Simon Bays

Bristol-based Senior Software Engineer with over 14 years' experience, working across fintech, advertising technology, SaaS and PaaS platforms, e-commerce, and peer-to-peer marketplaces, both remote and in-house. I work full-stack with a front-end lean: React and TypeScript are my specialism, extending to Node.js services, serverless functions, APIs and server-rendered apps that sit behind the front end.

I have a strong track record leading front-end architecture, migrating legacy codebases, and mentoring engineers. I approach my work pragmatically, with an eye on developer experience and a preference for well-tested, accessible, maintainable code. I use Claude Code day to day, and I've spent real time working out where these tools add value and where they need a close eye.

Across the wider ecosystem I bring experience with: frameworks including Angular and Vue; state management and data fetching (such as Redux Toolkit and RTK Query); full-stack and SSR work (Next.js, Node.js), with a clear sense of when to reach for each rendering model; semantic HTML5 and modern CSS3; contract-first API integration with typed clients from OpenAPI schemas; testing from unit and integration through to end-to-end (Jest, React Testing Library, Playwright, Cypress); reusable, accessible component development (Material UI, Storybook); and data visualisation (D3, Recharts, Chart.js, Highcharts). I deploy across Vercel, AWS and GCP, work closely with designers in Figma, and take projects from greenfield build through to production.

Get in touch if you'd like to know more or discuss a contract, project or opportunity.