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Kyle Kotowick, Ph.D., Solution Architect and Back-end Developer in Ottawa, ON, Canada
Kyle Kotowick, Ph.D.

Solution Architect and Back-end Developer in Ottawa, ON, Canada

Member since January 10, 2019
Dr. Kotowick is a leader in solution architecture, having completed his Ph.D. in MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and having served as a consultant for global firms, startups, and universities. He specializes in working with enterprise clients to define requirements and explore possible solutions, as well as in leading the development of project architecture, cloud services, and back-end software.
Kyle is now available for hire
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Portfolio

Experience

Location

Ottawa, ON, Canada

Availability

Full-time

Preferred Environment

Amazon Web Services (AWS), Serverless Architecture

The most amazing...

...project I've led was a multidisciplinary R&D program on navigation systems for military infantry in partnership with the US Department of Defense.

Employment

  • Lead Infrastructure and Software Architect

    2019 - PRESENT
    Clip Money
    • Planned the design and deployment of a fintech application for use throughout Canada.
    • Developed Go libraries for interfacing with automated transaction systems at national banks.
    • Automated a full Kubernetes deployment of 14+ microservices.
    • Designed and implemented the entire AWS architecture, including Cognito, RDS, Lambda, an API gateway, CloudFront, DynamoDB, and many other services.
    • Guided the tech strategy and long-term product design.
    • Supervised software development interns and evaluated team members' performance.
    • Designed and implemented an AWS IoT-based system for digital signage devices, including automated provisioning, registration, and secure tunneling capability.
    Technologies: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Kubernetes, Serverless, Go, Cloud, Cloud Architecture, REST APIs, CI/CD Pipelines, Architecture, Relational Database Design, Terraform, Site Reliability Engineering (SRE), FinOps, Amazon Simple Email Service (SES), Email Delivery, Email Systems

  • Technology Specialist

    2018 - PRESENT
    Team Rubicon
    • Led a world health organization emergency medical team in Mozambique to support disaster recovery operations after Cyclone Idai.
    • Supported disaster recovery operations in Northern Marianas Islands after Super Typhoon Yutu.
    • Traveled to Rockport, Texas, to support disaster recovery operations after Hurricane Harvey.
    • Managed all of the technological systems during deployments, including satellite networking, radio systems, and GPS tracking.
    • Supported the development of organization-wide technological systems, including membership portals, financial tracking, and emergency communications system preparation.
    Technologies: WiFi, GPS, Radio, Networking

  • Lead DevOps Engineer

    2022 - 2022
    Silver Eagle Systems LLC
    • Implemented a microservices-based containerization and networking model using Docker and Docker Compose.
    • Implemented CI/CD pipelines with GitHub Actions to build, test, and package releases using a trunk-based Git model and Git tags for release versions.
    • Designed a system for bundling single-file deployments for installation on air-gapped machines with no internet access.
    • Configured Nginx for serving multiple sources of static content (Angular) with a dynamic API from a single host.
    Technologies: Docker, CI/CD Pipelines, DevOps, GitHub, Microservices, Git

  • Infrastructure and Security Consultant

    2022 - 2022
    Stealth Healthcare SaaS Startup
    • Provided consulting services for application and infrastructure security.
    • Provided guidance on AWS infrastructure design for single-tenant and multi-tenant configurations.
    • Consulted on HIPAA compliance and other privacy considerations.
    Technologies: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Web Security, Authentication, Consulting, Infrastructure, IT Infrastructure, Cloud Infrastructure

  • DevOps and Infrastructure Engineer

    2022 - 2022
    Kalepa
    • Designed and implemented an enterprise-grade AWS multi-region infrastructure in a multi-account AWS organization architecture.
    • Created a modular microservices framework in Terraform for managing ECS, ECR, S3, Lambda, API Gateway, RDS, Elasticache, IAM, batch job, and AWS Step Function resources using a minimum-permissions model.
    • Developed GitHub Actions CI/CD workflows and reusable actions for Docker builds, deploying AWS resources in a trunk-based development model.
    • Designed and implemented a multi-region private network including Transit Gateway, RAM for shared subnets, multi-NAT egress with automatic failure detection and failover, private VPC endpoints for AWS services, and ingress and egress access control.
    • Maintained SOC 2 compliance and monitoring for all AWS services.
    • Integrated Datadog with AWS resources for log monitoring and alerting.
    • Provided consulting on application design patterns for security, rapid development, and high availability.
    Technologies: DevOps, AWS DevOps, GitHub, GitHub API, Amazon S3 (AWS S3), Amazon DynamoDB, AWS Lambda, Serverless Architecture, Serverless Framework, Serverless, Amazon RDS, Amazon EC2, AWS NLB, AWS HA, Amazon Elastic Container Registry (Amazon ECR), Amazon Elastic Container Service (Amazon ECS), AWS ALB, Terraform, Cloud, Docker, Docker Compose, Amazon Aurora, CI/CD Pipelines, Python, Python 3, Amazon Web Services (AWS), AWS Secrets Manager, Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), Amazon Route 53

  • Cloud Implementation Lead

    2021 - 2022
    Government of Canada - Innovation, Science and Economic Development
    • Led the AWS-based cloud implementation for a nationwide radio spectrum monitoring system.
    • Integrated with external partners for data ingestion and analytics.
    • Migrated enterprise multi-terabyte Oracle databases to AWS RDS using AWS Database Migration Service.
    Technologies: Radio, Radio Frequency (RF) Protocol, AWS IoT, Amazon RDS, Redshift, AWS Lambda, Amazon S3 (AWS S3), Amazon EC2, OpenShift, Red Hat OpenShift, Docker, Networking, Amazon Web Services (AWS), GitHub, GitHub API, Terraform, Cloud, Python 3, Python, Amazon Route 53

  • Director of Information Technology

    2014 - 2022
    MIT
    • Architected the entire IT infrastructure, including a complex website, AWS hosting, stationary and in-vehicle IoT devices, and public safety radio.
    • Developed, deployed, and managed a complex website in PHP with user credentials and qualifications enforcement, shift scheduling, automated email list membership, an interactive file library, and an ICS-integrated calendar system.
    • Designed and implemented a system to securely transfer and store protected healthcare records utilizing AES symmetric encryption.
    • Developed a system for capturing and logging all public safety radio traffic using C++ and SDR.
    • Published an iOS app for in-ambulance use for dispatching and navigation.
    • Built electronics prototypes for radio, siren, and emergency lights control.
    Technologies: Safety, Wireless, React, Django, REST APIs, SaaS, Internet of Things (IoT), Cloud, Architecture, Cloud Architecture, AWS Cloud Architecture, CI/CD Pipelines, Relational Database Design

  • Team Leader

    2020 - 2021
    proSapient
    • Led a team of developers in a Python project for global deployment.
    • Worked with the client's largest customers for customized development and deployment.
    • Reviewed software architecture and infrastructure to ensure robust and reliable design.
    • Managed integrations with AWS services, including S3 and Lambda.
    Technologies: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Nomad, Kubernetes, Python 3, Team Leadership, Architecture, Cloud, Agile, Cloud Architecture, REST APIs

  • Lead Infrastructure Engineer and Solution Architect

    2020 - 2020
    QuayChain
    • Designed, deployed, and managed all cloud infrastructure (AWS).
    • Established and enforced security policies and protocols.
    • Designed an AWS IoT infrastructure with automated provisioning and fleet management.
    • Designed and developed a GraphQL API with multiple data sources.
    Technologies: Amazon Web Services (AWS), AWS AppSync, X.509 Certificates, Amazon DynamoDB, AWS IoT, Amazon S3 (AWS S3), Terraform, GitHub, Python, Python 3, Internet of Things (IoT), Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Amazon Route 53

  • Robotics Consultant

    2020 - 2020
    Bear Creek Technologies
    • Reviewed conceptual designs for an autonomous robotic system to validate the design and provide feedback.
    • Developed cloud infrastructure for remote monitoring and manual control of multiple geographically diverse robotic systems.
    • Worked with the robot manufacturer to ensure compatibility and required functionality of onboard control hardware and software.
    Technologies: Mapping, Localization, Robot Operating System (ROS), Terraform, Amazon Web Services (AWS)

  • System Design Consultant

    2020 - 2020
    Millicom (Tigo)
    • Reviewed a system architecture proposal to determine feasibility of a major system redesign focused on a microservices architecture.
    • Provided guidance on system architecture processes, requirements, and strategies.
    • Developed a requirements document for revisions to the system architecture.
    Technologies: Microservices

  • Chief Technology Officer

    2019 - 2020
    Agribusiness Risk Underwriters
    • Assumed a technology leadership role, analyzing corporate and client needs to make decisions on technology stacks, prioritization, and design choices.
    • Managed a team of developers, including project managers, web developers, mobile developers, and graphics designers.
    • Worked directly with the CEO to define technology policy.
    • Supervised the transition from paper-based insurance policy management to a fully-digitized process.
    • Designed and implemented all cloud infrastructure to support multiple platforms, primarily in serverless architecture, with a focus on security.
    Technologies: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Confluence, Jira, Node.js, Python, Terraform, Site Reliability Engineering (SRE), Amazon Route 53

  • Prototype Engineer and Project Manager

    2019 - 2020
    King Tester Corporation
    • Managed a team of four engineers, including UI, hardware, and industrial specialists.
    • Developed a proprietary computer vision system using OpenCV and Python.
    • Integrated software with embedded system hardware, including multiple types of single-board computers.
    • Developed software tools for controlling embedded hardware devices.
    • Worked with the client to identify new product features for improving user satisfaction.
    Technologies: Bluetooth, Python, Embedded Systems, OpenCV, Computer Vision

  • Technical Consultant

    2019 - 2019
    Mosaic
    • Identified and repaired a faulty data source.
    • Worked with external agencies to find a reliable long-term solution.
    • Recovered corrupt and missing data and rebuilt the datastore.
    Technologies: Data Recovery, APIs, Python, Blockchain

  • DevOps Consultant

    2019 - 2019
    Cole eVentures, LLC
    • Worked with the client to determine the optimal relational database configuration on AWS.
    • Configured and managed an AWS RDS Aurora cluster with replication.
    • Assisted in converting an existing application to be compatible with a new RDS cluster.
    • Configured an AWS Cloud9 instance for direct interactions with an RDS cluster.
    Technologies: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Cloud9, PHP, Docker, MySQL, Amazon Aurora

  • Solution Architect

    2019 - 2019
    Global Mining Corporation
    • Served as a solution architect for one of the world's largest mining corporations with extensive operations in central Asia.
    • Evaluated technical requirements of a distributed sensor system for large mines.
    • Determined the optimal architecture for gathering, processing, archiving, and visualizing terabytes per day of sensor data.
    • Compared costs/benefits of various potential software components, including Elastic Stack, Splunk, Greylog, Docker, and Kubernetes.
    • Generated a deployment proposal for the identified architecture, including initial cost analysis.
    Technologies: On-premise, Kubernetes, Docker, Elastic

  • Prototype Engineer

    2019 - 2019
    Okta
    • Implemented a demonstration prototype of the WebAuthn protocol with support for FIDO2 USB, NFC, and Apple TouchID.
    • Built a fully responsive, modern login interface with a real-time network traffic display.
    • Deployed the prototype using Flask and provided updates as necessary.
    Technologies: Bootstrap, JavaScript, Flask, Python, WebAuth

  • Lead Cryptography Engineer

    2019 - 2019
    Taraxa
    • Implemented a secure channel injection protocol for SMTP connections.
    • Utilized multi-party computation for cooperative multi-party TLS record creation through frameworks including FRESCO and emp-tool.
    • Worked with zero-knowledge proofs for SHA-256 hash and X.509 certificate validation.
    • Developed a threaded networking framework for a blind certificate authority protocol.
    • Implemented new academic cryptographic research for production-scale deployment.
    Technologies: Python, Zero-knowledge Proofs, Secure Multi-party Computation, Transport Layer Security (TLS), Encryption

  • Lead Engineer

    2019 - 2019
    Global Top-tier Strategy Consulting Firm (via Toptal)
    • Developed a RESTful API using the Serverless Framework, Python, and AWS Aurora.
    • Designed and implemented the back-end cloud (AWS) architecture for global deployment.
    • Configured and maintained an Elasticsearch cluster, integrated with RESTful API via AWS Lambda and API Gateway.
    • Planned and implemented all security considerations, including AWS Virtual Private Cloud, virtual private network, and VPS endpoints.
    • Implemented a CI/CD pipeline, including GitLab, AWS CodePipeline, CodeBuild, and CodeDeploy, all integrated with Slack for automatic build and deployment notifications to the development team.
    • Developed scripts for automated input data processing, cleaning, and importing into a structured relational database.
    • Worked with a team of developers, including front-end and graphic design specialists.
    • Architected a global deployment strategy with multi-region failure redundancy and latency-based routing.
    Technologies: Amazon EC2, Amazon S3 (AWS S3), AWS Lambda, Elasticsearch, REST APIs, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Serverless, Python

  • Integration Consultant

    2018 - 2018
    INTSITE, Ltd.
    • Designed and prototyped a distributed IoT sensor network using IMUs, GPS, and remote cameras.
    • Developed a redundant wireless communications system for the sensor network, utilizing ZigBee/XBee radio and MIMO point-to-point WiFi.
    • Developed Python libraries for redundant and encrypted command/information transmission over the distributed network.
    • Integrated LTE cellular communications software and hardware with outdoor system deployments.
    • Developed Python libraries for image processing and file conversion.
    • Created MySQL database structure for distributed sensor datasets.
    • Provided guidance on optimal network configuration, including software and hardware.
    Technologies: Digi XBee, C#, MATLAB, MySQL, Python

  • Research Assistant and Ph.D. Candidate

    2014 - 2018
    MIT Interactive Robotics Group
    • Developed and tested novel C++ and Python control algorithms for multi-rotor UAV flights using a robot operating system (ROS).
    • Constructed a custom tactile feedback device and developed the necessary C++ control software.
    • Created virtual reality environments for user studies, including scripting in multiple proprietary languages.
    • Managed all of the Git services for the research group.
    • Collaborated with the US Department of Defense's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) on a military research project for multi-modal feedback.
    Technologies: Amazon S3 (AWS S3), PID Controllers, Git, Robot Operating System (ROS), Virtual Machines, MySQL, C++, Python

  • Research Assistant | Ph.D. Candidate

    2013 - 2014
    MIT Human Systems Laboratory
    • Developed C++ and MATLAB algorithms for processing electrocardiogram (ECG) and electromyography (EMG) data for astronauts and other users in microgravity.
    • Supported development of MATLAB software for solar flux predictions on orbital bodies.
    • Produced CAD models of environmental control and life support systems for spacecraft.
    • Engineered emergency shelters for astronauts on the lunar surface.
    Technologies: SOLIDWORKS, MATLAB

  • Research Assistant

    2011 - 2013
    UBC Robotics and Control Laboratory
    • Designed and implemented a novel ultrasound imaging algorithm in C++.
    • Wrote acoustic data processing algorithms in C++ and MATLAB.
    • Developed image processing algorithms using MATLAB and OpenCV.
    • Created statistical analysis scripts for large acoustic and image datasets.
    Technologies: MySQL, OpenCV, MATLAB, C++

Experience

  • Blind Certificate Authority
    https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/1e33/da9ebe8e4b443d33f99c5415dfda8034e873.pdf

    I implemented a prototype framework of the blind certificate authority protocol, where a CA is able to verify account ownership without learning the identity of the account. This is accomplished through a combination of a "secure channel injection" protocol, multi-party AES computation, and zero-knowledge proofs.

  • WebAuthn Demonstration Prototype

    I developed a demonstration of the WebAuthn protocol with support for FIDO2 USB, NFC, and Apple TouchID. It was deployed using Flask/Python.

  • Internal Resources Search System

    I designed and implemented all back-end aspects of an internal resources search system utilizing Elasticsearch and AWS serverless architecture. The deployment included the use of Python, Serverless Framework, AWS API Gateway, Lambda, RDS, EC2, VPC, VPN, CodePipeline, CodeBuild, and CodeDeploy.

  • EMS IT Architecture

    I architected the entire IT infrastructure for an emergency medical services (EMS) agency, including a complex website, detailed user credential and access management, AWS hosting, stationary and in-vehicle IoT devices, and public safety radio integration.

  • Distributed Sensor Network

    I designed and prototyped a distributed IoT sensor network using IMUs, GPS, remote cameras, and XBee radio. The system is deployed outdoors under harsh conditions and contains multiple redundant communications systems for high reliability.

  • Ambulance Dispatch iOS App

    I developed an app for use in ambulances to receive dispatch instructions and status updates using secure API endpoints. The app is now in service with 911 emergency response ambulances.

  • Innovation with Life-critical Systems (Publication)
    https://www.toptal.com/software/life-critical-systems
    When complex systems are life-critical, it can be extremely difficult to modernize and upgrade them safely. While many engineers will never work on such systems, there is much to be learned from those who do. In this article, Toptal Solutions Architect Dr. Kyle Kotowick explains how to properly maintain and update systems that are too important to fail.

Skills

  • Languages

    Bash, XML, PHP, Python, SQL, Go, SAML, GraphQL, Python 3, JavaScript, HTML, C++, Java, C, C#, CSS, R, Swift

  • Frameworks

    Angular, JSON Web Tokens (JWT), Serverless Framework, AWS HA, OAuth 2, Django REST Framework, Flask, Django, Redux, Selenium, Bootstrap

  • Libraries/APIs

    REST APIs, OpenID, jQuery, Dropbox API, Google Drive API, AWS Amplify, OpenCV, Node.js, GitHub API

  • Tools

    Ansible, Amazon Cognito, AWS AppSync, AWS CloudFormation, MATLAB, Git, GitHub, Terraform, Amazon Elastic Container Registry (Amazon ECR), Amazon Elastic Container Service (Amazon ECS), Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), Amazon CloudWatch, VPN, AWS ELB, HashiCorp, AWS Fargate, Amazon Simple Email Service (SES), Apache, Digi XBee, MATLAB Statistics & Machine Learning Toolbox, MATLAB Parallel Computing Toolbox, PhpBB, Microsoft Visual Studio, Docker Compose, OpenVPN, Elastic, Jira, Confluence, Postfix, Redux Thunk, SOLIDWORKS, GitLab CI/CD, Jenkins, NGINX, Amazon EKS, Wireshark

  • Paradigms

    Continuous Integration (CI), Continuous Delivery (CD), REST, Agile, RESTful Development, Human-computer Interaction (HCI), Human-centered Design (HCD), Back-end Architecture, DevOps, Serverless Architecture, Microservices, ETL, Radio Frequency (RF) Protocol

  • Platforms

    Ubuntu, Amazon EC2, Linux, AWS Lambda, AWS IoT, Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Windows, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Docker, AWS NLB, AWS ALB, Windows Server, Dropbox, WordPress, Kubernetes, Blockchain, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), OpenShift, Red Hat OpenShift

  • Storage

    JSON, Amazon Aurora, Amazon DynamoDB, Amazon S3 (AWS S3), MySQL, Azure Active Directory, Elasticsearch, Redshift, NoSQL, On-premise, AWS SWF, MongoDB

  • Industry Expertise

    Security, Cybersecurity, Project Management

  • Other

    Amazon Cognito User Pools, Architecture, Linux Administration, Linux Server Administration, Webhook, Fintech, Networking, GPS, API Integration, Consulting, IT Consulting, Solution Architecture, System Integration, Technical Design, Data Modeling, Algorithms, IoT Security, Cloud Architecture, Relational Database Design, AWS Cloud Architecture, Site Reliability Engineering (SRE), Encryption, Amazon API Gateway, Google Drive, Internet of Things (IoT), Healthcare IT, Emergency & Urgent Care, Back-end, Cloud, CTO, Remote Work, Military, Integration, Engineering, Software Engineering, Hardware Development, Command-line Interface (CLI), Research, Computer Science, Back-end Development, APIs, AWS DevOps, Serverless, Full-stack, Leadership, Technical Leadership, Team Leadership, Amazon RDS, Infrastructure, IT Infrastructure, Cloud Infrastructure, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), AWS Secrets Manager, SecOps, System Administration, FinOps, CORS, Single Sign-on (SSO), OAuth, AWS Certified Solution Architect, Cloud Security, Containerization, Web Application Firewall (WAF), TCP/IP, SSL, Back-office System Development, Email Delivery, Email Systems, Robotics, Robot Operating System (ROS), Embedded Systems, Bluetooth, IT Project Management, X.509 Certificates, Offline Data Synchronization, Asynchronous Data Streams, Synchronization, CI/CD Pipelines, HTTP, HTTPS, IIS, Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery (BCDR), Team Management, DMARC, Virtual Reality (VR), WordPress Plugins, Distributed Systems, Networks, Radio, Remote Desktop, Software as a Service (SaaS), WebAuth, Cloudflare, Data Engineering, Load Balancers, Linux Active Directory (AD), SaaS, Wireless, Safety, Virtual Machines, PID Controllers, WiFi, Transport Layer Security (TLS), Secure Multi-party Computation, Zero-knowledge Proofs, Computer Vision, Cloud9, Data Recovery, Localization, Mapping, Data Warehouse Design, Mobile Data, Nomad, Computer Engineering, FPGA, Web Security, Authentication, Amazon Route 53, Data Analytics, Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP), IT Support

Education

  • Ph.D. in Human Systems Integration
    2013 - 2018
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Cambridge, MA, USA
  • Master's Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering
    2011 - 2013
    University of British Columbia - Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science (Honors)
    2007 - 2011
    University of British Columbia - Kelowna, BC, Canada

Certifications

  • AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional
    FEBRUARY 2021 - FEBRUARY 2024
    Amazon Web Services
  • E-950: All-Hazards Incident Commander
    NOVEMBER 2016 - PRESENT
    Federal Emergency Management Agency
  • G775: Emergency Operations Center Management
    OCTOBER 2016 - PRESENT
    Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency
  • E-958: All-Hazards Operations Section Chief
    JULY 2016 - PRESENT
    Federal Emergency Management Agency
  • ICS-400: Advanced Incident Command System
    MAY 2016 - PRESENT
    Federal Emergency Management Agency
  • Amateur Radio - General Class Operator
    APRIL 2016 - AUGUST 2026
    Federal Communications Commision
  • Emergency Medical Technician
    MARCH 2014 - MARCH 2019
    National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians

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