Senior Ruby on Rails Engineering
Build the right software.
Fix the difficult parts.
PCT Hanau helps companies build focused business applications, modernize established Ruby on Rails systems and add senior technical capacity where it creates the most leverage.
Owner-led · 15+ years Ruby on Rails · Engineering Leadership · Production Systems
Built for serious business software
PCT works with founders, product companies and engineering teams whose software supports real products, customers or operational processes.
Build a new product
Turn domain knowledge and a business problem into a focused first release.
Learn more →Improve an existing Rails system
Reduce technical risk, remove bottlenecks and make the application easier to change.
Learn more →Add senior engineering capacity
Bring architecture, implementation and technical leadership into an existing team.
Learn more →Focused on professional B2B software — not generic websites, template shops or speculative consumer apps.
From business idea to production-ready software
A successful greenfield project begins before the first line of code. Together, we clarify the domain, identify the smallest valuable scope and design a system that can evolve beyond its first release.
- Product and requirements discovery
- Domain and data modeling
- Architecture and integrations
- Implementation and automated tests
- Deployment and monitoring
- Long-term development and operations
The objective is not to build every imaginable feature. It is to create the smallest system that delivers genuine business value.
Discuss a new productMake your Rails application easier to change again
Mature applications often contain years of business knowledge. Replacing them is rarely the first sensible option. PCT helps teams modernize them incrementally while normal product development continues.
Common problems
- Outdated Ruby or Rails versions
- Slow test suites and CI pipelines
- Risky deployments
- Expensive database queries
- Unstable background jobs
- Unclear architecture
- Difficult integrations
- Loss of internal knowledge
Capabilities
- Technical assessment
- Upgrade and migration planning
- Refactoring of critical areas
- PostgreSQL optimization
- Test and CI improvements
- API and integration modernization
- Production observability
Engineering Leadership
Senior technical capacity without a full-time hire
Many engineering teams already have developers. What they often lack is experience — someone who has made these decisions before, under real production constraints. PCT can support an existing product and engineering organization on a recurring basis, for difficult implementation work, architectural decisions, reviews and technical leadership.
- One or two days per week
- Software architecture and domain modeling
- Technical decision making
- Code reviews and engineering mentoring
- Critical feature implementation
- Migration leadership
- Product and engineering alignment
- Temporary senior ownership during transitions
Looking for long-term engineering leadership? Learn more about Andreas’ engineering leadership practice at as-hu.de.
Sometimes the most valuable contribution is not writing code. It is making the right technical decisions before code gets written.
Technical depth without agency overhead
Direct senior involvement
The person discussing the solution is also able to design and implement it.
Complete lifecycle perspective
Requirements, code, databases, deployment and operations are treated as one responsibility.
Mature system experience
PCT works both with new products and with systems that have accumulated years of valuable business logic.
Small-team efficiency
The goal is the smallest effective delivery setup, not the largest possible project team.
Engineering perspective
Good engineering balances technology, business, delivery and maintainability. PCT combines implementation with engineering leadership.
Selected product: ChurchCurator
ChurchCurator is a cloud-based multi-tenant application for managing people, households, groups, permissions, documents and organizational workflows.
Developed and operated over more than a decade, the platform demonstrates long-term product ownership, complex relational data, tenant isolation, background processing and continuous modernization.
Explore ChurchCurator →
Choose the level of support you need
Focused project
A defined software product, integration or modernization initiative.
Ongoing partnership
Recurring senior Rails capacity for product and engineering teams.
Technical assessment
A structured review with risks, priorities and a practical improvement roadmap.
From uncertainty to working software
- Understand the business problem
- Reduce the scope to the essential value
- Design the domain and technical approach
- Build and release in small increments
- Operate, observe and improve
A focused, proven technology stack
Technology choices follow the product and operational requirements. The stack remains deliberately focused to keep systems understandable and maintainable.
- Ruby
- Ruby on Rails
- PostgreSQL
- Redis
- Sidekiq / Solid Queue
- Hotwire
- REST & GraphQL APIs
- GitHub Actions
- Docker, Heroku, AWS
- AppSignal, Sentry, Prometheus, Grafana
Andreas Schwarzkopf
Owner and Senior Ruby on Rails Engineer
Andreas combines more than 15 years of Ruby on Rails experience with software architecture, product development, technical leadership and responsibility for production systems.
He works particularly well in complex business domains where software must remain understandable, reliable and adaptable over many years.
Beyond software implementation, Andreas also supports founders and engineering organizations with engineering leadership, technical strategy and fractional VP Engineering engagements through his personal website, as-hu.de.
Senior delivery, supported by a trusted network
PCT is owner-led. Depending on the project, trusted specialists can support product discovery, design, frontend development, operations or additional implementation capacity. Andreas remains directly involved in the project.
The Negotiator
Alex
Consulting & Requirements Engineering
Our “Requirement Ranger” Alex is the perfect translator between customer and team. With over 10 years of experience as a Tech PO, Alex transforms ideas into product features.
The Illusionist
Lennard
Creative Arts, Software Development
Lennard is our “Pixel Paladin”. Being the youngest in the crew isn’t always easy, but creative ideas and a quick mind make our “Junior” stand out.
The Mechanic
Nick
Software Development, Operations
As the “Tech Transformer” Nick sets the trends for new technologies. No matter how new it is, Nick already considers it old news. With 15 years of platform development experience, he’s a true pillar of the dev team.
The Support
Robin
Software Development, Frontend
Robin is our “Reinforcement Ranger.” Whenever a project needs an extra hand, he’s the cavalry. With decades of experience, he’s one of the Rails elders. Also: your argument is invalid — Robin does JavaScript.
The Next One
Could be you
Join the network
We’re always looking for exceptional talent for our team — senior level only, with at least 5 years of experience running production software.
PCT stays deliberately owner-led, and collaborates with trusted partners such as bitbirds.berlin in Berlin whenever a project benefits from additional product design and delivery expertise.
What are you trying to build or improve?
Describe the business problem, your current situation and the result you want to achieve. A complete specification is not required for the first conversation.
- Is it a new product or an existing application?
- What business process does it support?
- What is currently blocking progress?
- Is there already a development team?
- What timeframe are you considering?
Alois-Funk-Straße 7
63457 Hanau
Germany
Phone: +49 176 – 62 19 50 62
E-Mail: a.schwarzkopf.de@gmail.com
Hanau / Rhine-Main / Remote across Germany and Europe