Work Experience

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Founding Software Engineer

Chezie

Sep 2022 — Jul 2024

• Led a team of engineers in architecting backend infrastructure with NestJS, MongoDB, and Nginx for high-availability deployments on DigitalOcean
• Directed CI/CD strategy and guided the team to implement GitHub Actions pipelines, enabling zero-downtime releases and rapid iteration
• Built internal GraphQL API powering multi-service routing logic
• Built Zoom and Google Calendar API integrations, enhancing scheduling automation for over 100,000 users
• Authored Chezie’s Security Handbook detailing proactive security posture, system architecture and integration scopes with rationale and implemented controls that enabled SOC 2 Type II and GDPR certification
• Led cross-functional initiatives to optimize system reliability, reducing incident response times by 30%

Lead Full-Stack Developer

Leaderful

Jan 2018 — Aug 2022

• Led development of a Slack bot adopted by 25+ organizations, boosting team response time and increased dissemination of L&D materials
• Built full-stack MEAN applications for client users, streamlining core processes reducing manual effort.
• Partnered with DEI stakeholders to define and execute technical strategies, scaling operations and improving outreach capacity.
• Drove tech strategy with stakeholders; built & deployed company site (beleaderful.co)

Systems Developer (Contract)

Epson America

Feb 2022 — Jul 2022

• Resolved system issues in finance & engineering and standardized documentation
• Scripted fixes for persistent Okta session-auth bugs
• Authored plain-language runbooks for OAuth & Power BI edge cases
• Patched Power BI API authentication to improve reporting reliability

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Full-Stack Developer (Contract)

Jumpin' Events

Jan 2021 — Sep 2021

• Built end-to-end inventory management system with role-based access control
• Implemented CRUD ops in MongoDB for products & employee permissions
• Automated invoicing, inventory, and payments—cutting labor costs by $3k+ monthly
• Delivered live dashboards with Angular, RxJS, Chart.js, and custom REST API
• Integrated Google Calendar & Stripe APIs for events, invoicing, and payments

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Front-End Developer (Contract)

Vans

May 2017 — Dec 2017

• Collaborated with a team of in-house stakeholders for design and development requirements gathering.
• Frontend design and development overhaul of Vans Cornerstone OnDemand (COD) pages
• Increased employee engagement over 20% after design overhaul
• Tailor-made code that worked specifically in the COD system

Volunteer Mentor

Code the Dream

Mar 2024 — Present

• Guided students in MERN stack architecture, fostering technical growth and hands-on coding proficiency
• Advised on backend system design and repository setup, ensuring scalable and maintainable solutions
• Streamlined Jira project workflows, enhancing team collaboration and project delivery efficiency
• Mentored practicum students, driving adoption of best practices in code quality and version control

About Me

I’m Jesse Contreras. I build robust back-ends and responsive front-ends with clean, test driven code with a focus on accessible user experiences. When I'm away from keyboard you’ll find me running, surfing, traveling, reading or inhaling espresso, activities that I really enjoy and keep me focused. On my spare time I volunteer, a habit my parents call “free work.” I’m happiest working on projects that broaden access to technology and make life easier on others. I also enjoy mentoring developers and collaborating with fast-moving teams. If your organization needs an engineer who ships reliable software and fosters an inclusive culture, let’s connect!

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