Ken Power
Verified Expert in Engineering
Full-stack Developer
Carlow, Ireland
Toptal member since October 22, 2021
Ken is a full-stack consultant developer, computing lecturer, and researcher with more than 20 years of experience. He worked with notable clients such as ThoughtWorks Spain and gave lectures at a leading Irish academic institution. As an expert in Java, Scala, React, and AWS, Ken developed software to support teaching and research projects along with constructive and effective teaching methods that promote a stimulating learning environment.
Portfolio
Experience
- Software Engineering - 20 years
- Programming - 20 years
- Python - 10 years
- JavaScript - 10 years
- Agile - 8 years
- Scala - 5 years
- React - 4 years
- Test-driven Development (TDD) - 4 years
Preferred Environment
Test-driven Development (TDD), Python, Agile, JavaScript, React, Scala
The most amazing...
...software I've developed is an Android and iOS app that helps to improve the lives of celiac sufferers.
Work Experience
Researcher | Lecturer
Institute of Technology Carlow
- Acted as the key developer in a multinational research group creating an app to help monitor celiac sufferers' behaviors. Developed a React Native app with Python back end released on Apple and Android store.
- Developed and researched tools to monitor and encourage learners with feedback visualization of progression. The research involved studying appropriate user experience and the implementation of JavaScript client and Python's Flask back end.
- Mentored and supervised hundreds of final-year student projects in software engineering and game development projects.
- Taught modules in Agile, TDD, 3D graphics, HCI, and programming in C++.
Senior Developer
ThoughtWorks
- Developed a Scala and Play greenfield service in AWS to replace part of the existing monolith. Migrated five million users from eight EU countries.
- Maintained and added features to a Node.js, Java, and Spring set of microservices with React front end hosted in AWS, which resulted in product revenue growth from €2 million per year to €10 million per year.
- Used TDD for all production code; test included the unit, integration, and acceptance.
- Participated in teams with very high Agile values. Pushed for continual improvement with team feedback and retrospectives.
- Developed the projects using CI/CD with TeamCity or Jenkins and blue and green deployment.
Lecturer
Institute of Technology Carlow
- Coordinated for four years the Erasmus intensive project (IP) in serious games that involved the exchange of 240 students and 48 staff members with Dutch, Norwegian, Austrian, and Irish colleges for short-term projects.
- Developed a popular and innovative problem-based learning (PBL) module in-game physics simulation for the 4th year of a games development program.
- Prepared our Chinese partner college—HEFE—to achieve accreditation from the Irish Higher Education Authority (HEA).
- Planned, supervised, and taught modules relating to computer game development, 3D graphics, programming with game engines, final year projects, audio programming, and physics.
Experience
Gluten Buddy—Mobile App for Celiac Sufferers
I developed a React Native app with Python and MySQL back end to empower and educate celiac patients. With the consent of users, data from the app was used by celiac researchers looking for ways to help lower the detrimental effects of the disease. Jupyter Notebook supported data processing.
Education
Master's Degree in Computer Applications
Institute of Technology Sligo - Sligo, Ireland
Bachelor's Degree in Software Engineering
Institute of Technology Carlow - Carlow, Ireland
Certifications
Certified Scrum Product Owner
Scrum Alliance
Certified Scrum Master
Scrum Alliance
Skills
Libraries/APIs
React
Languages
Python, Scala, C++, JavaScript, Java
Paradigms
Agile, Test-driven Development (TDD), Agile Project Management, Human-computer Interaction (HCI), Continuous Deployment, Continuous Delivery (CD)
Frameworks
React Native, Unity
Platforms
Amazon Web Services (AWS), Jupyter Notebook
Storage
Databases, MySQL
Other
Programming, Software Engineering, Higher Education, Sprints, Sprint Retrospectives, Agile Practices, User Experience (UX), Scrumban, Mentorship, Educational Games, Facilitation, Backlog Grooming, Feature Backlog Prioritization, Backlog Management, Minimum Viable Product (MVP), Customer Success, 3D Graphics, Distributed Systems, Requirements, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), UX Research, Communication, 3D Games, Mentorship & Coaching
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