Johan Steenkamp
Summary
I build React applications and AI systems that make complex systems explorable and understandable.
With over a decade of experience, I transform complex distributed systems into interactive experiences through React visualization, MCP integration, and production AI systems. I've led engineering teams, shaped technical practices for modern React and AI development, and delivered business-critical solutions across fraud detection, industrial monitoring, and engineering design tools.
I focus on three areas: building React applications with strong patterns and performance, developing MCP servers that make services accessible to AI, and creating outcome-driven AI systems that solve specific problems.
Experience
AI Application Engineer
Orbital | Self-employed Apr 2025 – Present
- Building production-ready React applications with real-time data visualization, including network graphs and geospatial mapping
- Developing MCP servers that connect AI agents to existing services and data sources
- Creating outcome-driven AI systems with evals, observability, and prompt management for reliable production deployment
- Specializing in making distributed systems explorable through interactive visualization and intelligent tooling
- Rapid prototyping and PoC development to validate ideas and accelerate time-to-value
- TypeScript, React, Next.js, AI SDK, MCP, Mastra, Tailwind CSS, shadcn/ui
Principal Frontend Engineer
Darwinium | Full-time Sep 2022 – Apr 2025
- Led development of the fraud detection frontend, UI, dashboards, and data visualization
- Shaped engineering practices for modern React state management, UI and data visualization libraries, and CSS modules
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to deliver business-critical solutions
- TypeScript, React, GraphQL, AntD, AntV, Mapbox
Digital Architect & Head of Software
Syft Technologies | Full-time May 2018 – Sep 2022
- Responsible for the end-to-end process of driving, building, and improving Syft’s Digital Infrastructure and Digital Strategy
- Led the development and implementation of the software strategy, building and growing strong teams
- Architected and re-architected monolithic products into layered architectures using modern application approaches (cloud, services, messaging)
- Established core Data and Instrument platform teams and delivered a production-ready Data Platform on AWS
- Active developer in full-stack applications using React, GraphQL, AWS Amplify, and Next.js
Principal Engineer
Wynyard, Cognevo, & Telstra | Full-time Aug 2014 – Apr 2018
- Served as Principal Engineer and Application Architect for multiple technology companies, focusing on frontend and UI architecture
- Led the development of data visualization frontends for security products using a modern stack, including React, Redux, and GraphQL
- Developed reusable UI components and designed application APIs to allow end-user configuration of the frontend
- Actively drove the adoption of GraphQL as a core part of the tech stack
- Provided technical expertise and consulting services to internal product development teams, including code reviews and architecture design
- React, Redux, GraphQL, Bulma CSS
Skills
- Frontend: React, Next.js, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, shadcn/ui, GraphQL, Mapbox, Deck.gl, AntD, AntV (G2, G6)
- Backend: Node.js, AWS, DynamoDB, S3, Postgres, SQLite, Supabase (database, auth, storage), Clerk
- AI: AI SDK, Model Context Protocol (MCP), Mastra, LangGraph
Education
BSc Eng (Electronics) University of Cape Town
Example Projects
Examples of the applications I've built:
- Deep Search: Production-grade search app with evals, observability, and prompt management
- Darwinium Frontend: Fraud detection UI with interactive dashboards and network graphs
- Syft Instrument Health: Mass Spectrometry instrument performance monitoring
- Mersen R-TOOLS MAXX: Heat sink design and thermal simulation tool