About Sander de Snaijer
Hi, I'm Sander de Snaijer, a frontend developer from the Netherlands (Hoeksche Waard) with over 15 years of experience turning ideas into real, working products. I work across web apps, mobile apps, and creative experiments that combine software with hardware. Lately, that has turned into a mix of Next.js projects, Flutter apps, and interactive browser experiences using things like MediaPipe webcam tracking and 3D printing with Arduino.
I work across web apps, mobile apps, and creative experiments that combine software with hardware. Lately, that has turned into a mix of Next.js projects, Flutter apps, and interactive browser experiences using things like webcam tracking and 3D rendering.
Some recent projects include:
- Map Gesture Controls: an open-source library for controlling maps with hand gestures, supporting OpenLayers, Google Maps, and Leaflet
- Eyebrow-controlled Tetris: a browser game where you play Tetris using facial gestures via your webcam
- Pug's Hunt: a Duck Hunt-inspired game controlled with hand tracking through your webcam
- Sudoku Ultimato: a feature-rich mobile Sudoku app with multiple game modes, daily puzzles, and leaderboards
- Arduino Word Clock: a fully custom-built clock with 3D-printed case and embedded electronics
Professionally, I currently work at KNMI (the Dutch weather institute) via The NextGen, contributing to Open GeoWeb, an open-source mapping platform for real-time weather monitoring and geo-referenced data analysis.
I like building things that feel a bit unexpected. Projects that make people think “wait, how does that even work?” while still being technically solid.
With experience ranging from startups and agencies to enterprise and government, I bring a mix of technical depth and practical thinking. I’m currently working as a frontend developer for the Dutch Meteorological Institute (KNMI), contributing to the open-source project Open GeoWeb together with teams in Finland and Norway.
Outside of work, I spend time experimenting with 3D printing, electronics, and small creative builds. That hobby pulled me into soldering, CAD design, and hardware tinkering, which now feeds back into my software projects.
Experience
Jan 2020 - present
Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute
Front-end developer
contract (via The NextGen)
When I joined KNMI, the team had an existing open-source mapping application called GeoWeb, but it was struggling with scalability issues and had no test coverage. Scrum had just been introduced and the team was still finding its rhythm. Together with meteorological institutes in Finland and Norway, we had to decide whether to rebuild from scratch or improve what existed. Drawing from past experience, we chose to evolve the existing codebase.
I introduced TypeScript and unit testing with Jest to make refactoring safer, and we reused and refined existing code so the project could keep moving without delays. This approach delivered quick results while gradually raising the quality of the application. Over time, GeoWeb grew into a mature platform with more than 10 modules, became an essential tool in the weather room, and the team continued to expand.
May 2019 - Jan 2020
Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations
Front-end developer
contract (via The NextGen)
I built a new search engine for the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. It wasn't a large application, but the real challenge was in optimising its speed and performance, making every millisecond count for the end user.
Feb 2019 - Apr 2019
Cyclomedia
Software Developer
contract (via The NextGen)
Cyclomedia maps the environment by driving camera-equipped cars through streets, capturing imagery and LiDAR data. Sometimes routes get missed. In the Netherlands that's easy to fix since the country is small, but in the United States it leads to costly delays.
I built a dashboard from scratch that lets drivers check which roads still need to be covered. It was a focused three-month project where I owned the entire front end, using React with GeoServer for map rendering.
Feb 2019 - present
The NextGen
Software developer
full-time
Since 2019, I've been working at The NextGen, a consultancy firm that connects IT professionals with a diverse range of clients and projects. Through The NextGen, I've been placed at organisations like KNMI, Cyclomedia, and the Dutch government.
Feb 2017 - Dec 2018
Bynder
Frontend developer
full-time
Bynder started in the kitchen of Label A and grew into a major digital asset management platform. When I joined, we were building a completely new version from the ground up using React, which gave us a much faster and smoother user experience.
After a year and a half, we reassessed based on customer feedback and adoption rates. Many customers still depended on the existing version, so instead of forcing a switch, we focused on gradually enhancing the platform. Performance and functionality improved without disrupting anyone. It was a valuable lesson for me: sometimes evolving what exists beats replacing it entirely.
Sept 2012 - Jan 2013
Essent
Front-end developer
contract (via Label A)
A short project via Label A and HintTech where I developed an energy calculator widget for Essent, letting users estimate their energy usage and costs.
Mar 2012 - Jan 2017
Label A
Front-end developer
full-time
After a few years in game development I missed the faster pace of web work, so I returned to Label A. When I first interned there it was a three-person startup. By the time I came back it had grown to over 20 people across two offices. I worked on a wide range of applications, from small widgets to full platforms:
WoW KNMI
A map showing user measurement stations where visitors can compare stations and view detailed data. (This was actually my first introduction to KNMI, years before I'd join them full-time.)RIVM
A map displaying real-time air quality measurements across the Netherlands.Taxi Electric
For a new electric taxi company, we developed an application that allowed users to book a taxi. Administrators could track taxi locations, monitor their remaining range, and schedule ride; all in real time.Veilig Verkeer Nederland (Safe Traffic Netherlands)
An application that let users report unsafe traffic situations on a map. We used GeoServer to keep map performance smooth at scale.Sept 2010 - Mar 2012
Shifft
Creative Developer
full-time
During my studies, a group of us built a serious game in the Games & Simulations minor where players gained in-game advantages by saving electricity at home. After graduation, the company hired me to finish it.
We originally used Unity, but with a much smaller team than we'd had as students, we needed to compromise. We switched to 2D and moved to Flash to save development time. In the end we shipped a working game that connected to real smart meters.
Feb 2010 - Jul 2010
Ranj
Game designer
intern
My final internship for Communication and Multimedia Design. I designed and prototyped a serious game in Flash where player competencies could be measured through gameplay.
Sept 2008 - Jan 2009
Label A
Front-end developer
intern
My first internship when I was studying Communication and Multimedia Design, at a startup called Label A in Rotterdam. I built and maintained websites and newsletters, learning the basics of HTML, CSS and web development from the ground up.