Mario Völker (M. Sc.) | Freelance

With 10+ years of experience in software engineering in industries like automotive, eCommerce, telecommunications, and entertainment, I have successfully led projects in large corporations and start-ups. I am available for long-term engagements and time-critical, resource-bound projects.

The foundations of my work are: collaboration - working with teams and clients practicing open communication, reliability - taking the initiative and ownership to deliver results and building tailored solutions, and transparency - clear and efficient communication with high availability.

To work with me you can find me on LinkedIn, or reach out via eMail.

Software Engineering

Every project has unique requirements. I work with legacy code, drive architecture modernizations (Java-to-Kotlin migrations, backend and HTTP client migrations, XML views to Jetpack compose), and improve test coverage and maintainability - if there is a need. I also kick off greenfield projects and collaborate with stakeholders to establish a shared vision. As feature development and handling tech debt are resource-critical, I always ensure prioritization of business objectives.

I work with best practices like test-driven development, clean architecture, and continuous integration/delivery. I prioritize user interface and experience design as key aspects of the development cycle.

Designing robust, secure systems (OAuth2, Obfuscation) across the full stack is critical, including developing backend services (Spring Boot), implementing serverless architecture (AWS), and defining APIs (gRPC, REST) in Kotlin and Java.

I communicate between business and tech, bridging gaps, mentoring engineers, and embracing continuous learning and knowledge transfer. Pair and ensemble programming, and demoing create shared understanding and team alignment.

Technologies, platforms, and frameworks I use: Kotlin, Kotlin Multi­platform (KMP/KMM), SQL, Dagger2/Hilt/Koin, Jetpack compose, XML, OpenAPI, Spring Boot, Figma. While I focus on Android development, I am also well-versed in iOS development (Swift).

Agile and classic IT project management

I have expertise in managing projects using various methodologies, including agile practices (Kanban, Scrum, and Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)), and predictive project management (waterfall). Each project is unique, and I tailor my project management approach to ensure the highest efficiency and effectiveness.

In my role as a technical product owner, I emphasize continuous discovery, collaborating with stakeholders to maintain a clear, evolving product vision. I facilitate the integration of strategic insights and user research into every phase of development to ensure that the final product meets both business and user needs.

Workshop facilitation

I facilitate workshops that drive clarity, collaboration, and actionable outcomes. Either as part of my work as a software engineer or project manager, or standalone as-needed.

I help teams uncover insights, align on objectives, and accelerate decision-making using EventStorming (Domain-Driven Design (DDD)), Design Thinking, and traditional requirements elicitation and business analysis.

My workshops create the space for stakeholders to collaborate effectively, ensuring that solutions are built around shared understanding.

References (excerpt)

Work with me

You can find me on LinkedIn, or reach out via eMail.