help you sort through the idea, ask the right questions, and turn it into a clear plan before anything gets built.

Will I understand what’s being built?
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Do I own everything at the end?
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Can the project grow after launch?
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How long does a project usually take?
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