I wrote the below to the Python-UK mailing list about looking for work. I hadn't quite articulated things this way before, so thought I better save it. This is slightly edited from the original to adjust for Markdown formatting.

Hi, I'm Chris and I'm looking for exciting new opportunities.

I've been doing contract web development in Python for the past six years, primarily working with BT's Osmosoft group building Tiddlyweb and Tiddlyspace. Prior to that is another 18 or so years of development, system administration and technical management experience.

This is mostly up to date and has a list of skills, and experience.

If you're after a more in depth sense of my character the links to projects and papers there should help, as well as a visit to the page linked in my sig.

I've been taking a break since departing BT in December but keeping my hand in by building a wiki-like web service called Tank.

From those links you'll see that I'm more of an architecture and backend guy than elegant frontend guy. I am facile with the tools on the frontend but the results look dubious.

I prefer contracts and telecommuting, especially for organizations located in London. I'm happy to do the occasional visit but regular trips to London make me ill¹. I have extensive experience working remote: I have not had a regular office or desk since 2000 and spent a few years in a startup where the entire dev team was distributed.

I'm physically located in West Berkshire until the end of this coming summer whereupon I plan to go into Devon or Cornwall to be closer to the sea.

The ideal position for me would involve partnering with a group that is used to remote and is building something for the web that real people will use to do the things they want or need to do, better (i.e. not just buy something). The group likes Python but uses a diversity of technologies and is more likely to glue together the best pieces for a solution than be wed to a specific framework.

I'm a coder and an analyst but like to think of myself as a problem solver. My vocation is improving collaboration, especially collaboration between people who are not in the same place. I have experience with technical team management and been told I've been a good mentor. A colleague once said my superpower is knowing the right thing to do.

I've decided to post here because while it is clear there are plenty of opportunities out there good matches are hard to find. If you are part of a group that could make good use of me, I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks very much.