Aaron Nielsen

spitimage.com
spitimage@gmail.com

Summary

Full stack developer. Versatile leader and builder. Driven by the magic at the intersection of great relationships and great technology. Always reconciling the inner entrepreneur with the inner geek. Prototype builder and pathfinder. Intensely focused on actual execution of the overall solution.


Objective

Seeking to contribute a diverse skill set and a wide experience level to a team with a mission bigger than itself.


Skills Focus and Technical Expertise

Languages
Python Javascript Typescript C++ Rust C Java SQL Bash
Back End Technologies
NodeJS ExpressJS SvelteKit Django Tornado Remix
Front End Technologies
Svelte ReactJS Redux AngularJS BackboneJS D3 JQuery ExtJS
Web Standards
WebSockets HTML5 CSS3 OAuth 2.0
Databases
MongoDB PostgreSQL PostGIS MySQL SQLite Redis Neo4j InfluxDB
Platforms
Docker Kubernetes AWS Azure Openstack Google Compute Engine Digital Ocean Cloud Foundry KVM vSphere
Mobile
Android HTML5 Hybrid PWAs
Testing
Mocha Karma Selenium Protractor Junit
Configuration Management
Git Subversion

Professional Experience

Oct 2011 to Present
Colorado Springs, CO

Founder and Principal

Consultant, CTO for hire, and software development contractor.


Notable Projects:

Fiber Optic Perimeter Security

Developed geospatial visualizations and real time embedded software solutions for an advanced intruder detection system.

Applicable Skills:

SvelteKit Embedded Linux Custom Networking Protocols


Software Defined Wide Area Network

Architected and built a POC for a protocol-agnostic mesh networking solution to address common VPN shortfalls.

Applicable Skills:

Software Architecture C++


Satellite Communications Open Architecture

Introduced new and effective approaches to DevSecOps. Unleashed hidden business potential by providing unique and platform-agnostic solutions.

Applicable Skills:

Rancher Kubernetes Rancher Harbor Azure vSphere Openstack Ansible Automation Platform Bamboo


Open Source Governance and DevSecOps Automation

Improved and extended the core data analytics pipeline infrastructure to increase processing capacity and enable infinite scaling for the industry leader in sofware supply chain management.

Applicable Skills:

AWS Lambda AWS Elastic Beanstalk AWS SQS AWS RDS PostgreSQL Airflow Luigi Neo4j


Fitness Apparel E-Commerce

Augmented multiple development teams in building the next generation of microservices for order flow, fraud detection, and recommendation engines. Developed front-end prototypes for various marketing campaigns.

Applicable Skills:

NodeJS PostgreSQL Kafka gRPC Protocol Buffers Docker Kubernetes ReactJS


Automated Lighting Controls

Architected and prototyped a cloud-based messaging platform for automated control and status of smart lighting for industrial environments. Developed simplified bridging protocols for all layers between low-power embedded systems and end-user UX terminals.

Applicable Skills:

AngularJS ExpressJS ZeroMQ C++ Python Docker


Financial Dashboard SaaS

Built a private web application to display relevant infographics and analysis tools related to the commercial real estate industry. Added the ability to produce high-quality hard copies of existing dashboard displays. Other features included access control, administration portal, and user management.

Applicable Skills:

AngularJS MongoDB ExpressJS D3 PhantomJS


Recycling Rewards Mobile Application

Built 3 hybrid consumer-facing applications and tied them to a parse.com backend. Created a native mobile plugin to perform image manipulation and QR code scans.

Applicable Skills:

AngularJS Android Phone Gap REST APIs


Remote Care Monitoring Mobile Application

Converted an existing Sencha Touch mobile application to a hybrid solution based on more typical web application workflows. Since deployment in mid 2013, this new front-end architecture has successfully supported white-labeling, easy extension, and simple integration with several other crucial technologies.

Applicable Skills:

AngularJS Trigger.io


Sports and Recreation SaaS

Built a private web application for sporting events administration. Enabled event coordinators to schedule events, configure events, and assign event participants.

Applicable Skills:

BackboneJS ExpressJS MongoDB


Cloud-Based-Lighting Control Startup

Served as interim CTO to an early stage internet-of-things startup. Built the initial end-to-end prototype that was used to prove the business model and acquire further funding. Created the system architecture for the minimum viable product. Developed custom modules for the embedded system, REST and WebSocket protocols for real time cloud messaging, message routing infrastructure, user accounts management, and embedded device enumeration and association.

Applicable Skills:

WebSockets MongoDB Redis Embedded C


Oil and Gas GIS SaaS

Built a private web application to perform GIS-based data analysis on continually updating data sets. Application performed periodic data updates, user-initiated data transformation tasks, and GIS visualizations.

Applicable Skills:

Django PostGIS RabbitMQ Celery JQuery Google Maps


Signal Analysis

Built a standards-based web UI as a front end to various communications and signal processing equipment. Also developed a proxy software service to translate between proprietary interfaces and a realtime JSON message-based protocol.

Applicable Skills:

HTML5 Canvas JQuery WebSockets Tornado C++ Integration


Eyeris

Built a prototype system to explore an approach to reducing the world's dependency on passwords. Involved native Android PKI development and server-side authorization services. Tried and failed to secure a federal grant through NSTIC.

Applicable Skills:

Android Django PKI



Jul 2015 to Oct 2015
Monument, CO

Senior Software Engineer

Early contributor to an emerging web analytics and customer experience startup.


Notable Projects:

Customer Account Management

Created the SaaS application for customer onboarding, authentication, authorization, and single sign-on.

Applicable Skills:

ExpressJS Docker MySQL OAuth2


Analytics UI

Developed key UX components for graphical analysis of large datasets related to customer experience and revenue impact.

Applicable Skills:

ES6 ReactJS ExpressJS D3 DCJS MySQL Docker OAuth2



Dec 2010 to Oct 2011
Colorado Springs, CO

Senior Software Engineer

Responsible for several subsystems in support of Air Force space-related contracts.


Notable Projects:

Account Management

Developed the account management subsystem for a large space situational awareness system. Supported typical workflows such as email confirmations, password resets, and administration consoles.

Applicable Skills:

ExtJS JEE


Secure Data Traversal

Developed the access-control mechanisms for secure data transfer between classified environments.

Applicable Skills:

JEE SFTP PKI



Dec 2008 to Dec 2010
Colorado Springs, CO

Systems Engineer

Provided insight and leadership during a critical growth period for the company. Collaborated with senior members of technical staff for prioritization and allocation of R&D funds. Assisted management with staffing challenges by interviewing and screening employment candidates.


Notable Projects:

Iridium

Software architect and principal software developer for the first telephony solution offered by RT Logic. Conceptualized and created a successful product that exceeded customer expectations and met stringent latency requirements. Established an excellent relationship with the Iridium customer and partners, paving the way for further business development related to the next Iridium space and telephony network.

Applicable Skills:

Linux IPC Linux Device Drivers Custom FPGA Interfaces


Messaging Translation

Developed a highly configurable message translation device. Supported MIL-STD-1553, SNMP, and several proprietary network protocols.

Applicable Skills:

Linux IPC Linux System Software



Nov 2004 to Dec 2008
Tucson, AZ

Senior Software Engineer II

Contributed technical leadership and an innovative mindset for a variety of DOD and internal research customers.


Notable Projects:

TSB

Sole champion and developer of the tactical service bus (TSB) IRAD product, a lightweight enterprise service bus based on the latest in SOA technology. TSB was delivered as part of Raytheon's unmanned aerial vehicle systems in support of several capture and IRAD efforts. The TSB has been adopted as core infrastructure by RMS IT as the future in providing customers with a service-oriented quick integration platform.

Applicable Skills:

SOA JEE


Automatic Target Recognition

Pathfinder for several IRAD efforts related to automatic target recognition technology. Developed custom middleware frameworks for high performance distributed computing. Leveraged existing integration technologies for demonstration and deployment of capability. Produced a consistent architecture to enable the integration of complex algorithms into modern SOA systems.

Applicable Skills:

CORBA Matlab Integration


Bike Shop

Selected to represent Raytheon's software capability on a specialized UAV-related IRAD project. Built prototype software systems to integrate core algorithms such as guidance, navigation, route planning, and mission planning.

Applicable Skills:

Swing JNI Windows IPC


AMRAAM

Recognized as a critical technical resource on embedded systems by the AMRAAM program management. Key subsystem designer for telemetry, messaging, timing and diagnostics in a constrained embedded environment. Introduced object oriented concepts where appropriate to realize developmental quality attributes.

Applicable Skills:

VxWorks RTOS Integrity RTOS ARM Architecture Embedded C++



Oct 2002 to Oct 2004
Melbourne, FL

Senior Software Engineer

Participated in the strategic deployment of several successful prototyping efforts. Involved in all aspects including vision, planning, bidding, budgeting, managing, design, implementation, testing, and deployment. (Soneticom eventually became acquired by DRS technologies.)


Notable Projects:

Commercial Flight Entertainment System

Developed the initial software for a custom digital radio receiver. Software performed IP multicast demultiplexing, stereo audio PCM conversion, rate buffering, serial I/O to arm pad controls, and processing of central control and status.

Applicable Skills:

Embedded Linux Linux Device Drivers Custom FPGA Interfaces IP Networking


Signal Acquisition Platform

Extended and maintained the company's flagship DSP product that served as a baseline to other integrated systems.

Applicable Skills:

MicroC/OS-II Custom FPGA Interfaces TCP/IP Implementation



Sep 2000 to Oct 2002
Kennedy Space Center, FL

Software Engineer

Space shuttle checkout and launch control system. Rapidly promoted to a senior development position normally requiring additional formal qualifications. Frequently requested by top engineers as a team member for design prototyping.


Notable Projects:

Command Processing Infrastructure

Developed proprietary middleware for the routing, validation, prioritizing, and archiving of system commands and application messages. Helped develop a plugin to enable CORBA to run on NASA's proprietary network protocol.

Applicable Skills:

CORBA ACE/TAO Internals


System Services

Developed several baseline system services in support of NASA applications.

Applicable Skills:

Solaris C++ OOA/OOD Architecture



Apr 1999 to Sep 2000
Melbourne, FL

Software Engineer

Junior individual contributor. Exposed to a wide technical landscape and learned from some of the best embedded software engineers in the industry.


Notable Projects:

Embedded System Test Sets

Designed and developed an extensive customized electronics test set. When fielded, it correctly screened several thousand units for functionality.

Applicable Skills:

Windows MFC Windows I/O


Central Maintenance Depot

Designed and developed a web application for gathering flight and passenger data, performing analytics, and subsequently generating reports for flight maintenance and customer billing.

Applicable Skills:

IIS ASP




Education

Colorado School of Mines

BSEE, 1997


Certifications and Awards

CompTIA Security+, 2010

Raytheon Excellence in Technology Award, 2007

Microsoft Certified Professional, 1998


Clearances

TS/SCI