Olav Birkeland
Powerkjell
📍 New York, NY
About
Experienced Software Engineer with 8+ years of expertise in full-stack development, cloud architecture, and team leadership. Passionate about creating scalable, user-focused applications and mentoring junior developers. Proven track record of delivering high-quality software solutions in fast-paced environments.
Specializing in React, Node.js, AWS, and modern development practices. Strong advocate for clean code, test-driven development, and continuous learning.
Work Experience
Senior Software Engineer
TechCorp Inc. • Jun 2021 - Present
- Lead development of microservices architecture serving 1M+ daily active users
- Mentored 3 junior developers and conducted technical interviews
- Reduced deployment time by 70% through CI/CD pipeline optimization
- Collaborated with product team to define technical requirements and roadmap
- Implemented comprehensive testing strategy increasing code coverage to 95%
Full Stack Developer
StartupXYZ • Mar 2019 - May 2021
- Built and maintained React-based web applications with Node.js backend
- Designed and implemented RESTful APIs using Express.js and MongoDB
- Optimized application performance resulting in 40% faster load times
- Worked in agile environment with 2-week sprints and continuous deployment
- Participated in architecture decisions and technology stack selection
Junior Software Developer
Digital Solutions LLC • Aug 2016 - Feb 2019
- Developed responsive web applications using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP
- Collaborated with designers to implement pixel-perfect UI components
- Maintained legacy codebase and implemented bug fixes
- Participated in code reviews and followed established coding standards
- Gained experience with version control systems and development workflows
Education
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
State University • 2012 - 2016
- Major: Computer Science, Minor: Mathematics
- GPA: 3.7/4.0
- Relevant Coursework: Data Structures, Algorithms, Database Systems, Software Engineering
AWS Solutions Architect Certification Prep
Online Course Platform • 2020
- Comprehensive study of AWS services and cloud architecture patterns
- Hands-on labs with EC2, S3, RDS, Lambda, and CloudFormation
Skills
Programming Languages
- JavaScript (ES6+)
- TypeScript
- Python
- Java
- PHP
Frontend Technologies
- React / Next.js
- Vue.js
- HTML5 / CSS3
- Sass / Tailwind CSS
- Webpack / Vite
Backend Technologies
- Node.js / Express.js
- Django / Flask
- REST APIs / GraphQL
- Microservices Architecture
- Database Design (SQL/NoSQL)
Cloud & DevOps
- AWS (EC2, S3, Lambda, RDS)
- Docker / Kubernetes
- CI/CD Pipelines
- Git / GitHub Actions
- Infrastructure as Code
Tools & Methodologies
- Agile / Scrum
- Test-Driven Development
- Code Review
- Performance Optimization
- System Design
Certifications
AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate
Amazon Web Services • 2021
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)
Scrum Alliance • 2020
MongoDB Certified Developer
MongoDB University • 2019
Google Analytics Certified
Google • 2018
Languages
- English: Native
- Spanish: Professional Working Proficiency
- French: Limited Working Proficiency
- German: Elementary Proficiency