Matthew Altberg, Developer in Toronto, Canada
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Matthew Altberg

Verified Expert  in Engineering

Software Developer

Location
Toronto, Canada
Toptal Member Since
December 16, 2021

Matthew is a passionate full stack, machine learning, and DevOps engineer with over three years of experience in the field. His professional achievements range from converting previous client infrastructure to infrastructure-as-code, to using an array of DevOps tooling to provision reproducible build servers in the cloud. Matthew has strong development expertise using Python, AWS, Kubernetes, Terraform, Bash, and Git.

Portfolio

Strong Analytics
Terraform, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Python, Linux, ARM Linux, Docker...
Thoughtexchange
Kubernetes, Terraform, Packer, Python, Bash, TypeScript, React, PostgreSQL...
Broadridge Financial Solutions
Jenkins, Perl, Bash, MySQL, Confluence, OpenEdge ABL, Python, JavaScript...

Experience

Availability

Part-time

Preferred Environment

Linux, Kubernetes, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Terraform, Bash, Ansible, PostgreSQL, Packer, Python, GitHub

The most amazing...

...thing I've done was help build a web application's back end with Python, then auto-deploy it in AWS using infrastructure as code (IaC) and Kubernetes.

Work Experience

Senior Machine Learning Engineer

2022 - PRESENT
Strong Analytics
  • Created an environment to provision and deploy a previously locally hosted web application from scratch using Terraform and Ansible.
  • Enhanced performance of Kafka consumers by increasing their throughput using Python multiprocessing.
  • Improved MLOps pipeline speed by 20% by migrating Celery queue workers to EKS and adding all required monitoring, logging, and scaling.
  • Integrated a dynamic Apache Spark cluster in Kubernetes, improving DAG speed by 25% by optimizing the Spark cluster configuration and setup.
  • Migrated pipelines to GitHub Actions, improving pipeline speed by 15% by refactoring old pipeline code and revamping it to increase its speed.
  • Implemented a standard method for DRY (don't repeat yourself) Terraform code without using a third-party tool like Terragrunt.
  • Created a method to dynamically update AWS Step Functions by only changing a JSON file and not interacting with the Terraform code.
Technologies: Terraform, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Python, Linux, ARM Linux, Docker, Docker Compose, Apache Airflow, Apache Kafka, Kubernetes, Amazon EKS, Amazon S3 (AWS S3), Amazon EC2, Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), AWS Glue, Amazon Athena, GitHub Actions, GitHub, Release Management, AWS Step Functions, Apache Spark, Amazon Elastic MapReduce (EMR), AWS Batch, Helm, Ansible, Pytest, Unit Testing, Machine Learning Operations (MLOps)

DevOps Engineer

2021 - 2022
Thoughtexchange
  • Modified the single sign-on (SSO) logic in React, TypeScript, Flask, PostgreSQL, and Auth0 to allow IdP-initiated login and SSO-restricted features. It resulted in a client's onboarding worth approximately $1 million.
  • Improved the provisioning process by restructuring Ansible playbooks and tasks to run asynchronously, achieving a 50% reduction in provisioning time.
  • Simplified the provisioning and major upgrade processes by implementing an AWS Load Balancer Controller into a Kubernetes cluster. This automated the deployment of application load balancers, listeners, and target groups.
  • Removed the entire provision and deployment queuing time by generating reproducible build servers AMIs in Packer and Jinja and deploying them on a per-user basis with Terraform.
  • Optimized the major upgrade process, negating DNS caching issues and improving network performance by 60%. Leveraged the IaC to automate the provisioning and configuration of an AWS Global Accelerator, its listeners, and endpoint groups.
  • Solved production issues while on-call by debugging the live application code and keeping open communications with client support and product teams. Resolved these major production issues concerning service outages and site crashes within an hour.
Technologies: Kubernetes, Terraform, Packer, Python, Bash, TypeScript, React, PostgreSQL, Ansible, DevOps, Amazon S3 (AWS S3), Amazon RDS, AWS ALB, Amazon EC2, Amazon Elastic Container Registry (ECR), Amazon EC2 API, AWS CLI, Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), Git, GitLab, GitLab CI/CD, Flask, SQL, HTML, CI/CD Pipelines, DigitalOcean, Database Administration (DBA), Single Sign-on (SSO), Back-end, Documentation, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Datadog, Scalr

Software Engineer

2019 - 2021
Broadridge Financial Solutions
  • Led a successful 4-member cross-functional team, ensuring quick and accurate automated deployment, which resulted in the expansion of automated deployments to new clients.
  • Spearheaded the automation of the feature reporting system by using stakeholder input to design a system with Jenkins, Perl, SQL, Git, and Confluence. This reduced the manual reporting time from one day to five minutes.
  • Facilitated the adoption of proper hiring practices during technical interviews by introducing a short series of timed interviews that reduced the interviewing length from two hours to one.
  • Trained the development, product, and customer success teams in automated deployments. Presented a concise yet thorough explanation of the various deployment components, which resulted in the broad adoption of automated deployments.
  • Produced internal tooling to prepare the entire codebase of 5000+ files and 130,000 strings for translation. These tools increased the number of files a developer translates per day from less than ten to 100+ files.
Technologies: Jenkins, Perl, Bash, MySQL, Confluence, OpenEdge ABL, Python, JavaScript, Jenkins Pipeline, OpenEdge, Progress 4GL, HTML, Git, Jira, Flask, CI/CD Pipelines, DigitalOcean, Database Administration (DBA), SQL, Back-end, Linux, Documentation, Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Mechanical Engineering Intern

2017 - 2018
Neptec Technologies
  • Created user-friendly fixtures in SOLIDWORKS to effectively and accurately test critical components in Neptec’s LiDAR—light detection and ranging—products.
  • Designed and rendered new product concepts bringing the company into the automotive industry.
  • Used finite element analysis to analyze different test fixtures under certain conditions and implemented design changes based on the results.
Technologies: SOLIDWORKS, Python 3, Mechanical Design, Mechanical Assembly, Technical Drawing, Technical Diagrams, Rendering, Physics Simulations, Documentation

Mechanical Engineering Intern

2017 - 2017
Energold Drilling
  • Collaborated with geologists and drill operators from the IMPACT Silver Mines to determine improvements for surface and underground exploration drilling rigs.
  • Analyzed drill rigs through rigorous testing and observation and developed a list of cost-effective and innovative solutions to create more efficient equipment.
  • Developed and documented potential solutions for mineral exploration drilling that would entirely remove the core analysis process.
Technologies: SOLIDWORKS, Design, Technical Drawing, Mechanical Design, Analysis, Testing, Technical Documentation, Documentation

tmpl8

https://github.com/matt2930/tmpl8
This project is a CLI tool that is used to template files before being used in a shell command. I created this project from scratch and implemented not only app code but also the required CI/CD, complete with a GitHub Actions pipeline and unit tests.

Custom SSO Login Flow

A custom login flow was created for a high-profile client to simulate IdP-initiated SSO login from their learning management system (LMS). I fully implemented the logic throughout the application's back end handling Auth0 API requests and database connections for user login. I also implemented it throughout its front end, ensuring the user does not get redirected to login and showing proper errors with invalid credentials.

Torpedo Tagger

Collaborated in the Torpedo Tagger project—a Python-based CUI that assists developers in parsing and tagging OpenEdge ABL files. The parser extracts every string from a given set of files and quickly determines if a string should be translated and the expected length of the translated strings.

The parser analyzed every file in the codebase, involving roughly 5000 files, within two minutes. The resulting application reduced the development time in half from approximately one year to six months. It also allowed developers to focus on debugging instead of finding strings to translate.

Queen's Hyperloop Design Team

https://www.facebook.com/QueensHyperloop/
Led a team of mechanical engineers in designing and implementing a propulsion system for a scaled model of a Hyperloop pod. Ensured the propulsion's design in close collaboration with other teams. Also assisted the Queen's team in partaking in the annual Hyperloop competition hosted by SpaceX in California. It was the first time Queen's had received an invitation to participate, as only the top 20 schools in the world are invited.

Languages

Bash, Python, Perl, Python 3, OpenEdge ABL, JavaScript, HTML, SQL, TypeScript

Libraries/APIs

Amazon EC2 API, Jenkins Pipeline, Auth0 API, React, DigitalOcean API

Tools

GitLab, Terraform, Ansible, Git, Docker Compose, GitHub, AWS Step Functions, Packer, SOLIDWORKS, MATLAB, Jenkins, Confluence, OpenEdge, Progress 4GL, Amazon Elastic Container Registry (ECR), Auth0, Apache Airflow, Amazon EKS, Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), AWS Glue, Amazon Athena, CircleCI, AWS Batch, Helm, Pytest, Jira, GitLab CI/CD, AWS CLI, Amazon Elastic MapReduce (EMR), Shell

Paradigms

DevOps, Mechanical Design, Unit Testing, Testing

Platforms

Kubernetes, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Amazon EC2, Docker, Linux, AWS ALB, Apache Kafka, Scalr, DigitalOcean, ARM Linux

Storage

Amazon S3 (AWS S3), PostgreSQL, MySQL, Database Administration (DBA), Datadog

Other

Documentation, GitHub Actions, Release Management, Machine Learning Operations (MLOps), CI/CD Pipelines, Amazon RDS, Single Sign-on (SSO), Back-end, Fluid Dynamics, Aerodynamics, Scuba Diving, Mechanical Assembly, Technical Drawing, Technical Diagrams, Rendering, Physics Simulations, Design, Analysis, Technical Documentation, Algorithms

Frameworks

Apache Spark, Flask, Jinja

2014 - 2019

Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering

Queen's University - Kingston, Ontario, Canada

FEBRUARY 2018 - PRESENT

Canadian Securities Course (CSC)

Canadian Securities Institute (CSI)

OCTOBER 2013 - PRESENT

Certified Scuba Diver

Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI)

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