Hello, I'm Emily!
I am an expat and an expert in education who is currently retraining to be a software engineer. My favorite people in the world are my son and my dog!
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About Me
I’m a dedicated and adaptable Software Engineer with 2 years of experience specializing in backend engineering at American Express. My journey into technology has been anything but conventional. As a career changer, I transitioned into this field under challenging personal circumstances, but my determination and passion for innovation have enabled me to flourish in this new role.
Since joining American Express as a graduate in 2022, I’ve grown significantly, earning a permanent position as a Junior Engineer on my team. My work focuses on developing robust backend systems, and I’m constantly eager to learn and integrate new technologies to drive our projects forward.
In recognition of my journey, I was honored with the SheCanCode PowerUp Award for 2024 as the Best Career Changer—a testament to my take-charge attitude and commitment to my new career path. Beyond my technical work, I’ve also led volunteering initiatives within American Express, reflecting my belief in giving back and fostering a supportive community.
I’m excited to continue growing in my role, tackling new challenges, and contributing to the ever-evolving tech landscape.
Experience
Software Engineer | American Express
London, England
October 2022 - present
Software Engineer III (March 2026 – Present)
Led an architectural review for a complex feature involving backwards-compatible migration, ensuring safe transition without disrupting existing system behaviour
Acting as a code maintainer for a core service within a microservices architecture, owning code quality, stability, and technical direction
Designing a platform efficiency initiative focused on scalability and performance optimisation
Building a prototype to validate architectural decisions and de-risk implementation
Collaborating cross-functionally to define system design and technical direction
Software Engineer II (July 2024 – March 2026)
Led end-to-end backend feature delivery, partnering with product and design to deliver customer-focused solutions
Authored and presented technical and architectural proposals, influencing design decisions across teams
Contributed to a core production service, improving reliability, test coverage, and maintainability
Regularly communicated technical decisions and trade-offs to engineering and business stakeholders
Reviewed pull requests and supported team-wide code quality and engineering standards
Software Engineer I (July 2023 – July 2024)
Delivered backend features using Java and Spring across production services
Improved system reliability by expanding unit and component test coverage
Contributed to refactoring and performance improvements in existing services
Graduate Engineer (October 2022 – July 2023)
Developed backend Java applications and wrote unit tests.
Engaged in team activities, following agile methodologies and collaborating in sprint planning and retrospectives.
Promoted for leadership and key contributions to system architecture and team performance.
Training & Certifications
Intro to Python, Microsoft – May 2020
MicroBachelors in Computer Science Fundamentals, NYU (via edX) – July 2020
Web Development Bootcamp, Le Wagon – London (October 2021 – March 2022)
My Projects
Buzz Reads
Description: Buzz Reads is an innovative platform designed to streamline the management of differentiated reading groups in elementary schools. I led this project as my final bootcamp project, drawing on my background in pedagogy to address challenges faced by teachers in preparing separate reading materials for different student groups. The app enables efficient communication between students and teachers, allowing real-time interaction and tailored questions for each group based on their reading abilities. Though initially focused on elementary education, the platform is adaptable for various age groups.
Technologies: Ruby, JavaScript, CSS.
Key Highlights:
Designed and implemented real-time communication features to facilitate seamless interaction between teachers and students.
Built a flexible question creation system for teachers to generate differentiated reading questions for each group.
Led the project from conception to completion, overseeing development and ensuring alignment with educational needs.
Applied my knowledge of pedagogy to enhance the user experience for both students and educators.
- GitHub Repository