Hugh is available for hire
Hire HughHugh Ediet
Verified Expert in Engineering
Full-stack Developer
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Toptal member since May 6, 2019
Bio
Hugh has over 30 years of experience developing software across a breadth of technical and business domains. He is as comfortable bringing his analytical skills to bear at the level of bare metal to complex constellations of processes. He is passionate about problem solving and happy contributing wherever the project requires.
Portfolio
Early-stage Startup
C++, C, Espressif, ESP32, Google Test, GPS, Python 3, KiCad, E Ink, Embedded C...
Avorra
C++, C, LXC, Linux, Linux Kernel, RESTFul APIs, Transactional api, Containers
Compass
Python, Relational Databases, JavaScript, Python 3, React, jQuery, Go, Java...
Experience
- Full-stack - 10 years
- JavaScript - 8 years
- Go - 5 years
- Python 3 - 5 years
- Kernel Programming - 5 years
- Rust - 3 years
- Vue 2 - 3 years
- gRPC - 1 year
Preferred Environment
Git, Linux
The most amazing...
...project I've developed was a novel algorithm to reverse-engineer cellular networks 31,000x faster.
Work Experience
Embedded Engineer
2024 - 2025
Early-stage Startup
- Developed an ultra-low power e-Paper clock using the ESP32 SoC.
- Integrated a GPS module for self-setting and correcting features, allowing periodic power on/off cycles.
- Wrote a font renderer to provide complex morphing animation within the power envelope.
Technologies: C++, C, Espressif, ESP32, Google Test, GPS, Python 3, KiCad, E Ink, Embedded C, FreeRTOS, CMake, ARM, Sensors & Actuators, ARM Embedded
Senior C/C++ Developer
2023 - 2024
Avorra
- Developed an LXC containerization/virtualization system to track, isolate, and secure running untrusted JavaScript code for serverless telephony.
- Achieved a 40x throughput improvement over the previous solution while maintaining the same cost.
- Implemented a bridge and API to expose telephony services to end-users.
Technologies: C++, C, LXC, Linux, Linux Kernel, RESTFul APIs, Transactional api, Containers
Senior Full-stack Development Manager
2021 - 2022
Compass
- Integrated forms management, e-signature, and compliance workflows into the broader cloud-based real estate services platform.
- Facilitated the integration of core teams into a cohesive unit following the company's acquisition.
- Architected a gradual integration strategy prioritizing business agility, preservation of business value, and minimizing integration risk between Python and Java systems.
- Extended and improved the robustness of the in-house Python framework that manages the task graph.
Technologies: Python, Relational Databases, JavaScript, Python 3, React, jQuery, Go, Java, Apache Kafka, Kafka Streams, API Integration, Microservices, API Gateways, Apache Thrift, Database Architecture, PostgreSQL, Software Architecture, Flask, Tailwind CSS, Redux, RESTFul APIs, Transactional api, Containers
Go Developer
2021 - 2021
Synphonyte UG
- Reverse-engineered an orphaned XML API to facilitate flight reservations.
- Developed a complete Go API representing over 800 entities and enforcing over 3,500 business rules.
- Delivered the project on an extremely tight deadline to capitalize on a fleeting market opportunity.
Technologies: Go, SOAP, XML, JSON, APIs, Reverse Engineering, RESTFul APIs, Transactional api, Containers
Lead Full-stack Engineer
2020 - 2021
Cogni, Inc
- Implemented a tiered subscription model offering bespoke microloans and preferred partner discounts.
- Directed the rebranding of mobile and web experiences.
- Took over for the departed VP of engineering, managing responsibilities until a permanent replacement was found.
- Rolled out a comprehensive, multi-pronged analytics infrastructure.
Technologies: Go, JavaScript, React, Amazon S3 (AWS S3), Amazon Simple Queue Service (SQS), Agile, PostgreSQL, RESTful Microservices, Leadership, Fintech, Loans & Lending, RESTFul APIs, Transactional api, Containers
Back-end Go Developer
2019 - 2020
Calm.com (via Toptal)
- Separated subscriptions from the monolithic application into Go microservice with a CQRS/Event Sourcing architecture.
- Designed subscription data models for production and pipeline to the analytics team.
- Developed a back-end for promotional pricing with A/B testing.
- Improved test resolution/ease-of-use, contributed new patterns for more agile and less brittle integration tests, reduced docker image sizes 10x, feature enhancements to in-house DevOps tools.
Technologies: Amazon Web Services (AWS), CircleCI, Jenkins, Terraform, Kubernetes, Docker, Datadog, LaunchDarkly, Redis, PostgreSQL, Apache Kafka, Amazon Simple Notification Service (SNS), Amazon S3 (AWS S3), Amazon Simple Queue Service (SQS), Node.js, JavaScript, Go, RESTFul APIs, Transactional api, Containers
Director of IT | Lead Engineer
2009 - 2019
Columbia University Medical Center
- Developed comprehensive services management and billing system with multiple web front ends that securely made available 30+ million records per year, resulting in a frictionless UX (React, SSR, server streaming, Vue, gRPC, Go, Django, and Postgres).
- Productized research group's method of identifying protein-protein interactions with an improved algorithm (1,000x faster). This speed-up enabled them to stay within budget and explore 100x more genomes (built with Rust, Python, C/C++, and ASM).
- Designed and coordinated the implementation of the architecture for secure sharing and analysis of patient data. Was responsible for ongoing auditing and oversight of security compliance (HIPAA and internal controls).
- Cleaned and restructured a 40TB genomic dataset for a quality and high-performance distributed analysis in the cloud (AWS) along with a custom storage engine.
- Created an original dual-space algorithm (41 years reduced to 18 hours) to identify complex genetic disorders (built with ASM and GPU).
- Built a container system to sandbox users and fair share limited resources (built with C).
- Developed a compute swarm that robustly handles failures, dynamically redistributes computation, and scales efficiently—scaled to 6,000 instances (built with C/C++, Go, and Python).
- Wrote a Linux overlay file system with real-time adaptive, user-based QoS limits for a 5,000-node compute cluster to prevent runaway usage. A user can only slow themselves down (built with C).
Technologies: Amazon Web Services (AWS), MySQL, PostgreSQL, Google Compute Engine (GCE), Kernel Programming, ASM, Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), MATLAB, R, Protobuf, gRPC, Python, C, C++, Rust, Go, JavaScript, NVIDIA CUDA, CMake, Django, Flask, HIPAA Compliance, FastAPI, Ubuntu, OpenCV, Firebase, RESTFul APIs, Transactional api
Senior Vice President
2003 - 2004
Lehman Brothers
- Led a profitable quantitative equity trading team within a mixed disciplinary group.
- Removed an obstacle to a strategy testing framework by adding time-series extensions to MySQL and improved strategy development time 3x.
- Wrote an Excel extension to support the real-time bidirectional communication and live-feed of market data.
Technologies: Perl, MATLAB, R, C, C++, Linux
Vice President
2000 - 2002
Morgan Stanley
- Proposed, modeled, and implemented improvements to VWAP execution strategy yielding a 3% price improvement without notably increasing volatility.
- Developed (full-stack) a monitoring system to track all of the firm’s agency equity trades flowing through our execution strategies internationally.
- Built a robust C++ live trading engine with an embedded JavaScript VM for Nimble and safe incremental execution strategy development.
- Increased customer utilization by 10% by tuning and extending the limit-order model.
- Increased returns by 5% on proprietary reversion strategy by better modeling and anticipating risk.
Technologies: JavaScript, Python, Perl, MOSEK, SAS, MATLAB, R, C++
Project Manager
1999 - 2000
Investment Technology Group
- Refactored and restructured a broken portfolio optimization product to reinvigorate sales.
- Increased the optimizer value by creating and implementing a mathematical model for tax handling of wash-sales.
- Interacted heavily with clients to provide unique extensions for their needs.
Technologies: CPLEX, MATLAB, C, C++, CMake, Linux
Founder
1997 - 1999
Pencom New Technologies
- Designed and implemented back-end systems and RPC to the front end to manage distributed telephony switching equipment for a client.
- Implemented a two-tier data entry system for trading floor booking for a client.
- Grew the consulting startup to 35 full-time employees.
Technologies: C, C++
Senior Software Analyst
1996 - 1997
Aspen Technology, Inc.
- Sped-up new process modeling by developing chemical engineering specific scripting language.
- Reduced time spent on DevOps by 25% teamwide by creating a multiplatform, incremental build system.
- Built a CORBA RPC back-end for chemical process modeling and optimization software.
Technologies: CORBA, Python, Perl, C
Lead Unix Administrator
1994 - 1996
University of Denver
- Developed a frictionless portal to bill 10,000 students for printing services.
- Built a DNS front-end/database system for managing endpoint networking for the whole campus.
- Managed systems administration team for all central Unix systems.
Technologies: Print, Printer Drivers, RPC, Perl, C, Unix
Experience
I/O Throttling
I blocked cluster computations from crippling the NAS. Some operations are more taxing than others, so limiting bandwidth alone is insufficient. I wrote a file system to run on the compute nodes, which would adaptively rate-limit I/O operations based on their aggregate volume by type.
JavaScript Sandbox
I've embedded a JavaScript VM in an equity trading engine to provide a robust and safe live trading environment for the development of a rapid strategy and the refinement of an agile iterative process.
MySQL Timeseries Extension
I extended a MySQL engine to support time series as a fundamental data type. It was used by Lehman Brothers for equity trading research.
Skills
Libraries/APIs
Protobuf, Node.js, Vue 2, Python Asyncio, Buefy, OpenCV, Vuex, Pthreads, React, jQuery
Tools
Docker Compose, Git, Google Compute Engine (GCE), Amazon Simple Queue Service (SQS), Amazon Simple Notification Service (SNS), Terraform, Jenkins, CircleCI, MATLAB, CPLEX, MOSEK, LaunchDarkly, Kafka Streams, KiCad, CMake
Languages
Python, Go, C++, JavaScript, C, Python 3, CoffeeScript, Rust, R, Assembly Language, Embedded C++, Perl, SAS, Objective-C, Swift, XML, Java, Embedded C
Frameworks
gRPC, Bulma, Nuxt.js, ASM, Angular, Boost, Google Test, Apache Thrift, Flask, Django, Tailwind CSS, Redux
Paradigms
Concurrent Programming, Microservices, Scalable Application, Agile, Socket Programming, Service-oriented Architecture (SOA), Behavior-driven Development (BDD), Microservices Architecture, Test-driven Development (TDD), HIPAA Compliance
Platforms
Android, Linux, Firebase, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Ubuntu, Unix, Docker, Kernel Programming, Kubernetes, Apache Kafka, NVIDIA CUDA
Storage
PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, Amazon S3 (AWS S3), Redis, CockroachDB, Berkeley DB, Datadog, JSON, Relational Databases, Database Architecture
Other
Mobile App Development, Freelancing, Back-end Development, RESTFul APIs, Transactional api, Containers, Full-stack, Protocol Design, LDAP, GPU Computing, Domain-driven Design (DDD), FastAPI, Data Science, ARM, ARM Embedded, Loans & Lending, Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), RPC, Printer Drivers, Print, CORBA, RESTful Microservices, Leadership, Fintech, SOAP, APIs, API Integration, API Gateways, LXC, Linux Kernel, Espressif, ESP32, GPS, E Ink, Linux Kernel Programming, Linux Filesystem, Software Architecture, FreeRTOS, Reverse Engineering, Sensors & Actuators
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