UUnipheasBrian Phillips · Independent consultant

Senior engineering.
A clear scope.

You work directly with me, Brian Phillips, on the technical decisions and the implementation. We agree what needs to change, what I will deliver, and how you will judge the result.

Discuss your project

Engagements and fees.

Choose the scope that matches the decision or work in front of you. All prices below are in USD.

Consulting engagement options
EngagementFeeWhat it covers
Engineering Rescue Audit$12,500 fixedAgreed software and operating review, executive findings, and a 90-day roadmap. Planned over 2–3 weeks. Audit scope.
Foundation implementation$45,000–$75,000 planning rangeA defined program of architecture, development workflow, testing, release, and operating improvements. Scope, milestones, and final fee follow assessment.
Ongoing engineering partnership$4,000–$8,000/month planning rangeReserved senior capacity for technical direction and agreed improvements. Included work, capacity, response expectations, and additional work are specified in the proposal.
General consulting$350/hourFocused architecture, engineering, implementation, or advisory work, with an agreed estimate or budget.

Planning ranges are not fixed quotes or unlimited-service plans. We agree the scope, schedule, fees, and any third-party costs before paid work begins.

How the work gets done.

  1. Understand

    Establish the starting point.

    Review the product, technical constraints, and current delivery process. Identify the decisions and outcomes that matter.

  2. Agree

    Put the engagement in writing.

    Define deliverables, access, responsibilities, acceptance criteria, and commercial terms. Identify dependencies on your team.

  3. Implement

    Work through real changes.

    Build and validate the agreed system against representative product work. Report what is complete, what is blocked, and which decisions need input.

  4. Handoff

    Leave the operation understandable.

    Deliver code, configuration, runbooks, and a walkthrough with the people responsible for continued use. Agree any ongoing work separately.

What your organization can expect.

Direct responsibility
You work with the engineer making the recommendations and carrying out the agreed implementation.
Controlled access
Use company-owned accounts and the access required for the work. Agree production permissions and change approval before implementation.
Procurement and confidentiality
Raise your contracting, confidentiality, vendor onboarding, and security review requirements during scoping so we can confirm fit before work begins.
A usable handoff
Your team receives the agreed technical artifacts and operating documentation. Work is not dependent on a private tool setup only I can access.

A few practical questions.

Who is this work for?

Companies with an active software product or platform, a technical sponsor, and a defined reason to invest in delivery improvements. This includes enterprise teams and startups building their engineering capacity.

Do we need the audit first?

No. If the problem and starting point are clear, we can scope implementation or hourly consulting directly.

Can you work alongside our engineers or existing vendor?

Yes. Responsibilities, review authority, and communication are agreed with the people already involved.

Does the monthly partnership include 24/7 support?

No. Reserved capacity, response expectations, and operating responsibilities are written into the scope. Around-the-clock coverage and unlimited development are not included by default.

How do we evaluate progress?

Agree a baseline and acceptance criteria for the engagement. Depending on the work, these may include release lead time, failure rate, review effort, operating cost, or the ability of another engineer to run the system.

Let’s talk about the work.

Tell me what you need to change, who is involved, and when the decision needs to be made.

Discuss your project