The humanbehind the terminal.
Architecture, AI-first engineering, application foundations and full-stack development.
Meet Simon.
Simon Lawrence
Lead Software Engineer
Lancing, West SussexI build software and the foundations that help teams build better software. With 16 years in engineering, I combine hands-on development, architecture and technical leadership with a focus on AI-first application development.
How I work.
A better starting point
Shared application foundations. Fewer repeated problems, more useful software.
AI-first engineering
Designing foundations for developers and AI coding agents to build maintainable software together.
Quality built into the team
Embedded testers, security awareness and thoughtful deployment practices.
Room for people to grow
Mentoring, shared learning and open communication. Supported people build better software.
More about my engineering work
A better starting point
Created RapidApps, now the standard foundation for new projects across the team and used by around eight applications.
AI-first engineering
Evolving RapidApps around AI-assisted engineering while contributing to RSM’s AI Strategy group and helping colleagues adopt tools such as GitHub Copilot.
Quality built into the team
Advocated for testers within development streams, stronger security awareness, and containerised development with Docker. Exploring CSSLP accreditation as part of continued learning.
Room for people to grow
Organise training, mentor developers and work with management on supportive performance appraisals. Champion open communication, shared ideas and improvements to how teams work.
Curiosity, off duty.
The journey so far.
Career foundations. New perspectives. Still exploring.
Lead Software Engineer
2021 — PresentSole Lead Engineer for a 12-developer team, combining hands-on engineering, architecture and technical leadership.
Role details
Responsible for the foundations used across new development, with technical decisions regularly led by or referred to me. Created RapidApps, now the standard foundation for new projects across the team.
Senior Developer
2015 — 2021Full-stack developer who increasingly influenced the technologies and development approaches adopted by the wider team.
Role details
Built and maintained business applications across the Microsoft and web development stack, championed the team's move towards single-page applications and regularly introduced new technologies and development patterns.
Graduate / Mid Developer
2010 — 2015Built a strong full-stack foundation and the technical breadth that led to promotion to Senior Developer.
Role details
Joined RSM as a graduate developer and progressed through increasingly senior development roles, building a strong full-stack foundation and developing the technical breadth that led to promotion to Senior Developer.
Games Tester
Earlier · 3 yearsAn early grounding in quality assurance, systematic problem solving and attention to detail.
Role details
Three years in games testing before moving into software engineering, providing an early grounding in quality assurance, systematic problem solving and attention to detail.
Learning goes both ways.
Sharing what I know
Volunteer trainer with codebar in Brighton, helping people from underrepresented groups develop their coding skills.
Still a learner
Take part in RSM’s mentoring scheme as a mentee, learning from a partner in another department and bringing a wider perspective back to engineering.
Looking after the crew
Previously a certified workplace first aider for five years. I also enjoy bringing people together through team social events.