Matthew is available for hire

Matthew McKarcher

Verified Expert in Engineering

Software Developer

Location

Benaulim, Goa, India

Toptal Member Since

November 13, 2019

Matthew has over 20 years of industry experience developing content management solutions in both large and small scale environments. He's worked autonomously in both corporate and freelance for the past decade, thriving on his ability to communicate with clients and leverage any technology required.

Domains & Hosting CSS LAMP MySQL PHP jQuery MacOS HTML5 Caching SQL Vanilla JS Linux Apache WordPress REST APIs

Portfolio

Clickstop (via Toptal)

JavaScript, Sass, CSS, HTML, Shopify API, Liquid, Shopify

Sattva Vastra Pvt Ltd

iMovie, Adobe Photoshop, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, Liquid, Shopify

Stealth Creative

REST, PHP, CSS, HTML, jQuery, JavaScript, WordPress, Laravel

Experience

CSS - 20 years JavaScript - 20 years SQL - 20 years HTML - 20 years PHP - 14 years jQuery - 12 years Shopify - 7 years Liquid - 4 years

Availability

Part-time

Preferred Environment

Brackets, Linux, MacOS

The most amazing...

...thing I've worked on recently was being tasked to build an earlier test version of Toptal's profile builder.

Work Experience

Shopify Developer

2019 - PRESENT

Clickstop (via Toptal)

Built a custom theme to be distributed across three stores.
Developed dynamic sections.

Technologies: JavaScript, Sass, CSS, HTML, Shopify API, Liquid, Shopify

Shopify Developer

2018 - 2019

Sattva Vastra Pvt Ltd

Rebuilt a WordPress/WooCommerce eCommerce site for a Bombay-based client.
Created site from barebones Shopify theme and was responsible for all design choices.
Created all working modules in pure Liquid with no Shopify Apps.
Involved in model photo shoots, modeling, and turning footage into promotional material.
Filmed local manufacturing process locally in Mumbai for more promotional material and advertising.

Technologies: iMovie, Adobe Photoshop, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, Liquid, Shopify

Full-stack Developer

2016 - 2019

Stealth Creative

Created and configured a new server instance for each new customer.
Leveraged Digital Ocean API to view server statistics in real time.
Provided onsite training to FTEs in basic HTML and native JavaScript.
Created custom WordPress themes based on the design team's wireframes.
Implemented a Laravel installation and utilized AsgardCMS for content management functionality.
Produce and update annual online competition for a major client using Laravel.

Technologies: REST, PHP, CSS, HTML, jQuery, JavaScript, WordPress, Laravel

Front-end Web Developer

2015 - 2016

Invisible Ink

Worked on various projects during all phases of development.
Re-faced one major Shopify client, rolling out the 2nd iteration of their successful brand.
Built one Shopify site from beginning to end, based on a pre-selected theme and creative's PSD mockup.
Modified existing WordPress implementations, varying from CSS and HTML updates to functional additions and custom coding.
Worked on-site as needed to collect requirements and help with delivery timelines.

Technologies: Adobe Photoshop, jQuery, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, WordPress, Shopify

Full-stack Software Engineer

2010 - 2011

Pacific Gas & Electric

Worked on a home-grown software built originally as Saas, to be implemented within PG&E's intranet.
Worked with project sponsor and BAs to define business needs.
Modified and updated software as needed based on business requirements.
Ultimately succeeded in finding gaps between capacity and demand based on program manager input.
Produced dynamic charts in real time to be presented to program ownership.

Technologies: Adobe Photoshop, Flot, Ajax, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, MySQL, PHP

Vignette/Omniture Developer

2008 - 2010

Wachovia

Contributed to Vignette V6 , V7, TCL, and JSP programming for existing content management systems.
Parsed XML in TCL for live feeds of Wachovia Championship data.
Headed all development and deployment of Omniture tagging, impacting more than 100,000 live web pages.
Configured, implemented, and tested Omniture's marketing campaigns.
Led Akamai administration for local assets.

Technologies: Akamai, Omniture, CSS, HTML, XML, Jakarta Server Pages (JSP), Tcl, Vignette

Vignette Developer

2007 - 2007

Ameriprise Financial

Led V7 local installation and configuration.
Created all BA-defined workflows with the Vignette-Visio plugin.
Created custom event listeners as per workflow spec to fire various communications.
Developed and coded a custom JSP template.

Technologies: Eclipse, NetBeans, Visio, Jakarta Server Pages (JSP), Vignette

Vignette Developer

2005 - 2007

Wells Fargo

Served as the sole developer in the capital markets business unit tasked with creating an application to track resource capacity and allocation within the group.
Successfully developed the application, having hand-written everything from Java/JSP to the HTML/CSS.
Deployed the application to various business units within the company.
Transferred knowledge and code to in-house developers upon departure from contract.

Technologies: Ant Design, Microsoft SQL Server, CSS, HTML, JavaScript, Jakarta Server Pages (JSP), Java, Vignette

Web Developer

2005 - 2005

Southern Bell Communications

Contributed to weekly requirements gathering and distribution of tasks.
Pushed standard code updates and defect updates to staging with weekly production pushes.
Imported new products and services to SBC's shopping page.
Took in customer complaints in real time, created change requests, and implemented fixes.

Technologies: Microsoft SQL Server, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, Tcl, Vignette

Software Engineer

2004 - 2004

Nissan USA

Assisted in defect resolution prior to the release of all 2005 model information.
Managed and corrected Spanish content errors.
Resolved defects in both TCL and Java.
Implemented last-minute design mockups from creative departments.

Technologies: Eclipse, WebSphere, Adobe Photoshop, CSS, HTML, Jakarta Server Pages (JSP), Java, Tcl, Vignette

Vignette Consultant

2003 - 2003

Ballard Power Systems

Installed and developed a new multisite content manager instance.
Managed onsite and remote installs between corporate headquarters and satellite sites.
Migrated the full database from SQL Server to Oracle.
Configured IIS and Tomcat.
Configured Vignette's JSP and ASP interpreter.

Technologies: Apache Tomcat, IIS, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, Active Server Pages (ASP), Jakarta Server Pages (JSP), Tcl, SQL, Vignette

Vignette Consultant

2002 - 2003

Thermo Electron

Contracted to troubleshoot the poor performance of V6's MCM instance.
Performed additional MCM configuration and testing.
Tested both TCL and JSP templates.
Extracted all SQL to run manual tests.
Developed, pitched, and ultimately implemented a new caching strategy and improved overall performance.

Technologies: SQL, Jakarta Server Pages (JSP), Tcl, Vignette

Software Engineer

2002 - 2002

JP Morgan Chase

Assisted in the analysis and design of various internal websites designed for bank customers.
Produced most projects directly from a PSD mockup.
Rewrote existing TCL based code into JSP, running on a Java environment.
Collaborated with and mentored both employees and contractors.

Technologies: HTML, CSS, Adobe Photoshop, Tcl, Jakarta Server Pages (JSP), Java, Vignette

Lead Developer

2001 - 2002

Cap Gemini

Coordinated with other team leads to for integration of modules.
Developed and documented caching strategy for two primary modules.
Conducted code reviews and basic training to local staff in Vignette methodologies and caching.
Localized all content per domain extension to serve translated content.
Enabled Vignette's Classic ASP template type to allow various staff the ability to code in their preferred language.

Technologies: CSS, HTML, Classic ASP, JavaScript, Tcl, Vignette

Senior Software Engineer

2000 - 2001

Wheelhouse

Acted as the lead developer to rebuild major sports network site within a Vignette framework.
Served a major role in the initial site analysis and requirements gathering from the end-client.
Installed original versions of StoryServer 4.2, and ultimately migrated to the newly released V/5.
Co-wrote the entire CMA (content management application) and coordinated with the front-end team to link the two systems.
Made routine trips to the end-client for testing against both iterations of their site.

Technologies: JavaScript, CSS, HTML, Tcl, PHP, Vignette

Vignette Consultant

2000 - 2000

Ingram Micro

Managed all defect resolution in business unit.
Implemented custom JSP pages into Vignette's environment.
Gathered requirements from the business per each project proposed.
Involved in the design and graphics additions/updates.

Technologies: JavaScript, HTML, Tcl, PHP, Vignette

Vignette Consultant

2000 - 2000

Sales Logix

Oversaw the installation and configuration of Vignette StoryServer.
Tasked with re-creating the existing site's PHP functions into Tcl functions.
Led onsite training for FTEs of Vignette's methodologies and uses.

Technologies: JavaScript, HTML, Tcl, PHP, Vignette

Vignette Professional Services

1999 - 2000

Encyclopædia Britannica

Completed rapid web server configuration after the site crashed immediately following site launch.
Served as the lead developer for "microsite" ad-campaign creation and management.
Wrote Perl scripts to automate the delivery of campaign data to business units.
Wrote custom cookies in TCL to ensure repeat visitors did not see previous ad content.
Worked directly with vendors to receive content and assets to be integrated into the microsite.

Technologies: JavaScript, Tcl, CSS, HTML, Vignette

QA Engineer

1997 - 1999

Sierra On-line

Served as the lead tester on various video game titles.

Experience

Wahl Barber Battle

Three years running now, Wahl has an online competition for each user to demonstrate three specific haircuts and upload them to the barber battle website.

Running on a Laravel platform, I'm responsible for taking each year's design updates and implementing them accordingly. This year we also added SMS-based OTP for user authentication.

Skills

Languages

HTML, CSS, PHP, HTML5, JavaScript, SQL, Tcl/Tk, Visual Basic, VBScript, Tcl, Java, Active Server Pages (ASP), Sass, XML

Libraries/APIs

jQuery, Liquid, REST APIs, Shopify API, Facebook API, DigitalOcean API, Flot

Platforms

MacOS, DigitalOcean, Shopify, LAMP, WordPress, Linux, Ubuntu, Omniture, WebSphere, Eclipse, NetBeans, WooCommerce, Oracle

Storage

MySQL, MariaDB, SQL Server 2000, JSON, Microsoft SQL Server, SQL Server 2008, IBM Db2

Other

Domains & Hosting, Black Box Testing, Vignette Portal, Caching, White Box Testing, eCommerce, Vignette, IIS, Akamai, Ajax, Google Search Console, Google SEO, Web Server (IIS), Localization

Frameworks

Laravel, Vanilla JS, Classic ASP, Ant Design, CodeIgniter, Yii 2, Jakarta Server Pages (JSP), Prototype Framework

Tools

Photoshop CC, Brackets, Google Analytics, Apache, Let's Encrypt, Adobe Photoshop, Apache Tomcat, Visio, Illustrator CC, PhpStorm, AsgardCMS, iMovie, Shopify Plus

Paradigms

Declarative Programming, REST, Agile, Object-oriented Programming (OOP)

Collaboration That Works

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