After a misspent youth devoted to tinkering with lime-green iMacs, at age 16, I kickstarted my career in code with Harvard’s online course: CS50. Now, my development and design portfolio encompasses all kinds of websites, apps, and digital tools.

A background in full-stack development, facing challenges from Information Architecture and UX Design to state management and page speed, puts me in a unique position to innovate, communicate, and deliver the highest quality work. In other words, I remember the big picture while perfecting the smallest details.

[email protected]

History

Founder

Blastoff Design 2018 - now

Leading a small team of developers, I work with select clients to bring new apps to market with a focus on delightful user experiences. We have published cross-platform iOS & Android apps including Stir Crazy, Grammapp, and Concurrency which now have thousands of users.

Expert Developer (React)

Rubrik 2021 - 23

Promoted to a team of company-wide expert UI developers, I improved developer experience by contributing to a world-class, robustly-tested React component library. Alongside building user-friendly components and implementing pixel-perfect designs, I was trusted to review others’ code and lead huge refactors.

Designer & Developer

Freelance 2012 - 21

As part of Toptal’s “top 3% of freelance talent”, I have been a valuable remote team member for companies big and small. Freelancing for Spider PR, I: designed animated HTML5 ads for Typhoo Tea; built a popcorn simulation for Tyrell’s Crisps; and developed a WordPress plugin for monitoring the national rollout of a new ISP. Consulting for Evora Global, I conducted UX and SEO audits which helped grow their mailing list and reach page 1 of Google.

Head of Web Development

Think Digitally 2015 - 18

Having been mentored by a team of veteran user experience designers and developers, I was promoted from Intern to Head of Web Development. Not only contributing code and designs but also liaising with clients and strategising for practically every project that crossed the company’s desk.

Head RepresentativeVolunteer

Trevelyan College, Durham University 2018

Selected and managed a team of 20 to organise and run exceptionally well-received open days. I was responsible for the entire 5-day event including: conducting interviews, planning activities, welcoming guests front of house, and delegating tasks. All this while maintaining morale among volunteers working 18-hour days.

Digital Marketing Consultant

Towergate Insurance 2015

Rapidly iterated on designs for digital and print ads. Re-designed online forms with an intuitive user experience to reduce abandonment. Learning from an experienced development team, built a modern 30-page website in under a week.

Skills

  • Native Apps
    Cross-Platform
  • User Experience
    UI
    Interaction Design
    Accessibility
    Information Architecture
  • Web
    Performance
    SEO
  • Marketing
  • Event Management
T-Shaped skill sets help individuals work more effectively in teams. A broad understanding of many areas is coupled with deep knowledge in one specialism.
We really appreciate all the work you've done for us. You've been a huge help and the team has had nothing but great things to say. Everyone's been very impressed with both your speed and quality of work.

— leading New York SEO firm

Xander Gottlieb

Xander Gottlieb — Explorer, Reader, Writer, Photographer, Baker, Snowboarder, Educator…

Words I live by

"I do not remember the books I have read anymore than the meals I have eaten. Still, they have made me."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
"If you don’t like how things are, change it! You’re not a tree."
- Jim Rohn
"The place to improve the world is first in one's own heart and head and hands, and then work outward from there."
- Robert M. Pirsig

Let's work together

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