I build and scale technology the right way — from writing production code to shaping long-term technical strategy. I’m a Principal Software Engineer and Architecture Leader with 15+ years of experience delivering cloud-native systems, leading engineering teams, and partnering with executives on multi-year technology roadmaps. Unlike many “CTO-level” profiles, I remain fully hands-on — designing systems, reviewing code, and shipping production features. I work with: • Startups needing senior technical leadership without hiring a full-time CTO • Scale-ups stabilising reliability and improving engineering velocity • Businesses modernising legacy .NET or JavaScript platforms • Founders who need architectural clarity before investing further Core expertise: • TypeScript / Node.js / React / Next.js / Svelte • C# / .NET (modern .NET Core, APIs, distributed services) • AWS & Azure cloud architecture • Serverless, containers, event-driven systems • Distributed systems & microservices • Platform reliability, scalability & performance optimisation • Engineering transformation & technical standards • Architecture runway & long-term technology strategy I’ve led teams of 15–20 engineers, turned misaligned teams into cohesive high-performing delivery groups, and designed platforms supporting large customer bases in high-traffic environments. Whether you need: • Hands-on feature delivery • A system redesign or cloud migration • Technical due diligence • Architecture review • Or fractional CTO leadership I bring clarity, pragmatism, and execution discipline. If you're building something ambitious, let’s ensure the technology accelerates your business — not constrains it.

Nathan Clarence

I build and scale technology the right way — from writing production code to shaping long-term technical strategy. I’m a Principal Software Engineer and Architecture Leader with 15+ years of experience delivering cloud-native systems, leading engineering teams, and partnering with executives on multi-year technology roadmaps. Unlike many “CTO-level” profiles, I remain fully hands-on — designing systems, reviewing code, and shipping production features. I work with: • Startups needing senior technical leadership without hiring a full-time CTO • Scale-ups stabilising reliability and improving engineering velocity • Businesses modernising legacy .NET or JavaScript platforms • Founders who need architectural clarity before investing further Core expertise: • TypeScript / Node.js / React / Next.js / Svelte • C# / .NET (modern .NET Core, APIs, distributed services) • AWS & Azure cloud architecture • Serverless, containers, event-driven systems • Distributed systems & microservices • Platform reliability, scalability & performance optimisation • Engineering transformation & technical standards • Architecture runway & long-term technology strategy I’ve led teams of 15–20 engineers, turned misaligned teams into cohesive high-performing delivery groups, and designed platforms supporting large customer bases in high-traffic environments. Whether you need: • Hands-on feature delivery • A system redesign or cloud migration • Technical due diligence • Architecture review • Or fractional CTO leadership I bring clarity, pragmatism, and execution discipline. If you're building something ambitious, let’s ensure the technology accelerates your business — not constrains it.

Available to hire

I build and scale technology the right way — from writing production code to shaping long-term technical strategy.

I’m a Principal Software Engineer and Architecture Leader with 15+ years of experience delivering cloud-native systems, leading engineering teams, and partnering with executives on multi-year technology roadmaps. Unlike many “CTO-level” profiles, I remain fully hands-on — designing systems, reviewing code, and shipping production features.

I work with:
• Startups needing senior technical leadership without hiring a full-time CTO
• Scale-ups stabilising reliability and improving engineering velocity
• Businesses modernising legacy .NET or JavaScript platforms
• Founders who need architectural clarity before investing further

Core expertise:
• TypeScript / Node.js / React / Next.js / Svelte
• C# / .NET (modern .NET Core, APIs, distributed services)
• AWS & Azure cloud architecture
• Serverless, containers, event-driven systems
• Distributed systems & microservices
• Platform reliability, scalability & performance optimisation
• Engineering transformation & technical standards
• Architecture runway & long-term technology strategy

I’ve led teams of 15–20 engineers, turned misaligned teams into cohesive high-performing delivery groups, and designed platforms supporting large customer bases in high-traffic environments.

Whether you need:
• Hands-on feature delivery
• A system redesign or cloud migration
• Technical due diligence
• Architecture review
• Or fractional CTO leadership

I bring clarity, pragmatism, and execution discipline.

If you’re building something ambitious, let’s ensure the technology accelerates your business — not constrains it.

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Experience Level

Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
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Work Experience

Software Architect / Fractional CTO at ARCANYS
January 1, 2025 - Present
Led a delivery team of 18 cross-functional members to deliver an MVP for a startup; transformed an underperforming team through improved leadership, processes and clear technical direction; established coding standards, environment support guidelines, and policies for development; mentored junior developers and DevOps across multi-disciplinary teams.
Software Engineering Lead at SGFLEET
July 1, 2024 - December 1, 2024
Led a cross-functional delivery team on initiatives including real-time integrations and cloud-native uplift of legacy applications; established architecture standards and guided cross-team collaboration.
Solution Architect at Consulting (Self-employed)
December 1, 2023 - Present
Domain-level architect and technical authority across multiple Scrum teams, shaping architecture and technical standards, reviewing designs, resolving cross-team dependencies, and mentoring teams.
Lead Software Engineer
August 1, 2021 - December 1, 2023
Led development across multiple initiatives, contributing to cloud-native transformations and complex integrations, and mentoring engineers to deliver quality software on time.
Senior Software Engineer - Contract at ORICA
January 1, 2021 - August 1, 2021
SaaS application to provide reporting on results of client open cut mine blasting operations; improved SQL performance from around 30 seconds to 1 second for critical queries.
Head of Technology at MoneySoft
June 1, 2017 - July 1, 2020
Led technology strategy and architecture; migrated hosting to cloud; implemented OAuth 2.0; refactored monolith API toward microservices; delivered mobile apps and improved deployment reliability with DevOps practices.
Senior Software Engineer at Challenger Limited
October 1, 2015 - June 1, 2017
SaaS quoting platform enhancements; built CI/CD pipelines; integrated AppDynamics for performance monitoring; led modernization efforts and delivery of new features.
Senior Software Developer at Chandler Macleod
June 1, 2010 - April 1, 2013
Maintenance and enhancement of psychometric SaaS; large-scale migration and CRM integration; built fast API integrations and kept systems reliable.
Senior Analyst Programmer at Shaw Stockbroking
May 1, 2010 - June 1, 2010
SaaS portfolio management and reporting application; achieved a significant performance uplift and reliability improvements.
Technical Lead at BuildSoft
November 1, 2009 - March 1, 2010
Led CI/CD pipeline development and production support; introduced robust deployment and monitoring practices.
Technical and Development Lead at Permission Communications
November 1, 2008 - November 1, 2009
Led development teams and projects across multiple initiatives; aligned delivery with business goals and quality standards.
Solution Architect at AussiePay
March 1, 2008 - October 1, 2008
Architected and delivered integration solutions; guided security and API design for enterprise applications.
Senior .NET Developer at HYRO
July 1, 2006 - March 1, 2008
Developed and maintained .NET solutions; contributed to architectural decisions and system performance improvements.
Software Engineer at UNISYS - Australian Centre for Unisys Software (ACUS)
May 1, 2005 - July 1, 2006
Software development work across diverse projects; contributed to CRM and integration efforts.
Lead Developer – Reporting at CORPROFIT SYSTEMS
November 1, 2000 - May 1, 2005
Led reporting development; delivered reliable, customizable reporting solutions for business users.
Senior Analyst Programmer at MICROPAY
March 1, 1997 - November 1, 2000
Senior development role focusing on payment systems and reporting components.
Analyst Programmer at Genesis Software Engineering - Newcastle
March 1, 1995 - March 1, 1997
Early-career programmer contributing to client projects and system development.

Education

Associate Diploma of Commercial Data Processing - with Distinction at Hunter Institute of Technology
January 1, 1996 - January 1, 1996
ICT Short Courses at ICT Short Courses
January 1, 1997 - January 1, 2024

Qualifications

Add your qualifications or awards here.

Industry Experience

Software & Internet, Professional Services