Zeeshan Jan

Software Engineer — Distributed Systems & Blockchain

I build Web3 systems, APIs, and data pipelines. Currently leading engineering for the Edinburgh Decentralisation Index at the University of Edinburgh — measuring blockchain decentralisation across multiple protocols.

Résuméhello@zeeshan.ukGitHubLinkedIn

// changelog

University of Edinburgh

Research Engineer

Edinburgh, UK

Leading engineering for the Edinburgh Decentralisation Index — distributed ingestion and analytics pipelines across multiple blockchain protocols, processing archival chain data. Built REST APIs, operated full archival nodes, and delivered a public React/TypeScript dashboard.

pythontypescriptreactdockerci/cdethereumbitcoincardano
Nov 2023 - Present

Niftysplits

· contract

Blockchain Lead

Remote

Architected distributed event-driven backend for an NFT gaming platform. Designed and deployed ERC-721 smart contracts, built REST and WebSocket APIs for minting flows and gameplay mechanics.

solidityhardhaterc-721typescriptopenzeppelinnode.js
Oct 2021 - Jun 2022

NUI Galway — Insight Centre for Data Analytics

Researcher

Galway, Ireland

Built the VITAL ontology-based interoperability layer for a pan-EU IoT framework, enabling standardised data exchange across 10 partner organisations.

javasemantic-webiotmicroservicesontology
Dec 2014 - Aug 2017

// proof-of-work

Edinburgh Decentralisation Index

// live · university of edinburgh· live

Public analytics dashboard measuring decentralisation across Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, and Ripple. Backed by multi-TB archival node data and real-time ingestion pipelines.

reacttypescriptpythonethereumbitcoin

PeerMiles

// phd project · open university· archived

Decentralised academic credentialing dApp on Ethereum. ERC-20/721 contracts for peer-review incentives, ORCID + Solid Protocol for identity. Validated via live user studies with real conference participants.

solidityvue.jsnode.jsweb3erc-721

VITAL

// eu iot framework · nui galway· archived

Ontology-based interoperability layer for a pan-EU IoT framework. Enabled standardised semantic data exchange across 10 partner organisations using linked-data principles and a microservices architecture.

javasemantic-webiotmicroservicesontology

// stack

// backend

  • Node.js
  • TypeScript
  • Express
  • RESTful APIs
  • WebSockets
  • Python
  • Java

// databases

  • PostgreSQL
  • Redis
  • MongoDB

// frontend

  • React
  • Next.js
  • JavaScript
  • Vue.js

// infrastructure

  • Docker
  • GitHub Actions
  • CI/CD
  • Git
  • Observability tooling

// digital assets

  • Ethereum/EVM
  • Bitcoin
  • Cardano
  • Ripple
  • Solidity
  • ERC-20/721
  • Hardhat
  • OpenZeppelin
  • Web3.js

// ai tools

  • Claude Code
  • GitHub Copilot

// genesis

The Open University — KMi

PhD

Thesis: Peer review on a decentralised web

2022

Milton Keynes, UK

University of Leicester

M.Sc in Advanced Software Engineering

Distinction

2011

Leicester, UK

Bahauddin Zakariya University

BS (Hons) in Computer Science

2008

Multan, Pakistan

// proof-of-research

Google Scholar

Overcoming the Heterogeneity in the Internet of Things for Smart Cities

A. Kazmi, Z. Jan, A. Zappa, M. Serrano

International Workshop on Interoperability and Open-Source Solutions
2016

ScienceMiles: Digital Currency for Researchers

Z. Jan, A. Third, L.D. Ibanez, M. Bachler, E. Simperl, J. Domingue

Companion Proceedings of The Web Conference (WWW)
2018

Peer-Reviews on the Blockchain

Z. Jan, A. Third, M. Bachler, J. Domingue

WWW 2018
2018

Recognition and Reward System for Peer-Reviewers

Z. Jan

CEUR Workshop Proceedings
2018

A Framework for Handling Internet of Things Data with Confidentiality and Blockchain Support

M. Ramachandran, N. Chowdhury, A. Third, Z. Jan, C. Valentine, et al.

2020

Peer-Review on a Decentralised Web

Z. Jan

PhD Thesis, The Open University (KMi)
2022

// sandbox

Self-hosted tools I build and run for myself — all open source on GitHub.

ytclip

self-hosted· active

Self-hosted YouTube clip downloader. Paste a URL, pick a time range, and get a clean MP4 — no ads, no sign-in, no third-party servers.

pythonyt-dlpdockerself-hosted

// ping

Let's work together.

Open to software engineering roles in distributed systems, blockchain infrastructure, or data engineering. Based in Edinburgh — open to remote.

EmailGitHubLinkedIn