Summary
Derek Blank is a director-level software engineer with 11 years of experience building data-driven web and mobile products, currently leading AI and ed-tech tooling at Heaps Smart for non-profits and for-good organisations. He has a strong mobile and front-end pedigree—shipping React Native apps and the Gutenberg block editor at Automattic and architecting fast, cross-platform mobile experiences at The Dyrt and NurseGrid. Derek pairs hands-on engineering in JavaScript, React/React Native, and Node.js with people leadership, product-focused migration work, and mentoring teams through large rewrites. He’s comfortable turning research and user insights into measurable product improvements and has repeatedly delivered tight deadlines (e.g., a complete mobile architecture shipped in five months). Based in Queensland, Australia, his background in audio engineering gives him an uncommon sensitivity to UX detail and performance.
11 years of coding experience
19 years of employment as a software developer
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Audio Engineering Technology, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Audio Engineering Technology at Belmont University