Jake Fulton

Full Stack Developer

+64 22 564 7368
work@jakefulton.com
jakefulton.com
linkedin.com/in/jakefulton
https://github.com/jakefb

Career Summary

8 years of experience working in web development and design, using programming languages such as JavaScript, TypeScript and Python.

Key strengths include building elegant user interfaces, solving complex problems, and designing maintainable and efficient software.

Always looking to learn and improve in web development and software engineering.

Have delivered projects for international clients across the United States, Australasia and other regions, partnering with organisations in biotechnology, technology, higher education, financial services and other sectors.

Key Strengths

  • Building Elegant UIs
    Built a responsive chart for Bounce Insurance’s homepage illustrating their tiered payment system based on earthquake intensity. On mobile, restructured the chart to present the tiers in rows instead of columns using CSS Grid.

  • Proactive Problem Solver
    At Victoria University of Wellington, worked on solutions for large projects, including the front-end for their new staff directory. At ArtNow, developed an OpenResty/Lua solution to validate incoming requests to legacy PHP API endpoints without modifying the original code, enabling them to be efficiently cached by Cloudflare.

  • Maintainable and Efficient Software
    Worked on a range of large websites including Keith Andrews, implementing component-based UI systems that combine data from multiple sources such as DatoCMS and a custom Redis layer, ensuring the codebase remains flexible and performant.

Technologies

JavaScript
TypeScript
Python
React
Vue.js
Redux
Next.js
Node.js
Prismic CMS
Sanity CMS
DatoCMS
CraftCMS
Wagtail CMS
Django
Docker
Ansible
Linux

Professional Experience

Kea Studio

Kea Studio

Founder and Web Developer

September 2017 - Present

Responsibilities

  • Consult with clients on solving problems that will help grow their business.
  • Actively keep updated with a fast-paced industry to provide cutting edge websites and web apps.
  • Optimise websites to improve user experience and SEO.

Key Achievements

  • Delivered web app D2Odb for client Monash University.
  • Built websites for Bonjoro, Bounce Insurance, Tidal Ventures, and PTNG Scientific.

Coworking Space

  • Founded and ran a coworking space in Wellington, New Zealand.
  • Hosted a Wellington Marketing Meetup and presented on how coworking enhances productivity and fosters collaboration.
  • Led the design and creation of the coworking space, collaborating with artists and contractors to create a welcoming and inspiring environment.
Replay

Replay

IT Manager

April 2024 - February 2025

Responsibilities

  • Supported scientists and managed the IT infrastructure.
  • Assisted with managing software updates and deployments across employee laptops.
  • Maintained software running on lab instruments and computers, ensuring reliable operation.
  • Managed on-premises servers to orchestrate bioinformatics workflows for scientists.

Key Achievements

  • Streamlined the procurement and renewal of both general productivity and specialised bioinformatics software.
  • Developed custom bioinformatics code to assist an internal R&D program.
Octave

Octave

Contract Web Developer

January 2021 - March 2021 and September 2021 - May 2022 (contract)

Responsibilities

  • Assisted with delivering client projects by implementing final tweaks and bug fixes necessary to ensure timely project delivery.
  • Contributed to back-end Django/Wagtail development.
  • Utilised back-end Python and front-end JavaScript and React code to visualise a dataset using Chart.js.
  • Engaged in front-end React and CSS code development.
  • Collaborated with Octave’s client, The Co-operative Bank, to develop new React components for their website, conduct code reviews, and implement new features.

Key Achievements

  • Built a chart for visualising a new dataset for Te Whata.
  • Assisted with building the refreshed Queen Margaret College website.
  • Assisted with building a custom application form for Police Credit Union.
  • Helped integrate a loan application form into The Co-operative Bank’s mobile app.
Victoria University of Wellington

Victoria University of Wellington

Web Developer and Designer

June 2019 - January 2021

Responsibilities

  • Maintained the design system for the University’s customer-facing and internal websites, using the ITCSS methodology to structure the CSS.
  • Implemented reusable components in the content management system (Squiz) and developed REST APIs.
  • Worked with content editors to deliver new websites for various organizations at the University.
  • Developed web apps using JavaScript, React, Redux, Vue.js, Squiz Matrix, and CSS.

Key Achievements

  • Delivered the updated website for international students.
  • Built an internal web app that enables staff to easily update their own contact details. This was part of a project to create a new, more efficient and accessible system for staff contact information.
Monash University

Monash University

Full Stack Developer

December 2018 - June 2019

Responsibilities

  • Conceptualised and implemented a user-friendly web app for a bioinformatics database (D2Odb), facilitating seamless access to data for the research community.
  • Utilised Node.js, MongoDB, JavaScript, React, and Redux.

Key Achievements

  • Collaborated with the client to create a wireframe that simplifies the user interface for filtering the data.
  • Developed the first version which was sent out to the research community for feedback. Made adjustments using the feedback to improve the user experience.
Wētā FX

Wētā FX

Data Wrangler

November 2017 - November 2018 (contract)

Responsibilities

  • Provided senior artists with render support including troubleshooting, scheduling work on the render wall, ensuring deadlines are met, and managing expectations.
  • Worked as part of a larger team to manage client material and data, ensuring all items are delivered and complete.
  • Coded in Python, Bash scripting, and awk.

Key Achievements

  • Successfully worked with clients such as Disney and Marvel, delivering material to deadline and client satisfaction.
  • Built experience with the Linux environment, managing large amounts of data, and maintaining high-performance computing hardware.
  • Contributed to wrangler tools to assist in automating processes, saving the team time and improving efficiency.
EightyOne

EightyOne

Animator and Coder

October 2017 - December 2017 (contract)

Responsibilities

  • Designed, tested, and delivered email marketing templates.
  • Animated banner ads for marketing campaigns.

Key Achievements

  • Animated banner ad for Powershop, which served as a key part of their marketing campaign.
  • Built email marketing template for New Zealand Rugby and EightyOne’s Christmas party invitation.
  • Tested the compatibility of email templates with email clients using Litmus to ensure a beautiful and consistent experience on every device.

Projects

Keith Andrews

2025

Developed key parts of a Next.js and DatoCMS website for Keith Andrews, a leading New Zealand commercial truck dealer, including a Redis-based caching layer to optimise vehicle stock API performance.

Technologies

Next.js
React
TypeScript
DatoCMS
Redis
GSAP

Bounce Insurance

2021 - 2025

Refreshed the website for Bounce, a New Zealand earthquake insurance company, implementing updated branding and improving design and usability.

Provided ongoing support with updates and improvements to the website.

Technologies

Next.js
React
TypeScript
Sass
Prismic CMS
Lottie

ArtNow

2025

Optimised ArtNow’s legacy PHP/Craft CMS site to handle high traffic and AI bot activity by implementing API route caching using Cloudflare and OpenResty, significantly improving performance and scalability.

Technologies

AlmaLinux / RHEL
Ansible
Docker
Cloudflare
OpenResty
Lua
Craft CMS
PHP

Tidal Ventures

2021 (refreshed in 2022)

Developed and refined the website for Tidal, a Sydney-based venture capital firm, fine-tuning all design elements to create a cohesive and recognisable brand identity.

2022 Website Refresh

  • Built all the components for their Experts page.
  • Integrated Tally forms into their website to make it easier for them to author new forms.
  • Built a “blog author page” which has an image and description of the blog post author.

Technologies

Next.js
React
JavaScript
Prismic CMS
GraphQL

PTNG Scientific

2022 (refreshed in 2023)

PTNG Scientific provides high-level protein engineering and computational biology advice to biotech, pharma, and universities.

Their site was built with Sanity, a headless CMS that makes content easy to update, and includes a blog to showcase the team’s in-depth knowledge and longstanding experience in the field.

Technologies

Deno
React
JavaScript
Netlify
Sanity CMS

Bonjoro

2020

Rebuilt Bonjoro’s website with a slick new design to match their playful identity, increasing visitor sign-ups.

Technologies

Next.js
React
TypeScript
Netlify
Prismic CMS

D2Odb

2019 (refreshed in 2025)

D2Odb is a user interface for a bioinformatics database that I developed for a research lab at Monash University. The purpose of the project is to enable the research community to explore the link between mutations in proteins and human diseases.

Technologies

React
Redux
JavaScript
Node.js
MongoDB

Qualifications and Courses

  • Venture Up (4 week startup programme run by Creative HQ) (2019)
  • SBINZ Level 2 Snowboard Instructor Qualification (2017)
  • Nelson College NCEA (Level 3) (2015)

Voluntary Experience

  • Green Party (2018)
    Voluntary presentation design.
  • Temple Basin (2014)
    Voluntary work teaching beginners how to snowboard.

Interests

  • Snowboarding and skateboarding
  • Listening to music, DJing and producing music
  • Motorcycling