# Freelance Backend Developer & Architect > Freelance backend developer & software architect in the Netherlands. 20+ years building scalable systems for high-traffic products — Node.js, TypeScript, AWS. - Canonical URL: https://rocketsinthesky.com/ - Markdown: https://rocketsinthesky.com/index.md - Agent guidance: https://rocketsinthesky.com/llms.txt **Michiel van Alphen** — Backend Developer & Architect, Amersfoort, The Netherlands. I design and ship the backend systems behind products people rely on every day — from national news platforms to retail at scale. Available for new projects. Trusted by teams at DPG Media · nu.nl, HEMA, Ultimaker. ## Selected projects A few of the platforms and systems I've architected and built for clients across media, retail and e-commerce. ### NU.nl News Platform — DPG Media 2023 — present · Senior Engineer & Architect Backend development for one of the Netherlands' leading news platforms, including migrating core legacy services to modern in-house systems built for high traffic. Stack: Node.js, TypeScript, GraphQL, Python, AWS, Kubernetes ### Order & Fulfillment Platform — HEMA 2020 — 2022 · Solution Architect Designed and launched an event-driven architecture for order management and fulfillment at one of The Netherlands' largest retailers. Stack: Kafka, Node.js, Java, AWS, Event-Driven, Salesforce ### Ultimaker Platform Migration — Ultimaker 2018 — 2020 · Senior Backend Developer Architected the new ultimaker.com backend to replace a legacy platform, plus an enterprise subscription API with OAuth2 built on domain-driven design. Stack: NestJS, TypeScript, DDD, Symfony, Kotlin, Docker ## How we work together Whether you need an architect to shape the system or a developer to build it — or both — here's what I offer and how engagements run. ### Software Architect From requirements to blueprint — clear system designs your team can actually build on. - Requirements engineering & system design - Event-driven & microservice architectures - Cloud (AWS) strategy & DevOps guidance - Team coaching, ADRs & code reviews ### Backend Developer Hands-on delivery of production-grade APIs and services — from first commit to scale. - Node.js / TypeScript / Java services - REST & GraphQL API design - Legacy migration & modernization - Testing, CI/CD & performance work Want the details? Each service has its own page with scope, deliverables and FAQs: - [Backend Development](https://rocketsinthesky.com/backend-development): Freelance backend developer in the Netherlands with 20+ years of experience. Node.js, TypeScript and Java APIs built for high traffic — from media to retail scale. - [Software Architecture](https://rocketsinthesky.com/software-architecture): Freelance software architect in the Netherlands. System design, architecture reviews and team coaching that turn business goals into blueprints your team can build. - [Legacy Modernization](https://rocketsinthesky.com/legacy-modernization): Legacy modernization consultant in the Netherlands. Incremental, strangler-fig migrations that move critical platforms to modern stacks — without downtime. - [Event-Driven Architecture](https://rocketsinthesky.com/event-driven-architecture): Event-driven architecture consultant in the Netherlands. Kafka-based event systems and microservices designed, reviewed and shipped to production. 1. **Discover** — We map your goals, constraints and domain together. You get a concrete architecture proposal with trade-offs, estimates and a delivery plan. 2. **Build** — I ship in short agile iterations with CI/CD, code reviews and regular demos — you always know exactly where things stand. 3. **Scale & Handover** — We harden the system for real load, set up monitoring, document everything and hand over to your team with confidence. ## The person behind the code I'm Michiel — a backend developer and architect from Amersfoort. After my bachelor's in Information Sciences I spent years at development agencies, then went fully freelance to work closer to the product and own outcomes end-to-end. These days I help teams design event-driven backends, migrate legacy platforms and ship APIs that hold up under real traffic — with modern standards and a value-first mindset. - Based in Amersfoort, NL — remote across Europe - Dutch (native) · English (advanced) - BSc Information Sciences 20+ years of experience · 7+ years freelance · 20+ projects delivered Want more detail on my background and track record? I'm happy to share my full resume. [Request My Resume](https://rocketsinthesky.com/#contact) ## Let's build something solid. Have a project in mind, or need an architect to untangle your backend? Tell me about it — I usually reply within 24 hours. - Contact form: https://rocketsinthesky.com/#contact — agents can submit it directly via `POST https://rocketsinthesky.com/api/contact` (contract in https://rocketsinthesky.com/llms.txt) - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michiel-van-alphen - GitHub: https://github.com/alphen87 Amersfoort, The Netherlands · working remote across Europe