Joy Dutta

Highly analytical Software Engineer with an MSc in Computer Science and over 4 years of commercial experience engineering test automation frameworks, regression pipelines, and API validation suites within Agile environments. Proficient in full-stack JavaScript/TypeScript (Node.js, Express, React, PostgreSQL) alongside core fundamentals in Java and Object-Oriented Design. Proven track record of bridging the gap between feature development, system reliability, and strict Test-Driven Development (TDD) practices to deliver clean, scalable, and maintainable software.

Project-Based Work at Independent Engineering & Professional Development (2025-04 – Present)

• Engineered the Calypso backend using Node.js, TypeScript, Express, Prisma, PostgreSQL, and Temporal.
• Delivered REST APIs for user management, event types, availability rules/exceptions, and public booking lookup.
• Implemented Zod validation, relational data modelling, and database integrity constraints across scheduling entities.
• Designed asynchronous Temporal workflows for automated slot generation and reliable background scheduling tasks.

Postgraduate Study (MSc Computer Science) at University of Birmingham (2022-09 – 2023-12)

Completed a full-time, rigorous master's curriculum focusing heavily on Advanced Databases, Object-Oriented Programming, and Data Structures & Algorithms, Artificial Intelligence. Designed and built a custom GUI application interacting with conventional machine learning algorithms, focusing on clean modular code for final thesis. Following the MSc, dedicated focused time to hands-on data structures and algorithms in C++, alongside applied coding practice, building a consistent self-directed routine ahead of the Northcoders Software Engineering Accelerator in January 2025.

Software Tester at Active Housing (2021-03 – 2022-10)

• Wrote and deployed the company's first automated testing scripts using WebdriverIO to help transition manual processes into a regression suite.
• Executed functional and manual testing across web applications to catch edge cases, identify defects, and document bugs.
• Reviewed project requirements alongside full-stack developers in Agile teams to ensure features met quality standards before release.
• Tested and validated REST API endpoints to ensure correct data payloads and system connectivity.

Software Engineering Bootcamp (Evenings, Part-Time) at Manchester Codes (2019-05 – 2019-12)

Completed an intensive evening, part-time bootcamp covering JavaScript, HTML/CSS, and core programming fundamentals alongside full-time work, aiming to transition into a software engineering career.

Independent Job Search & Continued Development at Self-Directed (2019-12 – 2021-03)

Continued building practical coding skills and applying for developer roles through 2020's significantly disrupted pandemic hiring market, before returning to a Test Engineering role in March 2021 to keep growing commercial software experience.

Software Test Analyst at On the Beach Group (2016-11 – 2019-06)

• Programmed integration and automated testing tools utilizing Ruby, Capybara, and RSpec as an active contributor to the automation testing codebase.
• Authored clean, declarative behavioral scripts mapped directly to Gherkin feature files to assert data consistency across multi-service web flows.
• Contributed directly to software delivery pipelines within a continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) ecosystem.

MSc in Computer Science – University of Birmingham (2022-09 – 2023-12)

Full-Stack Software Engineering Accelerator in Software Engineering – Northcoders Bootcamp (2025-01 – 2025-04)

BEng in Electrical & Electronic Engineering – University of Sunderland (2009 – 2012)