Michel Bøje Randahl Nielsen
| Backend & Cloud |
Functional Programming |
Embedded Rust |
michelrandahl@proton.me / Addr.: Holte, Denmark / GitHub / Codeberg / LinkedIn / This CV: michelrandahl.github.io/cv
Profile
Software Developer with 7+ years of professional experience across backend systems, cloud applications, and fullstack solutions, currently focused on embedded Rust and hardware development.
Work Experience
Independent Learning & Hardware Product Development (Aug 2023 - Present)
Career break to develop embedded systems and electronics expertise, working toward commercial eurorack modules and musical controllers. During this period I have:
- Contributed to Embassy, an open source embedded Rust ecosystem (my contributions)
- Designed and programmed bare-metal firmware in Rust for STM32 microcontrollers, using the Embassy HAL with firmware built on both the Embassy async runtime and the RTIC framework
- Learned end-to-end PCB development: schematic design and PCB layout in KiCAD, manufacturing (JLCPCB, Aisler, PCBWay), component sourcing (Mouser), hand assembly and soldering, verification and troubleshooting
- Designed, manufactured, and programmed a custom PCB with MCU for evaluating capacitive touch-sensing configurations
- Currently developing a modular prototyping platform: a shared mainboard and MCU with interchangeable expansion boards, enabling rapid iteration on multiple module designs from a common foundation
- Worked on PureScript application projects during the first part of my career break: standalone applications running on NodeJS, API consumption (including LLM APIs), and web frontends using the PureScript Halogen framework
- Explored practical security topics through OverTheWire wargames and related reading
Technologies: Rust, Embedded Rust, Embassy, RTIC, KiCAD, STM32, PureScript, Halogen
Key competencies gained: Hardware prototyping, PCB design and manufacturing, embedded firmware development, open source contribution
Software developer and DevOps @ Criipto (now Idura) (Dec 2021 - Aug 2023)
At Criipto, a broker for government and bank-issued digital identities, I:
- Contributed to Stripe integration and billing systems
- Worked on audit logging systems for digital identity usage tracking
- Implemented ETL jobs and supported data warehouse operations
- Developed demo applications, prototypes, and worked on the customer account management platform
- Automated infrastructure using Bicep (Infrastructure as Code) and GitHub Actions for CI/CD
Technologies: F#, C#, NodeJS, React, TypeScript, Azure, Bicep, Stripe, GitHub Actions
Key competencies gained: Security-focused development practices, payment systems integration, cloud infrastructure automation
Contributed to the work towards modernizing Danish property valuation and taxation systems:
- Worked on the event-sourcing backend, API design and implementations, audit logging, internal tooling
- Designed and implemented custom ETL pipelines and data processing applications for technical and non-technical staff
- Participated in DevOps practices: infrastructure management and vulnerability response coordination with security leads
Technologies: Clojure, ClojureScript, AWS, Serverless architecture, Event Sourcing, PostgreSQL, Cassandra, Terraform, Docker, Jenkins
Key competencies gained: Large-scale government project experience, collaboration across technical and non-technical teams, code review and pair programming practices, cloud application development, security vulnerability management
Intern and part time Software developer @ Noitso (Feb 2013 - Aug 2014)
Financial technology and custom software development company. Co-developed a CRM solution (application and database design) and provided user support for existing software systems.
Technologies: C#, Java, JavaScript, HTML5, MSSQL, ASP MVC
Education
MSc Computer Science and Engineering @ DTU (Feb 2014 - Oct 2016)
Studied topics such as Fault Tolerant Systems, Data Mining, Stochastic Simulation, Model Checking and Formal Software Engineering.
BEng thesis on predictive home lighting control using artificial neural networks. Internship at Noitso.
Technical Competences
Programming languages
Extensive experience across multiple languages with particular focus on functional programming:
- Proficient: Rust, Clojure, F#, PureScript
- Previous experience: Python, JavaScript/NodeJS, TypeScript, C#, Java
- Studied and explored: Idris, Haskell, Elixir, Elm
- Testing approaches: Beyond traditional unit testing, I have used and explored property-based testing across multiple languages
Databases
- MSSQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite
- Cassandra: Familiarity with NoSQL concepts and distributed databases
Cloud & DevOps
- CI/CD: GitHub Actions, automated testing and deployment pipelines
- AWS: ECS, Fargate, Lambda, SNS/SQS
- Azure: Functions
- Infrastructure as Code: CloudFormation, Bicep, Terraform
Security
Security-aware, with interest in practical security topics:
- Worked on security-critical systems at the Danish Tax Ministry (UFST) and Criipto: CVE analysis, patching and dependency updates, audit logging, and vulnerability response coordination with security leads
- Consult OWASP Top Ten and similar resources when developing web applications and APIs
- Explore practical security topics through OverTheWire exercises
Development environment
- Linux: 10+ years daily use; NixOS for the past few years, and Debian prior to that
- Workflow: Terminal-driven; comfortable in CLI-first environments
- Version control: Git across professional, open source, and personal projects
Speaking and Writing
Native Danish and proficient in English
Beyond Code
- Music: Eurorack modular systems, synthesizers, and samplers
- DIY Electronics: Soldering and assembling Eurorack modules; built a custom rack for my modular system
- Outdoors: Forest walks, running, kayaking and tinywhoop FPV drone flying