Robert Whittaker
Senior Software Engineer
Software Engineer with six years of experience building enterprise applications across defence, winery management, and consumer technology sectors.
About
Software Engineer with six years of experience building enterprise applications across defence, winery management, and consumer technology sectors. Proven track record delivering production systems from conception to deployment.
Expertise in React/TypeScript frontends, Flutter mobile development, and PostgreSQL-backed cloud infrastructure, with professional experience in Java, Kotlin, Spring and other JVM-based backend stacks. Equally comfortable leading projects independently or contributing within cross-functional teams.
Education
Bachelor of Software Engineering (Honours)
The Australian National University (ANU) | 2014 - 2019
Location
Adelaide, South Australia
Previously lived in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne
Hobbies
Tennis, Backpacking, Hiking, Travel
Skills & Expertise
Tap any bubble to see where I've used it.
Select a skill to see details
AI & Prompt Engineering
I integrate AI tools deeply into my development workflow — not as a replacement for engineering judgment, but as a force multiplier that lets me build faster and think more clearly.
Tools I Use
AI Coding Assistants
AI coding assistants are central to my development workflow — used extensively for code generation, architecture exploration, debugging, code review, and technical writing.
- •Full-stack development and refactoring across the codebase
- •Pair programming and real-time code iteration
- •Generating boilerplate and scaffolding new features
- •Debugging complex issues across multiple files
- •Writing documentation and technical content
IntelliJ IDEA & JetBrains AI
My primary IDE for Java, Kotlin, and full-stack development. JetBrains AI Assistant provides intelligent code completion, refactoring suggestions, and inline explanations directly within the IDE.
- •AI-powered code completion and generation within IntelliJ
- •Intelligent refactoring and code transformation suggestions
- •Inline documentation and code explanations
- •Multi-language support across Java, TypeScript, Go, and Dart
AI-Augmented Workflow
Planning
Use AI to explore technical approaches, evaluate trade-offs, and draft architecture documents before writing any code.
Building
Pair-program with AI assistants during implementation — generating scaffolding, writing business logic, and iterating on features in real time.
Testing
Generate comprehensive test cases, edge case scenarios, and test data. AI catches patterns I might miss in manual testing.
Reviewing
Use AI as a second pair of eyes for code review — checking for bugs, performance issues, security vulnerabilities, and best practices.
Documenting
Generate clear documentation, API references, and setup guides. This portfolio site itself was built with AI assistance.
My Approach to Prompt Engineering
Context-Rich Prompts
I provide full context — project structure, tech stack, constraints, and goals — so the AI can make informed decisions rather than generic suggestions.
Iterative Refinement
I treat AI output as a first draft. I review, test, and iterate rather than accepting generated code blindly. The best results come from back-and-forth dialogue.
Architectural Guidance
I use AI to explore design options, then make the final architectural decisions myself. AI is a thinking partner, not the architect.
Code Review Mindset
Every line of AI-generated code goes through the same scrutiny as human-written code — checking for security issues, edge cases, and maintainability.
Experience
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Founder / Full-Stack Developer
Itinatour Pty Ltd
- Built Image Blocx and Itinatour applications on both App Store and the Play Store using Flutter, with corresponding websites using React & NextJS.
- Participated in the University of Adelaide ThincSeed Pre-Accelerator for founders.
- Managed tasks using an Agile Kanban approach and using GitHub for version control.
- Created backends using PostgreSQL, Golang and Typescript.
Full-Stack Developer
Vintrace
Junior Software Engineer
Sintelix
Junior Java Developer
Jakeman Business Solutions / Citadel
Projects
Personal & Startup
Professional Experience
GitHub Activity
All repositories are private. Includes contributions from private repositories.
Goals
The next step in my career is an MBA. After six years building software, I want to round out the business, strategy, and commercial skills that engineering alone doesn't teach — and come out the other side able to lead, not just implement.
Start an MBA
Within 12 monthsBegin a part-time MBA alongside full-time engineering work, to build the business fundamentals my engineering degree didn't cover — strategy, finance, marketing, and operations — without stepping away from the industry.
Finish the MBA
4–5 yearsGraduate having studied part-time while continuing to ship production software — ending up with more than just the qualification: a sharper grasp of how businesses actually make money, a network of peers outside tech, and the confidence to lead conversations about strategy, not just implementation. The goal is to become the rare engineer who can credibly sit on both sides of the table.
Get in Touch
Let's build something great together.
Location
Adelaide, South Australia
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