How I engage

Senior engineering,
on your terms.

I work with businesses, engineering teams and founders who need senior technical capability without the overhead of a permanent hire. Every engagement is different - here's how they typically take shape.

01

Embedded Engineering

Join your team as a senior developer, working day-to-day alongside your engineers.

Full-time equivalentDay rateRemote or on-site

This is the most common way I engage. I integrate into your existing team - joining standups, planning and retros, contributing to technical discussions, reviewing code and shipping features. I bring senior judgement without requiring management overhead.

  • Feature development and system design contributions
  • Code reviews that raise the quality bar across the team
  • Architecture input on new capabilities and integrations
  • Mentoring junior and mid-level developers
02

Technical Leadership

Step into a tech lead or lead developer role where technical direction is needed.

Tech LeadLead DeveloperContract

Some teams need senior technical leadership without the commitment of a permanent hire - or need cover while they recruit one. I can own the technical direction of a team or product, set standards, guide architecture decisions and keep delivery moving.

  • Technical direction and architecture decisions
  • Setting engineering standards and best practices
  • Cross-functional collaboration with product, design and commercial teams
  • Build vs. buy decisions, tooling evaluation, platform choices
03

Greenfield Builds

Design and deliver a new system from the ground up, with the right foundations from day one.

Fixed scope or time & materialsArchitecture includedHandover-ready

When you're starting something new, the decisions made in the first few weeks define the shape of the system for years. I bring the experience to get those foundations right: data models, service boundaries, authentication, deployment pipelines and everything that comes before the first feature.

  • Domain modelling and data architecture
  • Technology selection and infrastructure setup
  • CI/CD pipelines, environments and deployment automation
  • Full codebase handover with documentation and onboarding support
04

Legacy Modernisation

Incrementally improve an existing system that has become a bottleneck - without stopping delivery.

Phased approachLow disruptionMeasurable milestones

Every business has systems that were once fit for purpose and are now holding things back. The answer is rarely a rewrite - it's a disciplined programme of incremental improvement. I've done this across multiple organisations and know how to sequence it safely.

  • Codebase audit and risk assessment
  • Test coverage programme to de-risk future changes
  • Strangler fig modernisation without big-bang rewrites
  • Performance profiling and targeted optimisation

Honest about scope

What I don't do

I'd rather be honest about fit than take on work I'm not best placed to deliver.

  • Digital marketing, SEO campaigns or social media management
  • Graphic design or brand identity work
  • Small website packages or template-based builds
  • Single-day consultations without commitment to outcome
  • Work where I can't maintain quality standards due to timeline pressure

Have a project in mind?

Tell me about what you're working on. If it sounds like a good fit, we can talk through how I'd approach it.

Start a conversation
CodeForge Systems

Senior software engineering and technical leadership, available on contract across the UK.

Based

  • Tiverton, Devon, UK
  • Available remotely nationwide
© 2026 CodeForge Systems Available for new engagements