Next Steps: Seeking New Opportunities in Frontend, Design Systems, and DX

Over the last couple of months, I have been working on migrating Wikimedia’s design system, Codex, to Penpot. So far, I’ve successfully recreated over 1,000 components and variants, and I’m about to start the final phase - piloting the new library and prepping reports.

While this was an exciting and fun project, it’s a short-term project. As it wraps up, I’m actively looking for new opportunities in front-end development - ideally in open source, design systems, and accessibility.

The Backstory

My tech career has always been one of exploration, curiosity, and experimentation. Over the years, I have tried UI design, Frontend, Mobile Multi-platform, Serverless, Microservices, Databases, Open-source, and Technical writing. I even took a brief detour into DevOps - and quickly turned back 😅. It was clear that it just wasn’t my thing.

This enabled me to gain a broad understanding of development work and clarified what I was good at and which parts I enjoyed the most. No surprise that, as a creative, artsy, and poetic person - I have firmly come back around to frontend, design systems, and product documentation.

Key Technical Achievements I’m Proud Of

During my exploration stage, I had some technical achievements that I'm proud of, including:

• Leading the exploratory transition of Wikimedia’s Design System from Figma to Penpot.

• Simplified authentication for Flutter and Supabase users by contributing a helper auth library with ready-to-use widgets. The library has 13 contributors, 59 GitHub stars, and 29 forks. It is on Pub.dev and has a 73% popularity score.

• Added a working mobile version of the playground editor, making learning Ocaml.org accessible to mobile users for the first time.

• Increased web accessibility levels of OpenSauced’s codebase by co-leading efforts with Nick Taylor, Developer Advocate at Pomerium, to enforce the standards via JSX-ally-plugin.

• Added product guides to OpenSauced’s documentation to help onboard new developers to common terms used in the open-source space.

• Successfully migrated an unfamiliar JavaScript codebase over to using strict TypeScript.

• Optimizing database reads by breaking apart large backend functions into smaller microservices.

Key Community and Content Engagements I’m Proud Of

Beyond code, I also participate in the community by giving talks, writing tutorials, and organizing events. Some of the work I’m most proud of includes:

• Talking about accessibility and authentication at DevFest Pwani and getting featured in their highlight video.

• Joining Supabase’s SupaSquad - an unofficial group of advocates.

• Organizing multiple events for Supabase’s launch week across two cities, with a turnout of about 40%.

• Getting accepted into Google’s Road to GDE cohort 3 program

• Becoming a FreeCodeCamp author.

• Becoming a Guest Author on CSS-Tricks and Cerbos.

• Becoming a volunteer community manager for Open Source Community Africa (OSCA).

So, What’s Next for my Tech Career?

My next goal is to land a remote full-time or part-time role, ideally within the open-source ecosystem.

The Perfect Organization

I’d be most excited to work with organizations that are:

• Open-source, open core, or that give back to open source in some way.

• Concerned with building accessible products.

• In the DevTool space or that are working towards a noble goal greater than themselves. For example, Wikimedia’s goal is to democratize the world’s knowledge.

• Remote, hiring globally, or that are willing to offer relocation sponsorship.

The Perfect Role

I’d be most excited to work on the following verticals:

• Frontend heavy full-stack roles

• Frontend roles that include building and maintaining design systems in code or design tools.

• Frontend plus working on product documentation and tools.

• Technical Developer Experience (DX) roles

Why You Should Hire Me

Here are some reasons I’d be a fit for your team:

• All-Rounded Product Developer - I have a broad general understanding of the entire product lifecycle, giving me a unique perspective on building user-friendly and scalable products.

• Frontend and Design Systems- I have experience using modern technologies like React.js, Next.js, Astro, and Tailwind. I also have experience working with design systems.

• Web Accessibility Advocate – I co-led accessibility improvements in OpenSauced’s codebase and actively share accessibility best practices.

• Open-Source and Community Presence - I share what I learn and I’m an active member of the tech community.

• Remote experience - I have professional, remote, and open-source experience. I can work in async environments and collaborate across cultures and time zones.

When Can I Start?

I’m ready to start in March 2025, when my current project at Wikimedia will be ending. You can reach me via Twitter, LinkedIn or Email.

You can also reach out to any of these amazing open-source developers I’ve collaborated with:

• Sabine Schmaltz, OCaml.org Maintainer, Developer Relations at Tarides- I worked closely with Sabine on making front-end changes to Ocaml.org’s website.

• Tyler Shukert, Developer Relations at Supabase - I worked with Tyler to bring Flutter Auth UI to life.

Wrapping up

If you’re building in open-source, DevTools, or accessibility-focused products and need a frontend developer who bridges design and loves documentation - please reach out! And if you know someone who does, please share my profile.