Axel Clark

Solution-driven Software Engineer with 9+ years of experience developing user-focused web applications using Elixir/Phoenix and maintaining high-availability systems. Expert in LiveView, payment integrations, and financial application architecture with proven track record implementing secure, scalable solutions. Extensive experience collaborating with stakeholders at all levels. Seeking position as a Senior Software Engineer either Remote (USA) or onsite near Los Angeles, CA.

• Launched Staknine.com, a website for Elixir and Phoenix development and deployment best practices, and reached 20K visitors in 9 months
• Published the Phoenix Deployment Handbook (January 2022) for developers to save 14 hours deploying their applications using the 7 best tools for Elixir and Phoenix

PRODUCTION EXPERIENCE
• Engineered end-to-end distribution system with Dwolla payment processor integration for automatic investor dividend handling, implementing four payment types using idempotent transaction processing
• Developed robust payment lifecycle management with webhook event handling, automated status updates, and payment verification for financial transactions supporting ACH transfers and manual payment options

• Implemented specialized access controls for various registration scenarios, ensuring users can continue platform engagement throughout onboarding

• Implemented comprehensive Segment analytics tracking with reusable helper functions, ensuring visibility of the user journey through standardized implementation

BUILDING WEB APPS
• Engineered dynamic leadership profile section for investment opportunities using Phoenix LiveView and Sortable.js, implementing a sortable interface for admin users
• Implemented real-time updates using Phoenix PubSub and LiveView channels, enabling users to see changes to onboarding status, distribution payments, and investment opportunities instantly through a broadcast system
• Redesigned entrepreneur application UI with improved validations, mobile-responsive design, and streamlined acquisition target search criteria
• Improved frontend performance by implementing conditional loading of third-party JavaScript (Box, Persona) and optimizing image assets

INFRASTRUCTURE & DEVOPS
• Led multiple Elixir and Erlang version upgrades, resolving compiler warnings and pushing upstream changes or forking dependencies when necessary
• Optimized CI/CD processes by implementing dependency caching and standardizing environment target handling
• Enhanced developer workflow with in-browser template debugging, streamlined server logging, and TailwindCSS formatter integration

SOFTWARE ENGINEERING EXPERIENCE | GENERAL

• Developed and maintained an Elixir & Phoenix fantasy sports web app for 9 years, growing its user base to over 100 users while automating 95% of league administrative tasks, notifications, and user actions
• Developed disc golf iOS app using React Native and Phoenix GraphQL API to track scores on the course
• Contributed to the grovepi open-source embedded Elixir & Nerves project by updating documentation and adding support for new sensors

RELATIONAL DATABASES | POSTGRESQL
• Executed complex data migration, backfill, and code refactor to avoid duplication and sync’ing of investor and entrepreneur application data

• Established data backfill pattern within migrations to allow execution of automatic backfills across all environments
• Architected certificate signer approach for equity certificates with schema modeling and database migrations, creating a flexible association model that supports multiple business entities

CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COLLABORATION & COMMUNICATION
• Coordinated with 10 functional areas to plan and execute the Air Force's 1st-ever Shark Tank style pitch day with 5 same-day contracts to innovative small businesses
• Guided an engineering team to evaluate a $4 billion satellite proposal, establishing a Government position resulting in $300 million in negotiated savings
• Directed procurement strategy for short-notice logistics contracts across seven functional areas supporting 2,000 medical personnel during New York City's COVID-19 relief efforts
• Hosted and produced Noise Cancelling Pod & MSG Mic'd Up podcasts with over 50 episodes, 10k downloads, and had guest appearance on Elixir Newbie podcast

Aug 2023 - Present | Mainshares / Beacon, Remote

Software Engineer

July 2016 - Present | The 338 Challenge
Lead Software Engineer

June 2003 - July 2023 | United States Air Force & United States Space Force, Multiple Locations
Director of Procurement (and various other procurement roles)

March 2023 - June 2023 | Beacon , Remote

Software Engineer - Dept of Defense Skillbridge Program