Consulting

Software engineering and open-source consulting

I help individuals and teams build, debug, modernise, and untangle systems software. My specialties are projects involving Linux, embedded systems, hardware, networking, and open-source infrastructure.

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What I do

Systems engineering

Rust, C and C++; Linux/Unix internals; IPC; networking; performance and concurrency.

What this includes

Low-level developmentSystems components and libraries in Rust, C, and C++.
Linux & Unix internalsProcesses, filesystems, services, permissions, and operating-system interfaces.
IPC & networkingLocal and distributed communication, protocol design, and integration.
Performance & concurrencyProfiling, contention analysis, memory behaviour, and concurrent design.

Embedded & hardware integration

Linux-connected devices, hardware interfaces, protocols, IoT, firmware, and the awkward boundaries between hardware, software, and firmware.

What this includes

Linux-connected devicesHost software, device services, provisioning, and reliable deployment.
Hardware interfacesUSB, serial, GPIO, buses, and custom device communication.
Firmware integrationDefining and debugging the contract between firmware and host software.
Protocols & IoTDevice protocols, networked hardware, telemetry, and control systems.

Open-source development

Feature development, maintenance, architectural work, upstreaming, build/release infrastructure, and getting neglected-but-important software back into shape.

What this includes

Feature developmentDesigning, implementing, testing, and documenting new capabilities.
MaintenanceTriaging issues, reducing technical debt, and restoring neglected projects.
UpstreamingPreparing focused contributions and working effectively with maintainers.
Build & release infrastructurePortable builds, continuous integration, packaging, and dependable releases.

Architecture & modernisation

Helping with the “this thing has existed for twelve years and nobody is quite sure how to change it safely” class of problem.

What this includes

System archaeologyReconstructing intent, dependencies, and undocumented constraints.
Architecture reviewFinding boundaries, risks, bottlenecks, and practical opportunities for change.
Migration planningBreaking risky rewrites into staged, testable improvements.
Technical debt reductionMaking old systems easier to understand, operate, and extend.

Debugging & investigation

The horrible bugs. Especially the horrible bugs. Race conditions, integration failures, performance problems, and other things where the obvious answer has already failed.

What this includes

Race conditionsIntermittent failures, deadlocks, timing problems, and concurrency hazards.
Integration failuresProblems spanning processes, platforms, devices, APIs, and ownership boundaries.
Performance problemsMeasurement-led investigation of latency, throughput, CPU, and memory use.
Root-cause analysisReproducers, instrumentation, evidence, and a clear explanation of what failed.

Reverse engineering

I reverse engineer undocumented software and device interfaces, turning opaque systems into something understandable, documentable, and usable.

What this includes

USB devices & proprietary protocolsCapturing, decoding, and documenting device communication and behaviour.
Protocol & file-format analysisUnderstanding undocumented network protocols, data formats, and APIs.
Binary & software analysisInvestigating undocumented or legacy software to determine how it actually works.
Compatible implementationsBuilding replacement clients, libraries, integrations, and interoperability layers.
Tooling & documentationProducing practical tools and clear documentation from the results.
Behavioural analysisTesting black-box systems and mapping edge cases when source code is unavailable.

Engagements

Short investigations

Focused research, debugging, technical due diligence, or a clear answer to a difficult question.

Implementation projects

Defined engineering work, from a specific feature or integration to a larger systems project.

Maintenance & retainers

Ongoing development, stewardship, and support for software that needs consistent attention.

Advisory & architecture

Technical direction, design review, modernisation planning, and help making consequential decisions.

Rates

My standard consulting rate starts at $100 USD/hour. Reverse engineering work is priced higher, based on the amount of work involved.

I’m also happy to discuss fixed-price projects, retainers, or other arrangements where they make sense. Pricing depends on the scope, duration, and requirements of the engagement.

Have an open-source or public-interest project with a constrained budget? Feel free to ask.

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