About

Hi, I’m Julien May, a software architect, technical lead, and long-time enthusiast for building systems that are both elegant and practical.

Over the past 20+ years, I’ve worked across the full spectrum of software development, but my heart lies in backend systems, distributed architectures, and solving hard problems with simple, well-structured code. I still love writing code, especially in higher-level languages like Java, which has been my main focus for the past years. For me, staying hands-on isn’t just about technical enjoyment, it’s a deliberate choice. I believe that in software engineering, especially in leadership roles, it’s important to keep one foot in the code. It helps to stay connected to the real challenges teams face, and it allows me to lead by example, whether working alone or pairing with others.

Until recently, I was Head of Software Engineering and Domain Architect at Ricardo, where I focused on architecture, streamlining event-driven systems, and helping teams grow by giving them space to think deeply, not just ship quickly.

I care about maintainability, consistency, and designing systems that make sense in the long run, even when it means making some unpopular but necessary calls. I’ve led architecture modernizations and tried (sometimes successfully) to bring clarity to complexity.

When I’m not writing code or untangling domains, I’m usually spending time with my family, or reading - anything from novels to deep technical literature (and sometimes both at the same time).