Steve McDougall

Architected a scalable Laravel SaaS platform with API-first design, enhancing maintainability and flexibility for a rapidly growing user base. Led comprehensive technical strategy including infrastructure modernization and CI/CD pipeline optimization. As fractional CTO, provided strategic guidance on hiring, roadmap planning, and product vision while directly mentoring developers to elevate code quality and team productivity.

• Architected scalable Laravel 11 SaaS platform serving 10,000+ users
• Implemented API-first design reducing technical debt by 60%
• Led CI/CD improvements boosting deployment speed by 40%
• Mentored 5-person development team, improving code quality scores by 35%

Shape PHP language standards by contributing to proposals and RFCs focused on framework interoperability. Engage directly with the global PHP community to drive adoption of PSR standards and best practices. Provide crucial real-world developer insights to guide standardization efforts that impact the entire PHP ecosystem.

• Contributing to PSR standards affecting millions of PHP developers worldwide
• Reviewing and voting on critical PHP interoperability proposals
• Representing real-world developer perspectives in standardization processes

Authored monthly technical deep-dives on advanced PHP topics and architectural best practices for one of the industry's most respected publications. Simplified complex concepts for a broad developer audience using storytelling techniques and clear, practical examples. Collaborated closely with editorial teams to ensure technical accuracy and maximum reader value.

• Published 12+ monthly deep-dive articles reaching 50,000+ developers
• Covered advanced PHP 8.x features, Laravel patterns, and architectural best practices
• Maintained 95%+ reader satisfaction scores through engaging technical storytelling

Led comprehensive developer education initiatives, creating extensive technical content library that significantly increased API adoption and community engagement. Represented Treblle at major international conferences, gathering critical community feedback that directly influenced product roadmap. Built practical demo projects and sample code that dramatically simplified product onboarding and accelerated developer success.

• Created 50+ technical resources increasing API adoption by 40%
• Spoke at 15+ global conferences reaching 5,000+ developers
• Built demo projects reducing user onboarding time from 2 hours to 30 minutes
• Generated $250K+ in qualified leads through content marketing initiatives

Published comprehensive articles on Laravel internals, package development, and architectural best practices for the Laravel community's primary news source. Produced educational content specifically targeting intermediate-to-advanced Laravel developers, focusing on real-world application and performance optimization. Actively highlighted innovative open-source projects and community contributions to foster ecosystem growth.

• Published 25+ in-depth Laravel tutorials and best practice guides
• Articles averaged 10,000+ views with 85%+ completion rates
• Highlighted 50+ open-source projects, contributing to community growth

Managed cross-functional engineering teams delivering high-performance Laravel applications for major manufacturing clients. Implemented comprehensive process improvements including enhanced code review workflows and automated testing, resulting in significant bug reduction. Mentored engineers through structured career development programs and technical coaching sessions.

• Managed cross-functional teams of 12+ engineers across 3 products
• Implemented process improvements reducing production bugs by 30%
• Delivered Laravel applications serving 100,000+ manufacturing clients
• Achieved 99.8% system uptime through robust CI/CD practices

Led backend engineering for one of the UK's highest-traffic community platforms, architecting Laravel solutions for millions of users. Designed and maintained critical APIs that improved system reliability and dramatically reduced response times. Collaborated closely with product and design teams to ship engagement-driving features while mentoring junior engineers and establishing improved development workflows.

• Led backend engineering for platform serving 1.5M+ monthly active users
• Optimized API performance reducing average response times by 45%
• Mentored 4 junior engineers, with 100% promotion rate within 12 months

Created PHP South Wales to bring developers together regardless of background or experience level. Hosted monthly events featuring diverse speakers and topics, fostering continuous learning and professional growth. Built a welcoming community that became a launching pad for many developers' careers and established lasting connections across the Welsh tech scene.

• Founded and grew community from 0 to 200+ active members
• Organized 40+ monthly meetups featuring international speakers
• Mentored 50+ developers through workshops and networking events
• Established Wales as a recognized hub in the PHP community

Oversaw talented engineering team building Laravel-powered systems for the UK and Europe's largest classic car marketplace. Introduced structured agile planning processes that improved team velocity and delivery consistency. Led infrastructure initiatives ensuring exceptional uptime while fostering high-trust, high-impact team culture through regular coaching and mentorship.

• Led team building Laravel systems for UK's largest classic car marketplace
• Implemented agile processes improving team velocity by 25%
• Maintained 99.9% uptime for platform processing £50M+ in transactions

Led engineering initiatives across multiple client projects at a Laravel-focused digital agency, from discovery through technical delivery. Implemented comprehensive CI/CD automation that dramatically reduced release times while establishing rigorous testing and code quality standards. Played key role in hiring and onboarding while shaping a culture of technical craftsmanship and accountability.

• Led engineering across 8+ concurrent client projects
• Implemented CI/CD automation reducing release times by 60%
• Established testing standards achieving 85%+ code coverage
• Successfully hired and onboarded 5 senior developers

Owned architecture and delivery of mission-critical Laravel-based financial products, including complex real-time data pipelines and third-party integrations. Worked closely with stakeholders to align ambitious business objectives with technical execution while enforcing high engineering standards to ensure code quality and long-term maintainability.

• Architected Laravel-based financial products handling £10M+ transactions
• Built real-time data pipelines processing 100,000+ daily events
• Integrated with 12+ third-party financial APIs maintaining 99.5% uptime

Established technical foundation and product architecture for innovative SaaS platform. Led development from initial MVP through market-ready product launch, establishing development practices and technical standards that supported sustainable growth.

• Built initial product architecture serving 1,000+ early customers
• Established development practices and technical foundations
• Led product from MVP to market-ready SaaS platform

Served as Combat Engineer with frontline deployment to Afghanistan, specializing in route clearance and IED detection operations. Gained comprehensive training in mechanical and electrical engineering while developing exceptional problem-solving skills under pressure. Experience included operating complex military equipment and working effectively in high-stakes team environments.

• Served frontline tour in Afghanistan as Royal Engineer
• Specialized in IED detection and route clearance operations
• Trained in mechanical and electrical engineering fundamentals
• Operated and maintained Challenger 2 main battle tanks