Principal Engineer · Full-Stack & Systems · AI-Augmented Builder · Remote Contract
I don't want to
run your team.
I want to build
your thing.
Most senior engineers at my level have been in management so long they've forgotten how to ship. I haven't. I'm a hands-on builder who uses AI tooling as a force multiplier — and I've been writing production code for long enough to know when not to trust it.
→ Let's talk about your problem See my work on GitHubProof of range
Two projects. Opposite ends of the stack.
I show up with an unusually wide range. Here's the easiest way to see it — two recent self-directed projects, deliberately picked to demonstrate what I can do at both ends of the stack.
naTE — Open Source, 2025 · GPL v3
Modern C++20 graphical terminal emulator with full SSH support.
C++20 · wxWidgets · libssh2 · CMake / Ninja · hand-written VT100/ANSI parser · ports-and-adapters architecture · Catch2 test suite · GitHub Actions CI · AppImage packaging. Sole architect, developer, and maintainer. 196 commits to date. This is the answer to "is your C++ current or is it from the TranscriptWizard era?"
GoKart Factory — Personal Project, 2025
Concept → full-stack deployable application in under 2 working days.
FastAPI · Vue 3 + Pinia · SQLite · Docker · capacity-aware scheduling · multi-tenant JWT auth · Gantt timeline UI · pytest + Playwright. Built using Claude Code — not to show off the AI, but to understand precisely where it helps and where human architectural judgment is still irreplaceable.
Different stacks. Different problems. Same engineer.
What I actually do
The problems I'm best at
Every business has problems they need solved. Here's where I tend to create the most value:
The Thing Nobody Can Fix
That integration that's been broken for six months. The legacy system everyone is afraid to touch. I've seen enough of these to know they're almost never as scary as they look.
Greenfield Builds, Fast
You have an idea and a deadline. I can go from architecture decisions to deployed application faster than most teams — and with better tests than most solo developers.
Legacy Modernization
I understand why old systems were built the way they were. That context is what makes it possible to modernize them without breaking everything downstream.
AI-Augmented Workflows
Not just using AI tools — understanding how to integrate them into a real development pipeline with appropriate judgment about what to trust and what to verify.
Systems & Native Work
Modern C++20 with clean architecture and rigorous testing. Network protocols, terminal emulation, cross-platform desktop apps. The work that needs someone who understands what's actually happening under the abstractions.
Security & Compliance Work
HIPAA, PCI-DSS, RBAC, OAuth2/OIDC, multi-tenant auth design. Security isn't a bolt-on for me — it's built into how I architect from the start.
Architectural Guidance
Sometimes you just need someone who has shipped systems at scale to review what you're building before you build it. I'm available for that too.
Technical fluency
What I work in
I'm not religious about stack. I work in what the problem needs. That said, here's where I'm fluent:
Selected work
Things I've actually shipped
naTE — Modern C++20 Graphical Terminal Emulator
Self-directed open source project. C++20 codebase with wxWidgets UI, libssh2 integration, hand-written VT100/ANSI parser, ports-and-adapters architecture, CMake/Ninja build, GitHub Actions CI, AppImage distribution. GPL v3. Project page →
GoKart Factory — AI-Augmented Full-Stack Build
Full-stack manufacturing simulation taken from concept to deployable in under two working days using Claude Code. FastAPI · Vue 3 + Pinia · SQLite · Docker. A deliberate proof of AI-augmented delivery. Source: github.com/llhovind/gokart-factory
Drag-n-Drop Scheduler — Direct Manipulation Calendar UI
Personnel shift scheduler demonstrating maintainable web app architecture with explicit Display/Business Logic separation. Vue 3 · Pinia · TailwindCSS · HTML5 Drag-and-Drop. Includes a deliberate Chrome DnD workaround. Live demo at hovind.com/demos/drag-n-drop-scheduler. AGPL-3.0.
Graphic Ephemeris — D3.js Data Visualization
Interactive astronomical time-series visualization. Vue 3 Composition API · Pinia · D3.js · Vite · vanilla CSS. Lockable crosshair, dual graph perspectives, synchronized tabular view, ResizeObserver-driven responsive rendering. Live demo at hovind.com/demos/graphic-ephemeris. AGPL-3.0.
Dynamic Scrollable Table — Configuration-Driven UI Pattern
A framework-agnostic technique for rendering data tables from a JSON config and display-order array — both modifiable at runtime, without rebuilds. Demonstrates how to keep table behavior flexible across schema and requirements changes. Live demo at hovind.com/demos/dynamic-scrollable-table. MIT.
Xfinity On Campus — $100M+ Revenue Platform
Principal architect of a microservices platform powering nine SPAs serving hundreds of hospitality venues and millions of video endpoints. Designed the multi-role, multi-partner security model. Led migration from AngularJS to Vue.js. 2019 Circle of Innovation Award.
Channel Lineup Management System
Cut downstream processing from 3+ hours to under 20 minutes. Simplified Title VI compliance across hundreds of US markets, impacting 20M+ subscribers.
Critical Manufacturing Management System
Greenfield design and development modernizing core business processes for an oil & gas equipment manufacturer. Defined architecture, engineering standards, and security practices across the full stack.
Healthcare Population Management Platform
Key contributor to HIPAA-compliant SaaS platform. Owned RBAC security design, REST-to-SOAP proxies, and OpenID Connect integrations on MEAN stack.
TranscriptWizard™ + E-Commerce Platform
Sole architect and developer. Cross-platform C++ app for legal deposition processing, plus a full PCI-compliant e-commerce platform built from scratch.
Enterprise Systems for Vanguard, GSK, and others
Full-lifecycle enterprise systems for Vanguard Group, GlaxoSmithKline, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and others — sole owner of architecture through production support.
Ready to engage
Got a hard problem?
Tell me what you're building or what's broken. I'll tell you honestly whether I can help and how fast I can move.
lhovind@hovind.com