# Lloyd Richards Data visualization engineer building D3 charts, maps, and data products people can explore. [lloydrichards.dev](https://lloydrichards.dev) · [lloyd.d.richards@gmail.com](mailto:lloyd.d.richards@gmail.com) · [+41 77 97 30 938](tel:+41779730938) · [github.com/lloydrichards](https://github.com/lloydrichards) ## Executive Summary Data visualization engineer with 6+ years turning complex datasets into interactive charts, maps, and public-facing tools. I build D3 and React interfaces, shape source data for the frontend, and make dense information usable on mobile and with assistive technology. - Built award-winning OECD and public-sector data products with D3, React, and Next.js - Designed and built IPEN’s WordPress content pipeline, with a validated schema and actionable errors for editors - Organizes Data Visualization Zurich Meetup, a 2300+ member community ## Technical Skills D3.js, Data Visualization, TypeScript, React, Next.js, PostgreSQL, Snowflake, Data Pipelines, GraphQL, REST APIs, Design Systems ## Experience ### Interactive Things - Professional Interaction Engineer _Feb 2023 - Present_ Fullstack developer specializing in interactive, data-centric platforms for public sector and Fortune 500 clients. Responsible for technical architecture, data pipelines, and component libraries across 8 projects with 6 clients. - Sole developer on the [OECD Competitiveness Outlook Data Hub](/projects/2401-competitiveness-outlook-data-hub) (1100+ pages), winning Silver at Swiss Viz Awards 2025 and German Design Award 2026 - Collaborated with a 3-person dev team on the [Cancer Monitoring Dashboard](/projects/2402-cancer-monitoring-dashboard) (German Design Award 2026), mentoring an intern through pair programming and code reviews - Refactored a legacy Fortune 500 analytics platform, redefining the domain model with data science teams and building complex Snowflake queries across a data lake serving 50-100 daily users - Built a shared, themeable component library used across 3 OECD applications with Tailwind CSS - Designed TypeScript data pipelines to transform unstructured client documents into structured datasets for D3 visualizations and CMS-driven sites ### Vatorex AG. - Data Visualization Specialist _Apr 2021 - Jan 2023_ Owned design and development of digital products for an IoT beekeeping platform serving 500 users and 10,000 connected hives worldwide. - Built a cross-platform mobile app from scratch in Flutter, replacing separate Swift and Kotlin codebases and reducing feature delivery time from months to weeks - Migrated backend infrastructure from per-user AWS databases to a consolidated GCP architecture with Firebase/Firestore, improving monitoring and business intelligence - Designed read-heavy data pipelines for daily sensor transmissions and built dashboards for both beekeepers and internal R&D teams - Mentored a mobile developer on Flutter/Dart while iterating on UI and backend improvements - Supported pivot from hobby to commercial beekeeping (20-50 clients, thousands of hives each), adapting the platform for trial cohort management ### Vatorex AG. - Data Visualization Intern _Oct 2020 - Mar 2021_ First design-focused hire at the company. Consolidated inconsistent interfaces across web, Swift, and Kotlin apps into a unified design system and brand. - Audited existing applications and created the company's first design system, unifying UI patterns across three platforms - Coordinated with the development team to implement consistent components, replacing ad-hoc designs built by rotating interns ### Interactive Things - Data Visualization Intern _Jan 2020 - Jul 2020_ Design and development internship focused on data visualization. Created static and interactive visualizations for both internal and client-facing projects. - Prototyped data interactions and helped transform large datasets for client-facing dashboards - Collaborated with both design and engineering teams for iterative releases ### Lloyd Richards Design - Regenerative Garden Designer _Apr 2016 - Oct 2018_ Ran an independent design-build practice specializing in ecological and permaculture-based landscape design. Managed 26 projects end-to-end from client acquisition through to construction. - Designed residential gardens, food forests, and community spaces using AutoCAD, producing multi-year phased plans with succession planting timelines - Built and delivered projects personally, coordinating with carpenters and labourers for specialized work - Created client-facing documentation in InDesign combining technical plans, hand-drawn renders, and data-driven timelines to communicate long-term ecological development - Managed all business operations including sales, marketing, invoicing, and client relationships ## Key Projects - **[Competitiveness Outlook Data Hub](https://lloydrichards.dev/projects/2401-competitiveness-outlook-data-hub)** (2024) Interactive data storytelling platform built using fullstack technologies. Created backend logic for scoring systems and visual data transitions. - **[Cancer Monitoring Dashboard](https://lloydrichards.dev/projects/2402-cancer-monitoring-dashboard)** (2024) Data exploration dashboard using React and D3 to visualize cancer trends in Switzerland. Implemented filtering logic, tooltips, and accessible UX patterns. - **[IPEN Plastic Map](https://lloydrichards.dev/projects/2403-ipen-plastic-map)** (2024) Built IPEN’s interactive plastic pollution map and a validated WordPress-to-frontend content pipeline with actionable errors for editors. - **[Hive Manager App](https://lloydrichards.dev/projects/2201-hive-manager-app)** (2022) App for helping beekeepers manage and track their bees ## Education - **Master of Architecture, Environmental Design (1 year),** University of Calgary (Sep 2012 - Apr 2013) - **Bachelor of Arts (Multidisciplinary),** University of Calgary (Sep 2006 - Apr 2011) ## Community & Volunteering - **Organizer,** Data Visualization Zurich MeetUp (Oct 2023 - Present) - **Events Committee Member (2024),** Outlier Conference (Feb 2024 - Aug 2024)