Chris is available for hire

Chris Picard

Verified Expert in Engineering

Back-end Developer

Highlands Ranch, CO, United States

Toptal member since March 28, 2022

Expertise

Back-end Developers Java JUnit REST API Spring Boot XML Spring Microservices Development Full-stack SQL Agile Development Jenkins Linux

Bio

Chris is a passionate developer who is eager to improve software quality while addressing issues related to the software development process. Throughout his 14+ years of professional experience, he has created practices and patterns that enable the rapid development of high-quality clean code. Chris enjoys the back-end development, solving complex technical challenges, and mentoring teams to help them reach their full potential.

Portfolio

Power Up Software Engineering

Automation, Java, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Docker, React, TypeScript...

Twitter

Scala, Python 3, Okta, Python, JUnit, JSON Web Tokens (JWT), API Integration...

Monterey Technologies

Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), Jira, Java, Docker, Gradle, IntelliJ IDEA...

Experience

Java - 16 years
Back-end - 14 years
Spring Boot - 14 years
Software Engineering - 14 years
REST - 10 years
Microservices - 8 years
Software Architecture - 8 years
Docker - 7 years

Availability

Part-time

Preferred Environment

Java, Linux, Spring, PostgreSQL, IntelliJ IDEA

The most amazing...

...software I've built from scratch is a geospatial planning SDK that led to creating seven different planning applications.

Work Experience

Co-founder & CTO

2022 - PRESENT

Power Up Software Engineering

Provided consulting services to multiple clients of all sizes helping them through legacy migrations, architectural issues, and design.
Created an MVP for a software tooling SDK used to dramatically reduce the time it takes to create a new code repository.
Created a custom software application that saved a financial planner six hours per client of onboarding time.

Technologies: Automation, Java, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Docker, React, TypeScript, Fractional CTO, Architecture

Software Engineer | Back-end Contractor

2021 - PRESENT

Twitter

Performed security-related updates across the entire health tool suite requiring rapid learning of each tool.
Led an award-winning hack week project to detect and delete dead code from the monorepo.
Spearheaded the effort to update an unmaintainable service that none of the current developers had enough knowledge about.

Technologies: Scala, Python 3, Okta, Python, JUnit, JSON Web Tokens (JWT), API Integration, REST APIs, Large-scale Projects, Elasticsearch, NoSQL, SQL, Distributed Systems, Large-scale Distributed Systems, Relational Database Services (RDS), APIs, Spring MVC, Apache Maven, Amazon CloudWatch, Architecture

Framework Architect and Lead Engineer

2017 - 2021

Monterey Technologies

Architected a reusable geospatial planning SDK used in seven different software applications.
Created the software process from scratch, including the coding standards, tech stack, software patterns, development toolset, CI/CD pipeline, and team culture.
Built a set of reusable design patterns that reduced team development time. As a result, we managed to be the highest productivity team out of a 30+ team enterprise.
Transitioned a legacy monolith application into a set of deployable Docker container-based microservices.

Technologies: Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), Jira, Java, Docker, Gradle, IntelliJ IDEA, Artifactory, Jenkins, JSON, Spring Boot, MyBatis, Microservices, Git, Amazon Web Services (AWS), JUnit, JSON Web Tokens (JWT), API Integration, REST APIs, Apache Kafka, Elasticsearch, Task Scheduling, JavaScript, React, Full-stack Development, Groovy, SQL, Distributed Systems, Large-scale Distributed Systems, Relational Database Services (RDS), APIs, Spring MVC, Kubernetes, Apache Maven, Amazon CloudWatch, ActiveMQ, Architecture

Staff Software Engineer

2008 - 2017

Lockheed Martin

Reintegrated a project to help solve a technical issue blocking client acceptance. I was able to solve these issues and 20 other defects in a 6-week period.
Worked as the unique developer of an application to measure contract staffing requirements over time, thus ensuring proper staffing levelers.
Built an application framework for a research and development project after converted into a production system. I oversaw the conversion and adoption of the project.

Technologies: Java, Spring Boot, PostgreSQL, Docker, Software Architecture, Agile Project Management, Agile, IntelliJ IDEA, Gradle, Jenkins, Jira, Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), Git, Python 3, MongoDB, REST, Spring Microservice, XML, JSON, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Python, JUnit, RabbitMQ, MySQL, JSON Web Tokens (JWT), API Integration, REST APIs, Apache Kafka, Elasticsearch, Task Scheduling, JavaScript, React, Full-stack Development, NoSQL, Groovy, SQL, Distributed Systems, Relational Database Services (RDS), APIs, Spring MVC, Java 8, Apache Maven, Java Message Service (JMS), Enterprise Java Beans (EJB), JBoss, ActiveMQ, Architecture

Experience

Geospatial Planning SDK

I was the software architect and lead engineer in developing a geospatial planning SDK that later expanded into seven individual planning applications. It was based on a monolithic legacy application transformed into a unique style of services that could both be deployed to a stand-alone app and as microservices.

Service Code Generator

A project designed to generate service code based on a model definition. Existing model-based systems engineering (MBSE) products focus more on the modeling side of the equation. It results in non-usable code that is hard to keep in sync with the model definition. This project focuses on the code side of the model. It generates code to a set of common patterns that save developers time. It allows developers to focus on the system's complex business logic rather than model definition.

Education

2010 - 2013

Master's Degree in Computer Science and Project Management

University of Denver - Denver, Colorado, USA

2003 - 2008

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Engineering

Colorado State University - Fort Collins, Colorado, USA

Skills

Libraries/APIs

REST APIs, MyBatis, React, Java Message Service (JMS)

Tools

IntelliJ IDEA, Gradle, Jenkins, Git, RabbitMQ, Apache Maven, Jira, Artifactory, Amazon CloudWatch, ActiveMQ

Languages

Java, XML, Java 8, Python, JavaScript, SQL, Python 3, Scala, TypeScript, Groovy

Frameworks

Spring Boot, Spring, JUnit, Spring MVC, JSON Web Tokens (JWT), Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), Spring Microservice

Paradigms

REST, Microservices, Desktop App Development, Agile Project Management, Agile, Desktop Web Design, Requirements Analysis, Automation

Platforms

Linux, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Docker, Apache Kafka, Kubernetes, JBoss

Storage

PostgreSQL, JSON, MySQL, NoSQL, MongoDB, Elasticsearch

Other

Software Engineering, Computer Science, Back-end, APIs, Software Design, Leadership, API Integration, Task Scheduling, Architecture, Software Architecture, Large-scale Projects, Full-stack Development, Distributed Systems, Large-scale Distributed Systems, Relational Database Services (RDS), Fractional CTO, Okta, Enterprise Java Beans (EJB)

Collaboration That Works

How to Work with Toptal

Toptal matches you directly with global industry experts from our network in hours—not weeks or months.

Share your needs

Discuss your requirements and refine your scope in a call with a Toptal domain expert.

Choose your talent

Get a short list of expertly matched talent within 24 hours to review, interview, and choose from.

Start your risk-free talent trial

Work with your chosen talent on a trial basis for up to two weeks. Pay only if you decide to hire them.

Top talent is in high demand.

Start hiring