Felix Isaac Lim

Full-Stack AI Engineer • Building Tech for Social Impact • Community & Servant Leader • Autodidact

Singapore

About

At 10, I was putting in ten-hour shifts. Not at a job. At a screen. No parental supervision, no one telling me to stop. I avoided everything: homework, responsibility, the future. My PSLE score reflected that. I landed in Normal (Technical). I grew up in a broken home. Won't go into details, but if you've been there, you know. Gaming was my escape. The screen was easier than real life. I'm not here to put down N(T) students. They have just as much potential as anyone else. They just don't always see it yet. I certainly didn't. In Sec 2, I landed in the disciplinary master's office. Skipping classes; misbehaving. That conversation shook something loose. Made me realize I couldn't keep coasting on avoidance forever. What changed wasn't a sudden awakening. It was people. Friends who pushed me to be better. A form teacher who saw something in me before I could see it myself. I worked. Hard. Eventually I transferred to Normal (Academic). I earned that. Stayed back a year. Watched my friends move on. Cried in the toilet about it more than once. Kept going anyway. School rebuilt me. Became President of Media Club. Started believing I wasn't a lost cause. At 13, I taught myself to code. I was just tired of wasting my life on games. Figured if I'm gonna stare at a screen all day, it should mean something. A year later, I was building web apps for a nonprofit. 500 hours, unpaid. No one asked me to. A few years later, I joined a youth volunteer club in my neighbourhood. Searching for something I couldn't name. Just over a year later, I was chairman. We served residents of all ages. Doubled engagement and won national recognition. But honestly? The awards weren't the point. The point was showing up for people the same way someone once showed up for me. People ask why I do so much: volunteering, mentoring, community work, on top of building software full-time while being a student. Honest answer? I remember what it felt like to be invisible. To fall behind and have no one notice. I don't want that to be someone else's story. Right now, I'm 21. Still figuring it out. I still don't always know how to ask for help. Some days I feel like one mistake away from falling behind again. But I know this: I build because I know what it's like when no one builds anything for you. I got here because people reached out when they didn't have to. That's luck I don't take for granted. I'm still looking for those people. If you read all this, send me a DM. Not a connection request — an actual message. I'll reply. If you're earlier in the journey, reach out too :)

Experience

  • Private Tutor and Youth Mentor at Self-employed
    Aug 2025 - Present · 1 yr

    My work in mentorship is driven by a personal mission: to be the guide I wished I had growing up. I'm passionate about bridging the gap in holistic child and youth development, particularly for busy Singaporean families where the focus is often on academics alone. My approach goes beyond tutoring to build the foundational skills; it builds on emotional intelligence, resilience, and a growth mindset. Life skills that are crucial for navigating the complexities of the ever-evolving 21st century. I believe in a collaborative ecosystem of support. I work hand-in-hand with parents and other stakeholders, providing transparent feedback and aligning on strategies to create a consistent and supportive environment for the young person's growth. To ensure my methods are effective and empathetic, I proactively study evidence-based child psychology and modern positive parenting frameworks, translating these principles into practical, real-world guidance. 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗧𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 (𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹): o Develop customised lesson plans in Mathematics and Science, diagnosing and addressing foundational gaps in core concepts. o Utilize evidence-based pedagogical techniques like Scaffolding and the Pomodoro Technique to build focus and independent problem-solving skills while effectively managing behaviour by encouraging good behaviour and explaining undesired behaviour. o Coach students on executive function skills, including habit formation, organisation, and emotional regulation in response to academic challenges. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 (𝗖𝗖𝗔𝘀 & 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽𝘀): o Mentor youth leaders in project management, team leadership, conflict resolution, and stakeholder communication for organizing large-scale events. o Provide a confidential sounding board for young leaders to navigate personal challenges, including self-doubt, managing stress, and maintaining mental health.

  • Hillgrove Secondary School (Official) ()
    • Alumni President
      Feb 2024 - Jun 2026 · 2 yrs 5 mos

      In my role as President, I have been pivotal in steering the direction and setting the strategic goals of the Hillgrove Alumni, that aligns with the school's mission and values. My leadership is characterised by fostering a vibrant and inclusive environment, promoting unity and dedication among members, and enhancing the alumni's impact on current Hillgrovians and the wider Hillgrove Family. 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 o Setting the strategic direction and establishing clear goals for the Alumni, ensuring alignment with the school’s long-term objectives o Promoting a positive, inclusive environment for the Alumni, EXCO, and all working groups o Overseeing the planning and execution of all alumni activities, ensuring they contribute positively to our community o Chairing EXCO meetings to maintain focus and ensure all strategic plans are progressing as intended o Representing the Alumni at various events and functions, enhancing our visibility and connection with the community o Maintaining active communication with school leaders and Head of Partnerships to ensure a cohesive relationship and support for school programmes 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 o Used previous leadership experiences to restructure the Alumni, introducing specific EXCO roles with clear job scopes to enhance organisational efficiency and member engagement, with a clear vision o Hosting the first major event since our establishment almost a decade ago, Homecoming 2024, which marks a significant milestone in re-engaging and connecting our alumni 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 o Homecoming 2024 for Class of 2020 to 2023 - 200 alumni came back! o Homecoming 2025 for Class of 2005 to 2024 - 170 alumni & 10 teachers came back! o Homecoming 2026 - WIP! o Green@Hillgrove 2023 to 2025 o Staff & Teachers Appreciation Day Gifts 2023 to 2025

    • Alumni Vice President
      Jan 2023 - Feb 2024 · 1 yr 2 mos

      𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 & 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 o Collaborated with school staff and teachers during various events to ensure smooth execution o Worked in tandem with the President and the Alumni EXCO to align strategies and drive initiatives o Led brainstorming sessions for innovative alumni ideas, crafted meticulous plans, and vetted proposals to ensure alignment with alumni objectives o Ensured the accuracy and quality of meeting minutes, capturing key discussions and decisions o Demonstrated proficiency in Excel and Word, leveraging these tools for effective documentation and data analysis

  • Rotaract Club of Bukit Gombak ()
    • Special Advisor to Youth Groups in Bukit Gombak
      Jun 2025 - May 2026 · 1 yr

      I advise the three youth groups in Bukit Gombak — BGEIC, RACBG, and Hillview Youth Network — on programme strategy, service‑learning, and organisational leadership, bringing teams together synergising resources to deliver sustained, community‑centred impact. My perspective is shaped by years of on‑the‑ground leadership: I served BGEIC as President and Immediate Past President and now as Past President and Special Advisor; I supported RACBG as Publicity Director; I also serve with Hillview Youth Network as General Secretary and lead the Hillgrove Secondary School Alumni located at Bukit Gombak as President. 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 o BGEIC Website: Information architecture, content strategy, contributor workflow, and modern stack to showcase projects, onboard volunteers, and centralise knowledge o BGEIC & RACBG's Project TutorTime: Advise on feedback loops to improve learner outcomes and tutee-parent-tutor experience; activate alumni and partners. Because it takes a village to raise a child 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬-𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐛 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 o Convene BGEIC, RACBG, and Hillview Youth Network through the Hillview CCMC Social Service Committee o Co-prioritise themes, share resources, and sequence calendars to avoid duplication and amplify reach 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 o Programme design: Clear problem statements, stakeholder mapping, KPIs, risk/ops plans, and reflective AARs o Organisational leadership: Governance, SOPs, role clarity, succession planning, and volunteer pipelines o Community partnerships: Schools, grassroots, SSOs, and local businesses for mentors, tutors, and in-kind support from Rotary Clubs o Youth capability-building: Comms, stakeholder engagement, and data-driven decision-making

    • Publicity Director
      Jul 2024 - Jun 2025 · 1 yr

      As Publicity Director, I led the club’s digital marketing and branding efforts to amplify the Rotary International brand, attract new members, and foster collaborations with local, regional and international organisations of various clubs, for-profits and non-profits. By leveraging social media platforms, I ensure the club’s initiatives and events resonate with the community and beyond through creative design, meaningful content and engaging posts. 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 o Develop and publish engaging Instagram and Facebook posts highlighting club activities, projects, and upcoming events o Collaborate with Bukit Gombak Eagles Interact Club to update newsletters and strengthen sister club relations o Design branding assets such as posters, t-shirts, and event materials to enhance visibility and engagement o Capture high-quality photos and videos during events for use in publicity campaigns and social media 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐀𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 o Created and launched the club’s LinkedIn page, enabling professional collaborations and partnerships with organizations o Generated leads through social media campaigns, resulting in 𝟱 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 members joining the club o Achieved a 𝟯𝟭𝟵.𝟲% increase in Instagram reach (𝟭,𝟯𝟬𝟵 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱) and a 𝟵𝟰.𝟲% increase in profile visits (𝟭𝟴𝟲 visits) between Mar–Jun 2025 o Boosted engagement with 𝟰,𝟴𝟮𝟲 post views on Instagram during the same period, significantly enhancing the club’s digital footprint o Designed impactful branding materials for events, including posters and t-shirts, which contributed to higher event attendance and visibility Through this role, I collaborate closely with the President, Vice-President, and other Directors to ensure a successful Rotary Year. My efforts in digital marketing and branding have strengthened the club’s online presence, attracted new members, and fostered meaningful partnerships with local and regoinal organisations.

  • Singapore Polytechnic (2 yrs 2 mos)
    • Adviser of Robotics Innovation & Technology Enterprise Club
      Nov 2025 - Apr 2026 · 6 mos

    • President of Robotics Innovation & Technology Enterprise Club
      Mar 2025 - Oct 2025 · 8 mos

      Championed the ethos of "𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄, 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐄", I spearheaded a strategic overhaul of the club's culture and operations. My tenure was focused on transforming SP RITE into a self-sustaining organisation by empowering 𝟑𝟓+ committee leaders to serve and engage our 420-strong student community, fostering a culture of initiative and ownership. 𝐊𝐞𝐲 Initiatives o Led the 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 & Operational Design by architecting a resilient committee structure for improved workload distribution and operational continuity o Clarified the club's unique 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 through collaborative robotics projects and specialised workshops, differentiating our offerings within SP's landscape o Drove 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 & Governance by establishing and enforcing 20+ Standard Operating Procedures and templates for critical functions like our Email Mgmt. System, Event Lifecycle, and Competition Training o Spearheaded a 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 of our scheduling by deploying shared MS 365 Groups, successfully de-conflicting schedules and centralising task mgmt. with MS Planner o Fostered 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 & Culture Building by leveraging corporate training to facilitate a cohesive team charter, aligning the EXCO on shared values, goals, and accountability o Championed 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 & 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 by personally mentoring committee members, aligning their roles with individual strengths and growth aspirations to build a capable and motivated leadership pipeline o Cultivated a high-trust environment through systematic 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗲 Check-ins and grievance resolution processes to maintain team morale and mental wellbeing Extended my Leadership Influence beyond my official role, becoming a trusted peer advisor to the presidents of Environment, Rotaract, Red Cross, Photography, and Mind Sports Clubs, providing strategic counsel on challenges.

    • Vice-President & Acting President of Robotics Innovation & Technology Enterprise Club
      Apr 2024 - Mar 2025 · 1 yr

      I served as the Vice-President of SP RITE, also known as the SP Robotics Club at Singapore Polytechnic. My journey with the club began as a dedicated subcommittee member in the previous academic year, where I volunteered to document meeting minutes, provided manpower support, offered constructive feedback on events, and suggested innovative new activities from my deep experience in grassroots. My active participation and keen observation of the club’s governance allowed me to contribute meaningfully, including participating in the World Robot Olympiad 2023. In my role as Vice-President, my primary responsibility is to support the club’s President and work collaboratively with my Executive Committee (EXCO) team to deliver the best possible experience for our robotics members, regardless of their experience level, and bring the club to greater heights. As someone who joined the club with a non-robotics background, I understand the challenges faced by beginners and am committed to creating an inclusive environment that fosters learning and growth. In Semester 2, I stepped up to be the Acting President as the P and VP were away on internship, we executed the President’s vision of making SP RITE an exemplary club that serves the community through innovative applications of robotics. My focus is on challenging members to reach greater heights in robotics, regardless of their prior knowledge in coding and robotics; and providing hands-on training, space and equipment, and the community to enable everyone to develop and showcase their skills, regardless of background. 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 CCA Carnival & Annual General Meeting Space Faculty 'Connecting The Dots' - Talk on space robotics May & September Club Bonding C++, Arduino, Raspberry Pi Workshops NTUC HAAC Community Service - Teaching robotics to seniors & grandchildren Engineering Technical Challenge (ETC) with School of Robotics 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 World Robotic Olympiad 2024 GNSS Innovation Quest - Won $5,000

  • Founding Software Engineer at Start- Up
    Jul 2025 - Jan 2026 · 7 mos

    Joined a startup as the first engineer alongside the founders, playing a pivotal role in transforming a nascent product into a scalable and robust platform. In a small, agile team, I was instrumental in establishing engineering best practices and driving architectural improvements that supported rapid growth and client value. Contributing to raising 6-figures in the startup from institutional investors. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 o Led the initiative to elevate the codebase from an unmanaged state to established best practices, significantly reducing technical debt and improving maintainability. This involved implementing AI and manual code review processes, enforcing coding standards, and migrating from "vibe coding" o Architected and refactored key components of the backend, including the Flask application, video decoding/encoding, and task orchestration, to enhance modularity, testability, and developer experience o Significantly improved the end-to-end video processing pipeline performance, reducing processing times from hours to under five minutes for certain workflows o Spearheaded improvements to the AWS infrastructure, leveraging distributed computing and managed cloud services to enhance scalability and speed. Designed for GPU-first execution and utilized a varied set of services to achieve a high-throughput, high-availability, and highly scalable platform o Mentored early-stage team members in adopting agile methodologies, TDD principles, and best practices, fostering a culture of technical excellence. o Assisted in recruiting efforts by assessing potential engineering candidates, evaluating technical skills, and contributing to hiring decisions to build a high-performing team o Embodied the spirit of a high-growth startup by proactively identifying and solving complex technical challenges, iterating quickly, and collaborating closely with founders and cross-functional stakeholders to deliver value to clients