About
Hi, I'm Mike.
Tundra Softworks is me, Mike Merritt, a senior software engineer based in Minneapolis. I've been building software professionally since 2008. That's more than 15 years of web applications, APIs, internal tools, and the infrastructure that keeps them running.
Today I pair that experience with a modern, AI-assisted workflow. AI takes care of the boilerplate and the tedium, and nearly two decades of judgment handles everything else. That means knowing what to build, how it should hold up, how to keep it secure, and when the tools get it wrong.
The combination
Senior judgment, AI-assisted speed.
Experience
More than 15 years of shipping production software. Knowing what to build, where systems break, and which shortcuts turn into next year's rewrite.
AI tooling
Modern AI coding tools handle the boilerplate, scaffolding, tests, and repetitive work. Someone who knows what good output looks like directs and reviews all of it.
Security first
Years of security best practices shape how I use AI. Secrets stay out of prompts and context, generated code gets the same scrutiny as any untrusted contribution, dependencies get vetted, and nothing ships that I can't explain line by line.
The result
The throughput of AI-assisted development with the judgment of a senior engineer. No vibes and no slop, just solid engineering shipped at AI speed.
How I work
No middlemen, no handoffs.
You work with me directly
No account managers, no sales team, no junior developer you've never met. The person you talk to is the person doing the work.
No handoffs
I stay on the work from the first conversation through delivery, so nothing gets lost in translation.
Straight answers
If something isn't worth building, a simpler option exists, or I'm not the right fit, I'll tell you.
Services
What I can help with.
Every engagement comes with senior judgment, AI-assisted speed, and security built in from the first commit.
Custom software development
Web apps, APIs, and internal tools, built end-to-end. AI handles the scaffolding and boilerplate, and I handle the architecture, the edge cases, and the security. You ship sooner without cutting corners.
- Web apps & APIs
- Internal tools & integrations
- Greenfield or existing codebases
Technical consulting
Architecture reviews, technology selection, and second opinions before you commit to a path. Nearly two decades of seeing what holds up, and what turns into next year's rewrite.
- Architecture & code reviews
- Build-vs-buy & tech selection
- Security & risk review
Fractional senior engineering
Drop-in senior engineering for teams that need experienced hands without the headcount. I work inside your codebase and process, directly with your team, with no handoffs.
- Embedded with your team
- Code review & architecture input
- Flexible, ongoing engagements
AI development assessment
A review of how your team uses AI coding tools, where they're speeding you up, and where they're adding risk. Then tighter guardrails and a tuned workflow, so you get real gains without the slop.
- Workflow & tooling review
- Security & data-handling guardrails
- A practical playbook for your team
Clients & partners
Get in touch
Have something in mind?
Tell me what you're working on. I'll get back to you within a business day.