# Nicholas Varley

**Software Engineer** · Papamoa Beach, New Zealand (NZST)

> Building scalable systems from backend to full-stack.

Software engineer with 4+ years shipping production distributed systems, DeFi platforms, and AI-integrated workflows. Backend-focused in Go and TypeScript with strong full-stack capability.

## About

I have built scalable, production-grade distributed systems. From high-throughput transaction pipelines to cloud-native microservices I focused on backend architecture that holds up under real-world load.

My career started in Web3 and blockchain, but the skills transfer everywhere: API design, data pipelines, observability, collaboration, cloud services and security.

Currently a founding engineer at Aurascope, building out the infra that will get your hotel visible and bookable in the Agentic Web. Previously shipped DeFi platforms and experiences at Futureverse and decentralised protocols at Sylo.

I care about systems that are well-reasoned from the ground up with clear interfaces, explicit error handling, and code that communicates intent. Golang is a personal favourite of mine, but I'm pragmatic about tooling: the best stack is the one that ships reliably. After spending the last few months heavily using AI tooling for development my perspective on engineering work and software development has evolved, I am more excited and capable than ever.

Outside of engineering, I'm into embedded systems, cryptography, competitive sports, and the occasional early morning surf cast and hot pie.

> "Don't communicate by sharing memory; share memory by communicating." — Go Proverb

## Core technologies

Go, TypeScript, AWS, Docker, PostgreSQL, React, Next.js, Terraform, GraphQL, Solidity

- **Languages:** Go, TypeScript, Python, Rust, Solidity
- **Cloud & infra:** AWS, Docker, Terraform, Pulumi, Cloudflare, CI/CD
- **Web:** React, Next.js
- **Agentic development:** Claude Code, Codex, Grok, MCP, WebMCP, UCP, A2A, Cloud VM dev environments, Reusable agent workflows, Browser-driven agent testing, Agent feedback loops

## Experience

### Aurascope — Founding Engineer

Nov 2025 – Present · Remote, New Zealand

Founding member building Aurascope, a tool to help hoteliers get featured and booked in AI search. Full-stack development with AI-integrated workflows and coding agents. A highly reactive environment where "winning" meant quickly adapting and creating new features in response to demand or customer feedback. Really gave me a different understanding of 'Execution at speed'.

Responsible for the systems deployed into customer infrastructure that ingest customer data. Work directly with hoteliers, helping them understand their AI traffic and managing communications with their agencies on their behalf. Run Aurascope's research arm, carrying out primary research into how AI agents behave on hotel websites across the industry and using the results to shape our product direction. Keep a close watch on how the web is evolving and what industry leaders are building to accommodate agentic traffic and commerce.

- Designed UX/UI flows and built secure, robust backend APIs
- Implemented agent-driven workflows that accelerated team delivery
- Optimised AI model costs while maintaining quality standards

Stack: TypeScript, Next.js, AI Gateways, Claude Code, Codex, Grok

### Futureverse — Fullstack Developer

Jun 2023 – Nov 2025 · Auckland, New Zealand

Fullstack developer with strong backend focus in Go and Node.js. Built and scaled DeFi applications, deployed microservices and TypeScript SDKs, and designed distributed data pipelines for high-throughput event data ingestion.

- Cloud-native microservices for high-throughput data across EVM and XRPL
- Developed and optimized secure REST and GraphQL APIs
- Deployed AWS infrastructure with Terraform, Docker, and CI/CD
- Extensive use of PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and DynamoDB

Stack: Go, TypeScript, Next.js, AWS, Terraform, GraphQL, Rust (A little bit)

### Sylo — Backend Engineer

Feb 2023 – Jun 2023 · Auckland, New Zealand

Developed distributed systems and backend services in Go for a decentralised communication protocol built on IPFS. Designed and deployed backend components and APIs for secure, efficient data flow.

- Implemented and maintained APIs and SDKs for real-time data sync
- Optimised backend architecture and concurrent data processing
- Deployed scalable services using Docker, CI/CD, and AWS
- Shipped software controlling users' private keys and funds within a robust and secure environment

Stack: Go, IPFS, GraphQL, Docker, gRPC

## Projects

### AuraScope Analytics (In Progress, 2026–Present)

Role: Founding Engineer · Stack: Go, TypeScript, React, PostgreSQL, AWS, Pulumi · Tags: Analytics, Full-stack · Link: https://analytics.aurascope.co

Built AuraScope Analytics, a traffic analytics platform for independent hotels that measures the AI crawler and assistant traffic browser-only analytics can't see. It captures visitor data from clients' live sites across the browser, the server and the edge, so it's rightly treated as sensitive. Owner of the project, building features (with Claude) and guiding product decisions. The data informs the recommendations given to hoteliers and tracks how their AI search performance is trending.

- Client, server, and edge traffic capture
- AI crawler verification (verified, claimed, spoofed)
- Privacy-first visitor counting with no fingerprinting
- Encrypted, least-privilege custody of client credentials

### Aurascope (In Progress, 2025–Present)

Role: Founding Engineer · Stack: FastAPI, Python, AI APIs, Supabase · Tags: AI, Full-stack · Link: https://aurascope.co

Founding engineer on Aurascope, an AEO/GEO platform helping brands optimise their online presence for AI-powered search engines. Full-stack development with AI-integrated workflows and coding agents to accelerate delivery.

- AI-powered search optimization
- Brand visibility analytics
- Content recommendation engine
- Competitor benchmarking

### Decentralised Exchange (Built, 2023–2025)

Role: Fullstack Developer · Stack: Next.js, TRN, XRPL · Tags: DeFi, Web3

Full-ownership of a decentralised exchange supporting the XRP Ledger and The Root Network (EVM-compatible Substrate chain). Allowing users to perform token exchange, liquidity pool contribution/creation, and cross-chain bridging with multi-wallet support.

- Token swap across chains
- Liquidity pool creation & management
- Cross-chain bridging (XRPL ↔ EVM)
- Multi-wallet connectivity

### TRN Staking Frontend (Built, 2024–2026)

Role: Frontend Engineer · Stack: Next.js, TypeScript, Polkadot.js · Tags: Web3, Frontend

Built a Next.js staking dashboard for The Root Network enabling users to stake and unstake ROOT, manage nominations, monitor validator activity, and redeem Vortex rewards through FuturePass-authenticated flows.

- FuturePass wallet auth and multi-method sign-in
- Stake, unstake, rebond, and withdraw flows
- Validator discovery with filtering and nomination insights
- Vortex token redemption and on-chain history tracking
- Official TRN staking dashboard, ~670M ROOT staked at the mid-2025 peak

### Futureverse Asset Registry (Built, 2023–2025)

Role: Fullstack Developer · Stack: TypeScript, Node.js, AWS, Neptune · Tags: Backend, Cloud

Core development team on an asset registry platform with GraphQL APIs and AWS serverless services using an event-driven microservice architecture. Processed signed multi-chain asset-link and ownership operations across Lambda workers, graph storage, and indexed search.

- GraphQL API for assets, schemas, and webhooks
- EventBridge + SQS operation pipeline
- Neptune graph links + OpenSearch indexing
- Multi-chain ownership and oracle processing

### Sylo Node (Built, 2023)

Role: Backend Engineer · Stack: Go, IPFS, libp2p, gRPC · Tags: Distributed, Web3

Core development team on a Go-based decentralised communication protocol (Sylo Network). Built on IPFS using libp2p for secure P2P communication with protocol buffers and gRPC. Focused on incentivisation, state handling of user funds, key management, and reliable distributed networking.

- Decentralised P2P communication protocol
- IPFS & libp2p networking layer
- Smart contract incentivisation system
- Cryptographic key management & state handling

### Sylo Public Nodes (Built, 2023)

Role: Backend Engineer · Stack: Go, PostgreSQL, GraphQL, Docker, AWS · Tags: Backend, Blockchain

Core development team on a Go backend service that indexed and stored blockchain data to reduce network load. Monitored for network events, stored data in PostgreSQL, and exposed efficient data queries through a GraphQL API to support Sylo Nodes.

- Blockchain data indexing service
- GraphQL API for efficient queries
- Network event monitoring & storage
- PostgreSQL data persistence layer

### Sylo Staking Dashboard (Built, 2023)

Role: Fullstack Developer · Stack: Next.js, Go, PostgreSQL, Solidity · Tags: DeFi, Web3

Core development team on a dashboard allowing users to stake crypto against Sylo nodes. Focus on both backend services and Next.js frontend. The purpose of the dashboard was to gamify the staking process incentivising people to secure the network through staking Sylo and their Seeker NFT's. This dashboard Managed $6M+ USD in user funds at its peak.

- Crypto staking dashboard
- Backend services & Next.js frontend
- $6M+ USD managed at peak
- Node staking & reward distribution

### Sylo Resolver (Built, 2023)

Role: Lead Developer · Stack: Node.js, Express, Substrate, OpenAPI, S3 · Tags: Decentralised, API

Lead developer on an OpenAPI-compliant Express API enabling users to securely store, sort, and permission data using a decentralised service. Used middleware to fetch on-chain records for authentication and permission verification. Allowed data authors to license assets without a middleman.

- OpenAPI-compliant Express API
- On-chain authentication & permissioning
- Decentralised data storage & sorting
- Trustless asset licensing

### Hamilton Jet (Built, 2022)

Role: Engineering Intern · Stack: Siemens PLC, CNC Systems, Manufacturing · Tags: Embedded, Industrial · Link: https://www.hamiltonjet.com

Developed a system to monitor and improve CNC machine uptime. Embedded within the manufacturing team for ten weeks, contributing to build-out of new production stations, configuring Siemens controllers, and improving CNC machining efficiency.

- CNC machine uptime monitoring
- Siemens controller configuration
- Production station build-out
- Manufacturing efficiency analysis

### Autonomous UAV Swarm (Built, 2022)

Role: Control Systems Engineer · Stack: ROS 2, Raspberry Pi, PX4, Python, Gazebo · Tags: Robotics, Embedded

Developed and constructed the control system for a UAV swarm of five drones. Built on ROS 2, Raspberry Pi, and PX4 flight controllers. The swarm maintained formation given dynamic waypoints. Created in partnership with two other teams handling inter-drone communication and fault tolerance.

- Multi-drone formation control
- ROS 2 navigation stack
- PX4 flight controller integration
- Dynamic waypoint management

### RC Racer Kart (Built, 2021)

Role: Hardware Engineer · Stack: SAM4S, PCB Design, Radio Comms, PWM · Tags: Embedded, Hardware

Designed, constructed, and programmed a PCB using a SAM4S microcontroller and radio communication. Received radio signals from a sister board based on IMU readings, used PWM signals to control two motors for a remote-controlled racer kart. The sister board was strapped to the pilots head which made accurately reading the IMU very important.

P.S we lost the final race

- Custom PCB design & fabrication
- SAM4S microcontroller programming
- Radio communication system
- PWM motor control

## Education

**Bachelor of Engineering (Hons), Computer Engineering** — University of Canterbury, NZ

- Final year project: Building autonomous UAV swarms

## Contact

- Email: ngjvarley@gmail.com
- Phone: +64 27 934 3433
- Location: Papamoa Beach, New Zealand (NZST)
- GitHub: https://github.com/Naaccs
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-varley-036aab215/
- X: https://x.com/NickzTwitta