Alexander Smith

Freelance software developer. Some projects include:

• revamping an authentication system on a live product (ahead of schedule) using Devise and TOTP
• A chatgpt and job scheduling system integration feature with a Rails-based management tool (ask for details)
• implementing a new complex, time-saving vehicle management feature using and introducing React on a legacy Rails product
• successfully prepared for a company's security audit by fixing vulnerable Rails and JavaScript code
• a Rails upgrade and performance tuning (overall ~5x faster query times)
• Mentoring more junior developers on Rails projects

Worked remotely on a 3-4 person team on an Ember.js and Typescript monorepo platform application built for clients such as national governments (U.S and Australia) conducting spectrum auctions. Also did occasional development on the Rails backend. Spearheaded creation and maintenance of onboarding documents. Championed Agile methodologies.

Fullstack (+devops) development on the Agari Phishing Response product. Developed new scalable and secure features on a complex Python background processing system deployed on AWS Lambda, and a Rails/Ember.js web application deployed on Kubernetes and S3/Cloudflare. Also contributed to an external QA repository. Some highlights in addition to regular development:

• Served as a frontend leader across 2 products/apps towards the end of my tenure. Spearheaded an Ember best practices guide for the company and mentored other developers on Ember development. Completed an upgrade to Octane. Lead a team to win a hackathon honorable mention for re-implementing a page in React. Worked with product management to define browser requirements for customers.
• Scoped work and lead development of a new feature of the Phishing Response product on time.
• Strong participation in planning for both sprints and quarters.
• Developed load tests in Python to measure system reliability and improve stakeholder confidence
• Actively answering product questions for sales and customer success team members. (won formal praise from CEO)
• Serving as leader and organizer of a company group for sharing web application knowledge, security, best practices, and technical debt discussions.

Worked on a Ruby on Rails, React, and Ember.js application built to align workforce skill needs of industry with educators’ curriculum.

• Served as feature lead (designing scope, overseeing development, and developing) for a new skill category feature that involved changes to the entire app
• Contributed to the transition of the Rails app from a "classic" data model to an event-sourcing model

Wrote custom algorithms to compute stop distances along transit trips. Researched existing algorithms and mathematical publications and chose the appropriate implementations to meet the performance and memory-sensitive requirements of an ETL-like production environment.

• About a year later, I submitted a pull request (pro-bono) to implement a researched algorithmic solution and refactor some of my code: https://github.com/transitland/transitland-datastore/pull/1271

Worked on the Transitland project’s Rails backend, API’s, and Ember.js front-end data monitoring and editing tools. Transitland is a transit data repository of at least 800 operators, 60,000 routes and 1.4 million stops submitted by contributors from around the world.

• Designed and developed a system of recognizing, storing, and resolving transit data quality issues: https://mapzen.com/blog/tl-quality-issues/
• Designed and developed complex transit route models and functionality: https://mapzen.com/blog/transitland-route-geometries/

Worked on both back and front end components of NextBus’ Java J2EE and JavaScript stack.

• Designed and developed a web-based visualization tool used by company analysts and clients to identify vehicle operational issues. This tool was built using JAX-RS services on the backend and a front-end utilizing JavaScript and Leaflet
• Developed a data transformation and validation application in Python as part of a critical service component provided to a strategic, high-profile client

Analyzed and validated schedule and geospatial data sent in various formats by clients using GIS. Performed quality control investigations using SQL to improve prediction accuracy for riders. Communicated data requirements to North American clients from Toronto to Emeryville. Worked on developing numerous Python scripts to automate processes. Conducted team presentations on enhancing workflow.

Developed Perl and Python scripts and GUI applications to clean and format large genomic sequence data sets for research grant projects on bat viruses and Norovirus capsid formation.

Publication:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230884936_Evidence_Supporting_a_Zoonotic_Origin_of_Human_Coronavirus_Strain_NL63