Russell Balest Ph.D.

SUMMARY:

I am a software consultant with extensive experience as a developer, architect, and team leader in web application and infrastructure development.

SKILLSET:

Languages: Ruby, Python, PHP, C++, Java, Javascript, XML, Perl, Tcl/Tk, OpenGL.
DevOps: Git, Gradle, Maven, Puppet, Chef, Ansible.
Databases: Postgres, MySql, Oracle, Greenplum, DB2.
NOSQL: Hadoop, MongoDB, Neo4J, Redis.
Platforms: Linux, Docker, VMware, AWS

EXPERIENCE:

8/2014 - present
Professional Services Consultant - VMWare

• Providing design and development assistance to clients managing virtualized and cloud-based infrastructure.
• Creating automated management systems for deployment and life-cycle management of virtualized infrastructure.
• Relying heavily on Java, Ruby, Postgres, Puppet, Chef, Ansible, vRO, vRA, vCenter.

8/2013 - 7/2014
Web Application Developer - Oak Ridge National Lab

• Big Data project creating processing and analysis tools for Medicare.
• Utilized Mongo, Hadoop, and Neo4J for primary data storage
• Back-ends using Python and Ruby on Rails with JRuby
• Front-ends using Bootstrap and D3 visualization

4/2012 - 11/2012
Web Application Developer - Seed Blocks

• Developed several novel projects with Ruby on Rails 3.2
• Back-ends using a mixture of MySql, MongoDB, and Redis.
• Front-ends using Jquery, Coffeescript, and HAML
• Incorporates dozens of Gems
• Heavily integrated with Facebook
• Extensions to SeedBlocks custom Rails Engine.
• Advanced invites, referrals, tracking, and reporting of user statistics

1/2011 - 3/2012
Web Application Developer - Digital Media Graphix

• Joint collaboration between Ford, Marketing Associates, and DMGx
• Developed a custom CMS for Ford business customer interactions with RoR, relying heavily on ActiveScaffold.
• Developed an XML based API accessed by remote desktop AIR applications.

9/2010 - 12/2010
Website Developement

• Website and simple content management implented in RoR.
• Utilizes ActiveScaffold for admin UI.
• Integrated live social network feeds.
• GUI uses some JQuery elements.

7/2010 - 8/2010
Web Application Developer - SmartTenantScreening

• Reimplentation of an existing site in PHP.
• Interface with TransUnsion credit API.
• Feature additions using JQuery.

4/2010 - 6/2010
Integration Engineer - BigLive

• Social integration using OpenInviter and Facebook API.
• Implementation of chat and presence features utilizing XMPP.
• Feature additions using JQuery.

1/2010 - 4/2010
CTO & Lead Developer - Anonymous startup ventuure

• Developed a collaborative project management system with RoR.
• Utilized HAML in all views and layouts..
• GUI elements with JQuery.

11/2009 - 1/2010
Implementation Developer - Gordon Multimedia

• Site development with CakePHP, JQuery, and MySQL.

1/2008 - 10/2009
Enterprise Web Application Developer - WBS Connect

• Built a custom internal business management system using Ruby on Rails and Oracle DB. The DB model was very large and complex. The front-end was graphically intensive and highly dependent on Javascript, and the Ajax facilities of Prototype to provide desktop-like application functionality.

10/2007 - 12/2007
Web Application Developer - Aspen Systems

• Built a customer support site which included LDAP registration/authentication and a wizard style tool to facilitate building and managing complex quote requests. Code was generated with the UFO XML framework using Apache/PHP/MySql on the backend, and Dojo toolkit on the frontend.

5//2006 - 6/2007
Architect & Lead Developer - Sitepen Inc

• Built a web-based sales force application for management of online advertising accounts, commissioned by a major New York based advertising agency, Ambassador Media Group. This is a true browser-based web application dynamically driven by AJAX technology, built on the Dojo Javascript Toolkit, and utilizing Apache, PHP, and MySql on the server side. The back-end is integrated with all of the major online advertising networks, as well as Quickbooks, Saleslogix, and Standard Call, to give the sales force unified control over their accounts management - from prospective client proposals to creation of advertising campaigns, to publishing, reporting, and billing management. The entire hardware infrastructure was built as well - database clustering, web servers, load balancing, reverse proxy servers, and fault-tolerant architecture

1/2006 - 5/2005
Backend Web Developer - Sitepen Inc

• Built a pay-per-click advertising service, commissioned by Greenplum Inc. This is a browser-based web application dynamically driven by AJAX technology, built on top of the Dojo Javascript Toolkit, and utilizing Apache, PHP, and Bizgres on the server side. In addition to the interface aspects, this application offers a web service to content publishers, to dynamically display context-sensitive advertising embedded in their content, and generate revenue from their sites, based on clicks.

5/2005 - 11/2005
Restaurant Entrepreneur - Northshore Brasserie

• Built a very cool restaurant in Knoxville, TN. We conceived of this idea in April, and by October it was open for business, on time and perfectly according to budget. The restaurant has been very well received and is doing quite well in a highly competitive market. Obviously, I built the web site also!

9/2005 - 12/2005
Backend Web Developer - Sitepen Inc

• Built a first of its kind, real-time database visualization application for the Postgres DB variant, Bizgres, commissioned by the San Francisco startup Greenplum Inc. This is a browser-based web application dynamically driven by AJAX technology, built on top of the Dojo Javascript Toolkit, and utilizing Apache, PHP, and Bizgres on the server side. Click here for a press release.

1/2005 - 9/2005
Web Application Developer - Geolearning Inc.

• Designed and built a version management and build enviroment implemented in Python to support command-line builds and component version management for C#.NET. The system was built on top of CVS, NAnt, NUnit, NDoc, and used XML parsing and generation to integrate these systems.

9/15/2004 - 12/15/2005
Lead Developer - Intersignal LLC.

• Built the following portal for tracking and mapping GPS enabled devices: Signal Scout (apparently now defunct)
• The site was implemented with Apache/MySql/PHP. PHP code was generated using a compiler/code generation system that I developed in Python.

2/2004 - 7/2004
Software Engineering Consultant - Akamai Technologies

• Refactorization of large C++ messaging/serialization infrastructure for increased modularity and dynamic behavior.
• Automated parsing and code generation with Python.
• Integration of STL based Boost serialization library to support XML serialization.

3/1/2003 - 9/15/2003
Web Application Developer - Sigmantra LLC.

• Comissioned to build a social networking site for an early stage startup at Harvard, that was unfortunately not The Face Book. This was constructed with PHP, Perl, Python, and MySQL and required development and optimization of Graph search algorithms and techniques.

12/1/2003 - 2/15/2004
Backend Developer - ServiceEngine Inc.

• Implemented a web based search engine for advertising, searchable on keywords and categories. Dynamic XML generation implemented in Python and Apache/mod_python.

10/15/2003 - 11/30/2003
Software Engineering Consultant - Bioteam Inc.

• Developed SOAP based remote update system using Perl with SOAPLite and MySQL with OpenSSL certificate based security mechanism to control access and authorizations.

9/2003 - 12/2003
Desktop Application Developer - State Farm

• Developed VisualBasic Add-in module for Describe 6.1 UML Modeling Tool, using VBA API. The module allowed automated construction of UML models and diagrams based on import of a proprietary data format.

1/2003 - present
Consultant at Lux Scientiae

• Dynamic content generation with Perl, MySql, DHTML.
• Perl scripting to support migration of large mail accounts.
• Provide technical consulting and customer support for e-mail and web hosting services.

8/1999 - 6/2002
Sr. Software Developer for Akamai Technologies

• Created fault-tolerant distributed component systems comprising core enterprise infrastructure. The system ran on a global network of over 12,000 servers. C++ and XML were the primary languages used.
• Coordinated intergroup cooperation in a large multigroup engineering enviroment of over 150 developers, with frequent activities like code reviews, design specifications, presentations, and release planning.
• Mentored and led developers in modern design patterns, implementation, debugging, documentation, and testing practices.
• Developed various configuration management, simulation, and testing tools utilizing a variety of technologies.

11/98 - 8/99
Sr. Software Engineer for Quoin Consultants

• Implemented CORBA based systems for client in Bioinformatics industry. The project involved design and implementation in Java and C++. The project required detailed knowledge of CORBA core and CORBA-Service specifications.

11/97 - 11/98
Sr. Research Scientist for Sterling Software

• Developed distributed multi-user collaboration system with pure Java implementation over Java RMI, used by intelligence analysts.
• Ported secure Guard system to TrustedSolaris operating system. The Guard was a security bridge in a distributed client-server analyst environment. As technical lead, I was responsible for timely delivery of this system. I received the highest level of commendation based on successful certification testing of this system by the Defense Intelligence Agency.

7/92 - 10/97
Doctoral Research at Wilson Synchrotron Lab. Cornell University

• Performed precision measurement of properties of the Tau lepton, via statistical analysis of large datasets. Required expert knowledge of Probability & Statistics and Monte Carlo simulation, as well as a variety of programming techniques. Results were published in Physical Review D.
• Designed and wrote data analysis and workflow system to support large dataset physics analyses. Most of the system was produced in C++ and utilized other technologies such as the Standard Template Library, embedded Tcl/Tk, Perl, LaTex, and HTML.

EDUCATION:

Ph.D.Physics 1997 University of Colorado at Boulder

Research conducted at Wilson Synchrotron Laboratory, Cornell University

M.S.Physics 1992 University of Colorado at Boulder

B.S.Physics 1990 Penn State