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Saige Mehl
Verified Expert in Engineering
Software Developer
Kansas City, MO, United States
Toptal member since February 25, 2021
Bio
Saige is an entirely self-taught computer programmer whose love for programming started at the age of 16. At 18, he decided to start his own business offering computer repair and website development for small local businesses. After exiting that business, he has enjoyed working with clients to fulfill their business goals and objectives as a self-employed software engineer. Eventually, Saige found his way into roles at large tech companies such as Twitter and Google.
Portfolio
Google
Dart, Java, Angular, Google Ads
Twitter
Scala
Self-employed
React, Node.js, React Native, JavaScript, SQL, Express.js, GraphQL, Redux...
Experience
- SQL - 6 years
- React - 6 years
- Node.js - 6 years
- JavaScript - 6 years
- React Native - 3 years
- Scala - 2 years
- Python - 2 years
- Go - 1 year
Work Experience
Software Engineer
2021 - PRESENT
- Worked within Google Ads as a full-stack developer on Performance Planner, Performance Center, and Keyword Planner applications.
- Designed, developed, and fully launched multiple new product features alone and in collaboration with team members, including portfolio bidding strategies, unforecastable mitigation, SA360 split/migration, and performance improvements.
- Redefined team working process and created standards for several previously vague developer workflows.
- Served as the team point of contact for production and infrastructure knowledge.
Technologies: Dart, Java, Angular, Google Ads
Software Engineer Contractor
2021 - 2021
- Contributed to the implementation of a new project at Twitter, improving the infrastructure for certain implementations that previously took 2-3 weeks down to 2-3 days.
- Provided feedback on the design approach and suggested improvements and alternatives.
- Helped new engineers on board with the project, providing direction and instruction.
Technologies: Scala
Full-stack Developer
2018 - 2021
Self-employed
- Created React Native service apps for field technicians and a barcode scanner mobile app (Vendor Managed Inventory) with configurations for different companies’ processes.
- Collaborated with clients' development teams to teach them how to use best practices for React in building an eCommerce website.
- Developed projects from start to finish: interfaced with clients, gathered and interpreted requirements, and built the database—the back end and front end from scratch, all independently.
- Built dashboards with charts, graphs, gauges, and grids to integrate with the clients' CRM for inside sales rep performance and budgets.
- Replaced multiple clients' entire Access database business systems with modern React, Node.js, React Native architecture.
- Built React interfaces for a siren maintenance company to select latitude, longitude, and range sites. Plotted them in Google Maps and generated a Google Earth KML file to share with clients.
Technologies: React, Node.js, React Native, JavaScript, SQL, Express.js, GraphQL, Redux, Socket.IO
Senior Full-stack Developer
2016 - 2018
Bayer Crop Science
- Aided in the development of the Molecular Breeding Marker API, Genetic Trait API, Molecular Breeding Selection Services, and UI.
- Implemented the applications with the Amazon Simple Workflow Service (Amazon SWF), Amazon Web Services (AWS), and PostgreSQL.
- Incorporated APIs and services for our applications and APIs and developed our own APIs for other teams' applications to consume.
- Built user interfaces with React to aid in the process of molecular breeding selections and sampling collection.
Technologies: Scala, Java, PostgreSQL, Node.js, React, JavaScript, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Express.js, Redux
CTO
2013 - 2018
Sektek
- Started a business with fellow top-tier networking colleague, Kevin Schulmeister, straight out of high school to provide personal computers.
- Grew the business to provide technology support, web design, and software development to small businesses in the area.
- Set up hardware, networks, security systems, and access control systems and developed custom software and websites.
Technologies: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP
Independent Game Developer
2014 - 2016
Independent
- Started learning AndEngine and libGDX (Java) game engines in college by making Asteroids and Pong clones.
- Moved on to more robust game engines, Unity3D (C#) and Unreal Engine 4 (C++), and prototyped several original ideas in Unity and UE4 (Swingy Dude, Bowman Saga, Destructible Castle).
- Released Shooty Bow on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store (no longer on app marketplaces).
Technologies: C#, Java, C++, Unreal Engine 4, Unreal Engine 5, Unreal Engine
Project History
Insider Trading API
Built an API that scrapes the EDGAR database for the SEC filings of publicly traded companies. Using this information, I was able to alert when a company's executives or large shareholders would purchase or sell a portion of their ownership in the company. This information is important to traders because it gives insight into how confident the insiders are about their company at its current share price.
Home Automation
Built a server that could accept commands and pass them off to the proper home automation products. Using a React Native mobile app that I developed for this, I can turn on my coffee pot from anywhere in the world.
Motion Detection Algorithm
Built an algorithm using OpenCV that, given a camera feed or the IP of a camera, could generate alerts, highlight motion, and record times that motion occurred. The algorithm applies a Gaussian blur, uses a diff algorithm, draws contours around the differences, and then finds their area to determine the frames with motion. You can use one of the following for the diff algorithms: two frames difference, "background"
frame difference, or BackgroundSubtractorMOG2.
frame difference, or BackgroundSubtractorMOG2.
Skills
Libraries/APIs
React, Node.js, OpenCV, Socket.IO
Languages
JavaScript, CSS, GraphQL, HTML, SQL, Scala, Java, Python, Go, PHP, C#, C++, Dart
Frameworks
React Native, Express.js, Redux, Angular, Unreal Engine 4, Unreal Engine
Storage
PostgreSQL, MySQL
Platforms
Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Ads
Other
Home Automation, Unreal Engine 5
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