Backend Development
Slow APIs, brittle integrations, or a codebase your team is afraid to touch? I build and fix backend systems that handle real production load and are easy for your team to maintain.
Learn more →Ship faster. Break less. No full-time hire required.
I'm Robin Ward — a US-based engineer with 15+ years building production systems for companies like SAP. I embed directly with your team on an hourly basis to fix what's broken and build what's next. No agency, no juniors, no BS.
Currently accepting new engagements for Q2 2026.
What I Help With
These are the problems teams call me about when they can't afford to get it wrong.
DevOps & Infrastructure
Deployments shouldn't be scary. I set up CI/CD pipelines, Infrastructure as Code, and cloud architecture so your team ships faster with fewer incidents.
Learn more →Database Architecture
Queries timing out? Data scattered across systems? I design, migrate, and optimize databases so your data works as hard as your team does.
Learn more →AI & Data Automation
Turn manual processes into automated pipelines. I build custom data workflows and ML integrations that actually fit your existing stack.
Learn more →Why Teams Choose Me Over an Agency
6 years
as Principal Solution Engineer at SAP, leading architecture for enterprise-scale systems
15+ years
building production backends, pipelines, and infrastructure that teams actually maintain
$0 agency markup
You pay for senior engineering time. That's it. No account managers, no project coordinators, no juniors doing the work.
Selected Work
Real results from real engagements. Details anonymized to protect client confidentiality.
Data Engineering
Enterprise Data Pipeline Overhaul
90% reduction in data discrepancies
The problem: Critical data flowing between systems with frequent mismatches — causing reporting errors and 20+ hours/week of manual reconciliation.
The outcome: Discrepancies dropped 90%. Team reclaimed 20 hours/week. Stakeholders trust their data again.
How I did it →
DevOps
CI/CD Modernization for a Growing Team
70% faster developer onboarding
The problem: Inconsistent builds, manual deployments, and new hires taking weeks to get their first code into production.
The outcome: New developers went from weeks to days for their first production deploy. Build failures dropped significantly, and the team shipped with confidence.
How I did it →
Backend Architecture
View all case studies →
Legacy System Modernization
3x improvement in API response times
The problem: An aging monolith — slow page loads, outages during peak traffic, and a codebase that made feature development painfully slow.
The outcome: API response times improved 3x, peak-traffic outages eliminated, and the team shipped new features at twice the previous pace.
How I did it →About Robin
I spent 6 years as a Principal Solution Engineer at SAP, where I learned that most engineering problems aren't technical — they're about making the right trade-offs under real constraints. Now I bring that experience directly to teams who need senior firepower without the overhead of a full-time hire or the risk of an agency.
I started Hexward because too many teams are stuck choosing between expensive agencies that delegate to juniors, or full-time hires they can't justify long-term. You get me — directly, on your schedule, at a fair hourly rate.
- M.S. Computer Science & Software Engineering, Auburn University
- 6 years as Principal Solution Engineer at SAP
- 15+ years across enterprise software, cloud, and data engineering
- Deep expertise in Python, Django, Node.js, .NET, AWS, Azure, Docker, Terraform
Let's Fix What's Slowing You Down
Tell me what you're dealing with — a slow API, a deployment that keeps breaking, a data pipeline you don't trust. I'll reply within 24 hours with an honest take on how I'd approach it. No commitment, no sales pitch.
Or email me directly at robin.ward@hexward.com