- Engineering
What a GTM engineer does, the skills and tools they use, salary ranges, and how to hire one, backed by real 2026 fractional rate data.
Don I.
Austin, TX, USA
Fractional Product Engineering Lead | AI Products & Hands-On Delivery
I help founders and small teams turn ambiguous product ideas, stalled MVPs, and practical AI opportunities into an executable roadmap and production-ready software. Over 12 years, I have worked across enterprise architecture, startup product development, full-stack engineering, cross-platform mobile, and practical AI integration.
At EY, I architected cross-platform mobile solutions for Fortune 500 clients and grew one strategic engagement from 2 to 11 engineers, displacing an incumbent partner an…
Work
Nail Tech Assistant
donmatthews2as7cvb2.contra.comI led product discovery, UX and system architecture and implemented Nail Tech Assistant, a private AI product that turns Pinterest boards or uploaded references into a coordinated five‑nail preview clients and nail artists can review, refine, and discuss. I built the full stack with Next.js/TypeScript and Firebase, integrated Google Gemini for image generation, and implemented Firebase security ru…What's for Dinner — Meal planner
donmatthews2as7cvb2.contra.comI owned product strategy, UX, and the shared Kotlin Multiplatform architecture for a meal-planning app that connects saved meals, recipe evaluation, a weekly planner, and a categorized grocery list so the grocery list is the output of the planning workflow rather than a separate notes feature. I designed the four-stage decision flow (Organize → Understand → Plan → Shop) using Claude-assisted desig…- flayr.social
Designed and built a connected AI content and workflow product spanning brand intelligence, guided creation, reusable media, post editing, and workflow authoring. I owned product framing, architecture, and hands-on implementation across React/Next.js, TypeScript, model integrations, APIs, testing, and deployment. The work demonstrates how I turn a broad AI opportunity into a coherent, production-ready product surface.
Hive — AI Software Factory
firefly-events.github.ioHive — a multi-agent SDLC framework, shipped and dogfooded. I led product and design for Hive: an open-source framework that turns an AI coding session into a coordinated team of 25 specialists with the discipline of a real software org — kickoff to ship, with human gates. I owned the vision, the brand system, and the public launch surface, orchestrating AI agents to produce the art direction and copy for a polished marketing site that shipped end-to-end.
PG&E Customer Mobile App
Providing Team management and App Architecture for Both Android and iOS apps. Closely working with PGE Stake holders to outline roadmap items, estimate, and deliver.
iOS- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/portland-general-electric/id1475828837
Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.portlandgeneral.csapp
Get Serious - Stephen A. Smith
siriusxm.comJoin the conversation. Send your thoughts to Stephen A. Smith
- ff.events
Designed and built a cross-platform event-discovery experience for iOS and Android using Kotlin Multiplatform and shared product architecture. I led product and frontend architecture, UX, and hands-on implementation connected to live services, with a focus on discovery, cross-platform consistency, testing, and release.
Experience
Firefly Events Inc
Co-Founder
Jun 2023 - Present
Firefly Events builds event-discovery and mobile product experiences, including Shindig, a cross-platform app for finding and exploring events.
- Co-founded an event technology startup and led product and frontend architecture, UX, and hands-on development for Shindig.
- Created Mobile Test Swarm, an agentic workflow that authors Maestro tests and runs parallel checks on real Android and iOS devices.
- Built the shared Kotlin Multiplatform and Compose Multiplatform experience and connected it to live event services and supporting APIs.
EY
Manager / Software Architect
May 2022 - Nov 2025
Led software architecture and AI strategy across complex enterprise initiatives, translating business constraints into practical application and integration designs.
- Architected cross-platform mobile solutions for Fortune 500 clients across iOS, Android, and web.
- Grew a strategic engagement from 2 to 11 engineers and scaled the account to $1.8M in annual revenue.
- Owned technical direction end to end and displaced an incumbent delivery partner through successful execution.
EY
Senior / Software Architect
Oct 2020 - May 2022
Designed application architectures and supported delivery across enterprise teams, bridging business requirements, engineering implementation, and platform standards.
- Translated business requirements into practical application and integration designs.
- Supported engineering teams with architecture guidance, delivery planning, and technical standards.
- Worked across enterprise initiatives spanning mobile, web, and platform integration.
Zilker Technology LLC
Software Architect
Oct 2016 - Oct 2020
Delivered application architecture and modernization work for enterprise clients, spanning solution design, technical consultation, and implementation guidance.
- Designed software architectures that connected business needs to practical implementation plans.
- Guided cross-functional teams through technical decisions, integrations, and delivery tradeoffs.
- Supported enterprise modernization work across application and platform initiatives.
Sirius Computer Solutions
Solutions Specialist
Mar 2014 - Oct 2016
Supported client solution delivery and technical implementation across complex software environments.
- Delivered tailored technical solutions for client needs across complex software environments.
- Partnered with clients and delivery teams to translate requirements into implementable solutions.
- Supported solution design, technical implementation, and delivery coordination.
IGT
Intern
Jul 2013 - Sep 2013
IGT is the global leader in gaming. We deliver entertaining and responsible gaming experiences from Gaming Machines and Lotteries to Sports Betting and Digital.
- Led a team of developers to create an Augmented Reality Game Proof of Concept.
- Collaborated with Gtech team to gather technical requirements and deliver an Android game using Metaio AR SDK.
REI Systems
Intern
Apr 2013 - Jun 2013
REI Systems is a leading provider of innovative IT modernization solutions. Our team of experienced consultants deliver transformative consulting and technology services to help our clients modernize their government operations.
- Developed a mobile web experience to integrate with existing web services for internal use.
- Focused on creating a scheduler for conference room usage, enhancing internal operations.
NiCE
Intern
Jan 2013 - Mar 2013
NICE is the worldwide leading provider of both cloud and on-premises enterprise software solutions that empower organizations to make smarter decisions based on advanced analytics of structured and unstructured data.
- Enhanced deployment tools with performance and visual improvements using AJAX and JavaScript.
- Worked closely with the build team lead to refine existing deployment processes.
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