Alexander Simonov
I’m a front-end developer with 10 years of commercial experience.
I mainly work with TypeScript and React.
I enjoy developing large web applications with complex business logic.
Skills & Preferences
I prefer fine-grained reactivity with MobX or Effector, but am comfortable with Redux as well. I like to use RxJS to work with complex workflow.
Primarily worked with SPA, but not badly familiar with Next.js as well. Can set up custom configurations using Vite or Webpack if needed.
I like to separate logic and presentation: describe models separately, and present view-layers as dumb components. I like to divide a project into libraries within a monorepo. I care about architecture and lightweight project maintenance.
I’m most proficient with NestJS on the backend, and I prefer it for its IoC features.
About Me
Phuket, Thailand
I have no higher education.
Self-taught through books, online resources, and courses.
~Upper-intermediate, I think.
I’m not bad at writing, reading and listening, but not so good at speaking.
Professional Experience
AviasalesPhuket, ThailandSep 2020 — now
Development of a web application for business travel and management of a development team.
I joined the startup when it was processing about 5 manual orders per day and have been part of its growth to several thousand automated orders per day.
Team Lead
Leading a team of 5-10 back‑end / front‑end developers and QAs;
Recruiting, interviewing and mentoring new specialists;
Clarifying business requirements with technical details, decomposing tasks;
Making architectural decisions and reducing technical debt.
Initially a developer, as the project grew and the team needed to expand, I took on team lead responsibilities.
Hired approximately 5 specialists and conducted at least 20 technical interviews.
Front-end Developer
Delivering new features to application using React and MobX;
Fixing bugs reported by clients and support team;
Working closely with designers and back‑end developers;
Integrating with internal and third‑party APIs.
Several features that I participated in developing or completed independently:
- Integrations with third-party travel providers: hotels, buses, trains, transfers, and flights. Includes search results pages, complex client-side filtering, seat selection, passenger data forms, etc.
- Ability to create a hierarchical corporate structure with travel approving managers and departments, as well as travel policies that restrict the ability of certain departments to purchase travel;
- Applied Clean Architecture-inspired architectural approaches to reduce code coupling and increase testability.
LavalSaint-Petersburg, RussiaMay 2019 — June 2020
Front-end Lead
Leading a development team of 3 front‑end developers;
Embedding small React apps into legacy Oracle APEX application.
A medical information system development: patient management, medical documentation handling, treatment planning, and monitoring.
- Developed a tool for linking dictionaries from different medical information systems for mutual integration;
- Developed a complex calendar-scheduling system for managing the availability of doctors, equipment, and rooms for patient appointments.
This project involved refactoring an existing legacy service to modern technologies, much like a startup that unfortunately did not withstand the sudden impact of COVID-19.
CSSSRSaint-Petersburg, RussiaDec 2016 — May 2019
Contributed to multiple external projects while working at this outsourcing company.
Fullstack Developer
Developing frontend and backend of time‑tracking application;
Ensuring application stability and performance.
Focused on an internal project for tracking remote employees' time, with plans to develop it into a SaaS solution:
- Migrated the entire Node.js backend codebase to TypeScript to reduce errors;
- Prepared backend and frontend for zero-downtime deployments;
- Optimized complex report queries in Mongoose ORM by rewriting them using MongoDB aggregations.
Front-end Developer
Leading a team of 2-3 junior front‑end developers;
Developing and maintaining frontends with React and AngularJS.
- Developed multi-step loan and credit card application forms for a major Russian bank, including extensive client-side validations and analytics;
- Participated to the development of a mobile app for streamlining courier workflows in rapid credit card delivery: form submission, document upload for recognition, and process status transitions.
OctoberwebSaint-Petersburg, RussiaSep 2014 — Dec 2016
Worked as a developer at a small studio specializing in website and landing page creation.
- HTML/CSS templates with basic client-side logic using Django templating and jQuery;
- Developed the frontend for the official agency website for metro advertising in St. Petersburg, allowing users to select placements on station vestibule maps;
- Participated in the development of a SPA for short-term apartment rentals in Moscow and St. Petersburg using AngularJS;