Nico De Castro

Software & Data Engineering

I build the systems behind the data reliable
pipelines, clean SQL, and automation that scales.

Laguna, Philippines

About

I started out writing software, and the more data I handled,
the more I liked building things around it.

I’m a graduating BS Computer Science student at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, currently building toward a career in Software & Data Engineering.

Through my academic, freelance, and internship experiences, I’ve gained exposure to web development, cybersecurity, machine learning, data analysis, database systems, and automation. These experiences have strengthened my interest in solving real-world problems through software, working with data, automating workflows, and building efficient, reliable, and scalable systems.

I enjoy exploring how software, data, and emerging technologies can work together to create practical solutions. I'm continuously developing my technical skills and looking for opportunities to apply what I've learned, take on new challenges, and grow as an engineer.

I'm currently open to opportunities in Software Engineering, Data Engineering, AI Engineering, and related fields.

Experience

SEPT 2026 - PRESENT

Part-Time Java Tutor

Freelance

Provide one-on-one Java programming instruction covering object-oriented programming, data structures, algorithms, debugging, and software development fundamentals.
Design hands-on coding exercises and guide students through debugging and problem solving, adapting instruction to their skill level and learning needs.

Java
Object-Oriented Programming
Data Structures
Algorithms

DEC 2025 - MAR 2026

Freelance Software Engineer

Freelance

Developed Python-based data extraction workflows for a ~100 GB Microsoft SQL Server database containing 35+ tables and 200M+ combined rows, producing multiple CSV files for machine-learning use cases.
Applied chunked and streamed processing strategies in Python to handle large tables efficiently reducing memory usage and improving runtime and reliability on low-compute client devices.
Implemented a research-based vulnerability-prioritization model as three Axonius queries across 12 departments, and contributed to dashboard design and automated email reporting.

Python
Microsoft SQL Server
Axonius
CSV

JUN 2025 - JULY 2025

Software Developer Intern

Datalogic Systems Corporation

Built backend services and four REST endpoints using Laravel and Microsoft SQL Server against an existing read-only production database, supporting an internal monitoring dashboard for development and support requests, employee status, meetings, and deadlines.
Built a separate Laravel application with CRUD operations across 5 entities, exposing authenticated REST APIs with API-key protection for controlled read-write access to SQL Server data.
Developed a Python Windows service using watchdog to continuously detect newly generated payslip files, match recipients through SQL Server, and automate email delivery from an existing legacy payroll workflow.
Deployed the monitoring system on IIS and implemented automatic refresh and recovery mechanisms to maintain continuous operation on a shared TV display.

Laravel
Microsoft SQL Server
REST APIs
Python
Windows Service

Leadership & community

AUG 2024 - PRESENT

Co-Captain

UPLB Men's Volleyball Team

Led and motivated a team of 20 players, fostering a culture of accountability and discipline.
Planned and executed semestral team-building sessions, improving performance and collaboration among the team.
Raised funds to support team expenses by organizing and supervising multiple fundraising volleyball tournaments.

NOV 2023 - JAN 2024

Finance Co-Head

Kappa Phi Sigma Conservation and Development Society

Led financial planning and reporting for the Kappanalig 2024 outreach program.
Co-led a team of six in fundraising activities that raised 20,000 pesos through donations, sponsorships, and events.
The funds supported 55 children with essential goods.

Selected projects

Academic & personal work

Cross-Platform Development

VC SETS

Live app Source code

A offline-first volleyball player statistics and tournament tracking PWA.

Flutter
SQLite

My contribution

Developed a cross-platform volleyball statistics app with player statistic tracking, offline scoring, dual-scorer reconciliation, and tournament management.

Programming Languages & Interpreters

LOLCODE Interpreter

Source code

A desktop-based interpreter for the LOLCODE programming language.

Python
CustomTkinter

My contribution

Developed a LOLCODE interpreter in Python 3 with lexical analysis, parsing, and code execution, along with a CustomTkinter interface for writing and running programs interactively.

Numerical computing

Generic Solvers App

Live app Source code

An interactive web application for interpolation, regression, and diet optimization.

R
Shiny
ShinyApps

My contribution

Implemented quadratic spline interpolation, polynomial regression, and the simplex method. Built the interface with R Shiny and deployed it on ShinyApps.

More projects

Elbi Donation System ↗

Built a mobile donation app connecting donors and organizations, with Firebase Authentication for secure login, role-based access, Firebase Firestore for real-time data, and Firebase Storage for image handling. Added SMS and push notifications via Telephony and Firebase Cloud Messaging.

Flutter / Firebase / Telephony

AgriConnect ↗

Led the project management and contributed full-stack development for an academic e-commerce web app project connecting farmers and consumers through a farm-to-table initiative. Managed a team of four, overseeing the planning and execution to ensure timely and successful completion.

React / Express / MongoDB / NodeJS / REST API

FoodUP ↗

Developed a food and restaurant review application as an academic project using Python, Tkinter GUI and MariaDB database. Designed and implemented complex database queries and schema and contributed full-stack development.

Python / MariaDB / Tkinter

A Mage's Return ↗

A Java-based shooter game developed using the JavaFX library. An academic mini-project to practice the design and application of OOP concepts: Abstraction, Encapsulation, Inheritance, and Polymorphism: in a working project.

Java / JavaFX / OOP

Explore my GitHub profile

Toolkit

The tools I’ve used across my projects and internship.

Languages & analysis: Python, SQL, C, JavaScript, Java, PHP, R
Data & Databases: Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, MariaDB
MongoDB, Firebase, Supabase
CSV-based processing, Excel, Google Sheets
Applications & APIs: JavaScript, TypeScript, React, Next.js, Tailwind CSS,
Node.js, PHP, Express.js, Laravel, OAuth, JWT, REST
Platforms & Tools: Git, Github, Codex, VS Code, Discord, Teams, Windows Services

Contact

Have something in mind?

I’d love to talk about opportunities in software and data, interesting projects, or something you’re learning.

jtdecastro@up.edu.ph