Sapna Ashtikar

I'm a Senior iOS Developer and Staff Engineer with 12+ years of experience building, scaling, and leading mobile applications — most recently at Nielsen, where I held technical ownership of core mobile and enterprise apps used globally. My core expertise lies in native iOS development (Swift, Xcode), VPN/Network Extension architecture, Bluetooth and MQTT-based hardware integrations, and hybrid-native app architecture. I've led critical initiatives including: Architecting and stabilizing a global VPN-based data collection app, resolving complex Network Extension lifecycle issues and leading App Store submissions through Apple's most stringent privacy and entitlement reviews Migrating a legacy Xamarin app to a high-performance Hybrid-Native architecture with 100% feature parity, while building real-time wearable device sync using CoreBluetooth and MQTT Modernizing a field-service hardware tool into a React WebView-based hybrid app with custom Native-to-JS bridge and BLE integrations Beyond hands-on development, I've driven architecture decisions, established engineering best practices, and mentored distributed teams — work recognized through a promotion to Staff Engineer (2022) and multiple company-wide "Simply Excellent" awards for technical delivery. I also have practical experience with Jenkins and AWS for build compilation, distribution, and pipeline customization. I'm currently looking for Lead Mobile Developer / Team Lead opportunities where I can combine deep technical execution with team leadership — driving architecture, mentoring engineers, and owning delivery across the mobile stack. Open to full-time, contract, and remote/WFH roles.

Staff Engineer Promotion (2022): Promoted in recognition of sustained technical leadership across cross-platform SDK transitions and global mobile platform stabilization. 40% Reduction in Production Crashes: Drove crash and instability reduction across Nielsen's mobile ecosystem through advanced performance profiling, memory leak mitigation, and automated testing. Global VPN Architecture Ownership: Worked on stabalizing a global Network Extension (VPN) layer for a large-scale data collection app, resolving critical lifecycle failures and IPv6 misrouting issues affecting production stability. Led Apple App Store Approval for Complex VPN App: Acted as lead technical contact for App Store submissions, successfully navigating Apple's high-scrutiny review process for VPN entitlements and privacy permissions. Legacy-to-Modern Architecture Migration: Spearheaded migration of a major companion app from Xamarin to a high-performance Hybrid-Native architecture, achieving 100% feature parity with native-level Bluetooth/MQTT hardware integration. Authored Global Engineering Standards: Wrote the "Source of Truth" technical documentation for Native-to-JS bridge architecture, BLE protocols, and VPN lifecycle management — adopted company-wide, significantly reducing onboarding time for new engineers. 3x Company Recognition: Won 2x Gold and 1x Silver "Simply Excellent" awards for technical problem-solving and delivery excellence. 12+ Years, One Company: Built long-term technical ownership and cross-team trust over a 12+ year tenure at Nielsen, spanning multiple product lines and global engineering teams.

Single App (Global VPN-Based Data Collection) — Nielsen
Architected and maintained the global Network Extension (VPN) layer for a large-scale panelist data collection app. Resolved critical lifecycle failures and IPv6 misrouting, built a feature-flag system for real-time production control, and led App Store submissions through Apple's VPN entitlement and privacy reviews.
NCA – Nielsen Companion App (Wearable & Research Ecosystem)
Led migration from legacy Xamarin to a high-performance Hybrid-Native architecture with 100% feature parity. Built real-time wearable synchronization using CoreBluetooth and MQTT, and authored the Native-to-JS bridge architecture adopted as the global engineering standard.
NIT – Nielsen Installation Tool (Field Hardware App)
Modernized a legacy field-service tool into a Hybrid-Native app using React WebView with a custom Native-to-JS bridge. Built BLE integration for meter Wi-Fi provisioning, audio calibration, and sensor validation — now the global standard for field engineering.
Dance India Dance L'il Masters (DID) — Zee TV
Built features for a custom show-companion app enabling live audience voting, contestant performance videos, score tracking, and real-time engagement during a nationally televised dance reality show.
Saregama Mobile App
Contributed to early-stage development of a digital music streaming app across Symbian and iOS, featuring a large catalog of classic songs, favorites/library management, and offline download support.