Christopher Smith, Developer in Seattle, WA, United States
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Christopher Smith

Verified Expert  in Engineering

Software Developer

Location
Seattle, WA, United States
Toptal Member Since
January 1, 2020

Chris is a visionary tech leader with 10+ years in software development at Meta and Amazon, skilled in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Node.js, and Python. He's an expert in bridging technical and business realms, leading major projects and holding patents that boost company IP. Renowned for excellent communication, he builds strong relationships and innovates strategically, focusing on impactful user experiences and business growth.

Portfolio

Assets.com
JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Node.js, React, APIs, SQL, User Interface (UI)...
Meta (Facebook)
Leadership, Teamwork, Engineering, Development, Microservices, Mobile...
Amazon
APIs, JavaScript, Databases, Cloud, AWS IoT, Microservices, API Development...

Experience

Availability

Part-time

Preferred Environment

Amazon Web Services (AWS), Visual Studio Code (VS Code), Azure, Kubernetes, MacOS

The most amazing...

...feat was my patent creation at Meta, revolutionizing software processes and significantly enhancing our IP portfolio.

Work Experience

Full-stack Developer

2023 - 2023
Assets.com
  • Integrated the Plaid financial API, enabling secure and efficient connections between user bank accounts and the platform, increasing user engagement with financial features.
  • Built a comprehensive React front-end application, facilitating user access to bank and credit card accounts, which enhanced real-time transaction syncing and improved user satisfaction.
  • Engineered a user-centric financial dashboard using React and back-end APIs, consolidating financial transactions and analytics.
  • Instituted robust security protocols in API integration and data handling.
Technologies: JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Node.js, React, APIs, SQL, User Interface (UI), User Experience (UX), Fintech, Microservices, Cloudflare, Payment APIs, PostgreSQL, Express.js, API Development, API Integration

Group Engineering Manager

2021 - 2023
Meta (Facebook)
  • Led a global release engineering team at Meta, comprising 8 direct and over 50 extended reports, overseeing the deployment of key client apps, including Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Oculus, across mobile, web, and VR platforms.
  • Managed the deployment of over 100 releases weekly, effectively reaching an audience of over three billion users, demonstrating significant operational capacity and impact.
  • Drove the ideation and development of a fully automated release process and tool suite, which successfully halved release cycles, enhancing Meta's ability to iterate rapidly and maintain a competitive edge.
  • Launched the innovative "Prevention First" initiative, shifting the focus from regression and SEV mitigation to proactive prevention. This significantly improved engineering efficiency and product quality.
Technologies: Leadership, Teamwork, Engineering, Development, Microservices, Mobile, API Development, API Integration

Head of Engineering

2020 - 2021
Amazon
  • Led the development of the Hiring and Orchestration System (HOPS) system at Amazon, overseeing the management, tracking, orchestration, and measurement of the end-to-end applicant journey.
  • Successfully reduced the global engineering team's time-to-hire by three days within just four weeks of launching HOPS, showcasing the system's effectiveness in streamlining and accelerating the hiring process.
  • Directed the communication strategies, product design, vision, launch plans, and roadmap management for HOPS, ensuring successful execution, implementation, and maintenance. Owned every aspect of the product lifecycle.
Technologies: APIs, JavaScript, Databases, Cloud, AWS IoT, Microservices, API Development, API Integration

Senior Engineer and System Architect

2020 - 2021
Tirili LLC
  • Optimized and scaled the Node.js server architecture, enhancing back-end performance and ensuring adaptability for future growth.
  • Implemented advanced security measures for patient data protection, including data encryption, secure access protocols, and MongoDB model redesign. This initiative significantly enhanced data distribution and security.
  • Developed systems for early breach detection and data isolation, safeguarding against unauthorized access and minimizing the impact of potential data compromises.
  • Successfully deployed the application on a secure, scalable web service, establishing consistent uptime and security maintenance processes.
Technologies: Node.js, MongoDB, ASP.NET, TypeScript, PostgreSQL, APIs, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microservices, Cloudflare, Express.js, API Development, API Integration

Director of Engineering

2017 - 2020
GuestX
  • Maintained an SLA uptime of 99.99% for our larger customers, such as Seattle Space Needle and Chicago Navy Pier.
  • Facilitated the conversion of key transactional functions to microservices hosted on Azure Functions for horizontal scalability.
  • Developed the core API-first foundation for the entire back-end system.
  • Led the efforts to make GuestX PCI-DSS compliant and certified.
  • Converted an in-house authentication system to a 3rd-party SSO, Auth0.
  • Migrated the entire platform from private, hybrid infrastructure to 100% Azure Cloud to support over $200 million in transactions.
Technologies: APIs, SQL, MongoDB, CSS, HTML, JavaScript, Node.js, REST APIs, TypeScript, Amazon Cognito, Big Data, Back-end, CI/CD Pipelines, Back-end Development, Full-stack, Team Leadership, User Interface (UI), User Experience (UX), Fintech, CTO, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Cloudflare, Payment APIs, Mobile, SEO Tools, Emotion API, Express.js, Django, API Development, API Integration

Founder and CTO

2013 - 2017
Ticketure
  • Founded and grew a well-funded, venture-backed startup, providing ticket-buying solutions to nearly 500 large attraction venues across six countries, culminating in acquisition by TIXTRACK in just four years.
  • Achieved a 50% boost in client efficiency by managing a cross-platform iOS and Android mobile application project, enabling venue and event managers to redeem tickets, process secure credit card transactions, and edit orders.
  • Led the development of the back-end engine written in Node.js and MongoDB.
  • Integrated with multiple 3rd-party APIs, including Stripe, PayPal, Authorize.net, Xero, Quickbooks, Auth0, and more.
  • Hired and expanded the technical team from 1 to over 30 members, including 5 engineering managers, demonstrating effective team-building and leadership skills in a fast-paced startup environment.
  • Led the innovation and submission of three US patents, demonstrating a strong commitment to technological advancement and intellectual property protection in the ticketing industry.
Technologies: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Continuous Delivery (CD), Continuous Integration (CI), AWS Lambda, Azure, SQL, MongoDB, JavaScript, Go, Node.js, REST APIs, TypeScript, Big Data, Back-end, CI/CD Pipelines, Back-end Development, Full-stack, Team Leadership, User Interface (UI), User Experience (UX), Fintech, Next.js, CTO, Contentful, Cloudflare, Payment APIs, Mobile, SEO Tools, Express.js, API Development, API Integration

VR Bungee Jump and 3rd-Person Video

https://www.usatoday.com/videos/travel/2019/09/12/what-its-like-bungee-jump-off-space-needle/2300975001/
Developed a virtual reality bungee jump off the Space Needle in Seattle, WA. We then created an application to digitally transform your face into a CGI model and deliver a video of your bungee experience.

Automated Release Process and Tool Suite at Meta

As the group engineering manager at Meta, I led the development of an automated release process and tool suite that transformed the company's software deployment strategies. My team and I significantly reduced release cycles for major applications like Facebook Android, cutting down from four to just two days and increasing the deployment frequency for Facebook.com from once a day to four times per day. This initiative expedited Meta's ability to iterate rapidly and gather user data more efficiently and reinforced our competitive edge in the market. My leadership in this project was crucial in boosting operational efficiency and enabling faster product evolution.

PCI-DSS Certification Project at GuestX

As a CTO at GuestX, I spearheaded a PCI-DSS certification project, integrating a sophisticated fraud detection software solution. This project led to an average annual saving of $40,000 per client in credit card chargebacks and prevented millions in potential fraud risks. It highlighted my ability to navigate and comply with complex security standards, implementing robust security measures that significantly reduced financial risks for both the company and its clients. My strategic approach in this project was key in establishing GuestX as a secure and reliable service provider in the financial transactions domain.

Hiring and Orchestration System (HOPS) Implementation at Amazon

http://www.amazon.com
At Amazon, I led the development and implementation of the Hiring and Orchestration System (HOPS), a project that transformed the company's end-to-end applicant journey. Managing a team of two software development managers, 17 software development engineers, and two project managers, we enhanced data accuracy and visibility across the hiring pipeline. This initiative significantly reduced manual actions, integrated disparate components into a cohesive system, and added flexibility to the hiring process. Notably, we achieved a reduction in the global engineering team's time-to-hire by three days within just four weeks of launching HOPS. My role involved overseeing all aspects of the product, from communication strategies and product design to implementation and maintenance, ensuring a seamless and efficient hiring experience at Amazon.

Languages

HTML, HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, SQL, TypeScript, GraphQL, C#.NET, PHP, Python, Go, C#

Frameworks

Bootstrap, Electron, Next.js, Express.js, ASP.NET, Django, Unity

Libraries/APIs

React, Stripe API, Twilio API, Node.js, Stripe, Authorize.net, REST APIs, API Development, Passport.js, Emotion API

Tools

SendGrid, Auth0, Amazon Cognito, PCIS2

Paradigms

Agile, Microservices, Continuous Integration (CI), Continuous Delivery (CD)

Platforms

Twilio, Bluetooth LE, Azure, Visual Studio Code (VS Code), AWS IoT, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Mobile, Firebase, Kubernetes, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Contentful, MacOS, AWS Lambda

Storage

JSON, MySQL, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, Databases

Other

Stripe Payments, API Integration, Bluetooth Beacons, Algorithms, APIs, Security, Payment Gateways, Back-end, Back-end Development, Full-stack, Team Leadership, User Interface (UI), User Experience (UX), Fintech, Leadership, Teamwork, Engineering, Development, Cloud, CTO, Cloudflare, Payment APIs, OAuth, PayPal, Bluetooth, PCI Compliance, PCI DSS, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Chatbots, Big Data, CI/CD Pipelines, SEO Tools, PCI, PCI/PA-DSS

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