about me

Skill Summary Link to heading

Technologies: Bazel, Python, Docker, Continuous Integration

Skills: Building, testing, debugging, contradiction analysis

Nov 2023 - Current

Moved to a new role as lead build systems developer to focus full-time on the build infrastructure.
Continued to improve and maintain the bazel build system.
Ran feedback sessions with developers to better understand their pain points. Then using contradiction analysis I provided detailed plans on what the path forward would be.

Nov 2020 - Oct 2023

Improved the CI process for an existing critical software component, reducing CI build times from over an hour down to less than 10min and improved test reliability.
Standardized the build and test process for Python language projects.
Used contradiction analysis to determine the best course of action for our next generation of software development. I came to the conclusion that we needed a solid foundation to build on, and that would be a monorepo+bazel approach.
Independently researched, advocated for, implemented, and deployed a monorepo+bazel migration for our next generation critical software components. This work was done after development had already started, and I needed to maintain parallel build systems across several repositories until the migration was complete.

March 2019 - Oct 2020

Took ownership of the company direction with respect to test automation.
Increased automated backend regression coverage from less than 1% to approximately 75%, while simultaneously vastly increasing test permutations and individual test assertions.
Created tools for internal use to decrease manual test setup time. This provided a 1 click, reproducible, and reuseable way to setup and share test configurations throughout the organization.
Reduced release cycle regression test time from several weeks, utilizing multiple full time staff and 4 co-op students, down to approximately two weeks with reduced full time staff focus and only 1 co-op student.
Acted as the first responder for post-merge issues; quickly debugging and sorting failures, and contacting those involved.
Assisted developers company-wide with Python related questions.
Mentored and trained co-op students.
Key techs: Python, unittest, Jenkins, ffmpeg, Bazel, Py36:Typing

Jan 2018 - Feb 2019

Defined, implemented, and maintained several complete manufacturing test solutions
Programmed configurable test stations featuring an easy to use interface, multiple levels of access, different operational modes, and more. All written in Python 3.6.
Performed runtime analysis on station software to identify bottlenecks to improve cycle time. One example being taking a semi-automated process from 40min, to full-automated 20min, to 13min optimized.
Built a complete Python based library for station software to easily log test data to the manufacturing database, published to an internal PyPI server that I requested. This included tests via pytest, type hinting via Py36 Typing module, and static typing analysis via mypy.
Utilized numpy, pandas, and matplotlib to do basic data analysis on manufacturing data.
Assisted other teams and individuals with Python related issues
Built several one-off tools to help non-programmers gather test & measurement data, featuring a GUI and delivered as a single executable, written in Python.
Facilitated DFT reviews with design and production teams.
Lead team wide conversations about test station software standardization.
Participated in GR&R studies for several process steps.
Helped train technicians and co-op students.

May 2015 - Dec 2017

Initiated, designed, and implemented a new test framework to allow teams using Angular.js or React.js to include automated UI tests in their continuous integration process
Devised test plans for the team’s projects to aid in regression testing
Convinced a team I recently joined to delay ship date by one month to improve product quality, resulting in a great product and company-wide recognition for my efforts
Promoted a culture of quality through driving continued adoption of quality, meaningful unit tests and code coverage metrics

2012 - Current

Started the open source Python library InstrumentKit which features maintainable automated unit tests using Python Nose and Travis CI
Designed several open source products involving prototyping, firmware development using C, testing, debugging, documentation, and post-release updates
Performed thorough code reviews of pull requests to ensure that project style, quality, and Python PEP8 coding style standards are met

Sept 2011 - Feb 2014

Tested and debugged a variety of hardware and software projects
Designed a spectrometer with superior specifications and lower cost point than previous\equipment
Mentored and trained co-op students

Masters of Science - Physics - University of Waterloo (Sept 2011 - Feb 2014)

Bachelor’s of Science - Honours Physics - University of Waterloo (Sept 2007 - Aug 2011)