MacOS App, Applescript+Python With Easy Installer
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Freelancer needed to head dev of a MacOS App.
Must have experience with AppleScript, Machine Learning, and Python.
Experience with AWS Lamda and/or EC2 and online account managers preferred.
SUMMARY
My company (NYC based, LA and DC locations; 40 employees) has an internal toolset for processing images that uses ML models, python 3, and AppleScript to extend the functionality of a MacOS application.
Total codebase is around 3000 lines of code.
This toolset is not especially well written, but it works well for the purposes of in-house use, and we use them daily for production.
We will now productize this toolset into an App available to our clients.
This will require refactoring (or entirely rewriting) most of this code, creating a better installation experience (currently there's a lot of command-line required to install python requirements), and creating an online account manager (IAM system) to track users and their credit balances.
Most of this code was written by our Head of R+D (me) who has coding experience (Python + AppleScript), but not the width/breadth of experience to lead development of this app.
Therefore we seek a freelancer who would become the primary developer, lead the project (including hiring other freelancers as needed), and form a long-term relationship with our company for its continued improvement and maintenance.
English language skills are important.
Availability to occasionally meet during US East timezone is a requirement, but we can be flexible within that timezone (e.g. 9am to 10am meetings or 4pm to 5pm meetings).
Otherwise there is no hard requirement for where you are located.
If you happen to be located in or near NYC, LA, or DC that's a bonus, but not a requirement.
This is a work-for-hire project; all code and IP is retained by us.
APP
The app must be Signed, but does not necessarily need to be distributed via the App Store.
So MacOS development experience, including app signing, is a requirement.
MacOS App Store experience is preferred.
The app will be monetized on a pay-per-image-processed basis with each user having an account with a certain amount of credit.
For example, ABC Corp has $1000 worth of credit in their account so can process X images before replenishing.
Therefore experience with a secure User/IAM management is preferred.
We are glad to use an off-the-shelf (paid or free) system and are open to suggestions on which one.
It's possible the best architecture for this project is to move most or all of the Python code (currently local to each machine) to an internet server or micro-service (AWS preferred) that the App then calls via API.
This might be needed to reduce the headache of local python installs, and to make it easier to update the machine learning models the python interacts with.
TIMELINE
Aug/Sep - Planning, Design
Oct - Alpha version
Nov - Internal Beta 1, no account manager
Dec - Internal Beta 2, with account manager
Jan - Public Beta
Feb - 1.0 Launch
BUDGET
We want to pay by the hour, but as a general guide, we have budgeted $2000 per month for the timeline above, implying $8k to reach the first beta, and another $8k to make it to a public launch.
An additional $2k bonus can be offered for successful offering of a Public Beta by Jan 31, 2022.
We would also be open to considering a profit-sharing model where development budget is reduced in exchange for the lead developer receiving a minority share of the app's revenue after launch.
SAMPLE PROJECT
After selecting a few candidates we will offer each of them a small paid project ($200) to demonstrate their capability.
It will be a signed MacOS app that combine AppleScript, Python, and the Google Vision API to perform an easy task.
We will then select our final candidate using the results of this project as guidance.