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Nick McCrea, Software Developer in Denver, CO, United States
Nick McCrea

Software Developer in Denver, CO, United States

Member since July 8, 2014
Nick is a seasoned software engineer experienced in both front-end and back-end web development. His work has encompassed real estate and geodata modeling and mapping, robotic simulations, and home solar power modeling. Nick is proficient in TypeScript, React, Node.js, and cloud computing architectures. He enjoys working on cutting-edge projects where teamwork and effective communication are key.
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Portfolio

  • Deepblocks
    GIS, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Docker, React, Redux, TypeScript, Node.js
  • Deepblocks
    GIS, Mapbox, Firebase, Redux, React, TypeScript, Node.js
  • Deepblocks
    React, TypeScript, JavaScript, Node.js, Mapbox, SaaS

Experience

Location

Denver, CO, United States

Availability

Part-time

Preferred Environment

GitHub, Git, Terminal, Visual Studio Code (VS Code), MacOS

The most amazing...

...thing I've built is a real-time, in-browser, 3D real estate development modeling tool that allows users to model financials, zoning, and massing on any parcel.

Employment

  • Engineering Consultant

    2020 - 2021
    Deepblocks
    • Delivered several critical GIS and mapping capabilities to the Deepblocks platform.
    • Trained junior developers in the latest React and Redux development.
    • Provided guidance and expertise on cloud infrastructure strategy.
    Technologies: GIS, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Docker, React, Redux, TypeScript, Node.js

  • Lead Engineer

    2018 - 2019
    Deepblocks
    • Owned the design and architecture of the entire software stack (React, Redux, TypeScript, Node.js).
    • Managed daily engineering operations, including project planning, software design, code review and approval, integration and acceptance testing, deployments, training, and mentorship.
    • Collaborated with the engineering team to quickly break down complicated problems, explore the available solutions, and develop action plans.
    • Communicated technical risk to the CEO in order to reach a consensus on engineering strategy decisions.
    • Wrote and maintained comprehensive engineering guidelines and technical documentation.
    • Maintained a lean engineering operation with low-cost tools and services.
    Technologies: GIS, Mapbox, Firebase, Redux, React, TypeScript, Node.js

  • Chief Technical Officer (CTO)

    2017 - 2018
    Deepblocks
    • Took over responsibility for all engineering from outgoing technical leadership.
    • Built an MVP that garnered a 50% boost in seed funding from investors.
    • Led screening, interviewing, and hiring decisions to build a small, elite engineering team.
    • Established a culture of high technical standards and security-first thinking throughout the company.
    • Sought and identified a qualified successor for the executive role to focus on operations and coding.
    Technologies: React, TypeScript, JavaScript, Node.js, Mapbox, SaaS

  • Lead Engineer

    2016 - 2017
    Kinspire
    • Partnered on a startup, leading engineering for a platform serving immigrants to the US.
    • Delivered a job-matching platform that matched users across six dimensions.
    • Built and managed the promotional website.
    Technologies: PostgreSQL, Bootstrap, Ruby on Rails 5

  • Technical Editor

    2014 - 2016
    Toptal
    • Authored popular articles about fundamentals of machine learning and mobile robotics control theory.
    • Took over all content responsibilities from the outgoing editor, including author sourcing, topic brainstorming and curation, draft reviews and guidance, copy editing, technical illustration direction, SEO configuration, and publication.
    • Published dozens of lucid, technically precise, and evergreen articles on a wide range of topics, including fluid dynamics simulation, Linux namespace isolation, video game physics, and advanced programming design patterns.
    • Identified talented authors to join the editing team.
    • Increased publication output by four times and website traffic by ten times.
    Technologies: Google Docs, Skype

  • Software Engineer

    2011 - 2013
    PVPower
    • Built and shipped a home solar power modeling and optimization tool using Ruby on Rails.
    • Corresponded with Argonne National Laboratory scientists to develop a high-fidelity solar insolation model.
    • Contributed to business and technical strategy decisions.
    • Followed strict test-driven development techniques using RSpec and Cucumber to build a comprehensive test suite.
    • Participated in complex design and architecture decisions daily.
    Technologies: Agile Software Development, Test-driven Development (TDD), RSpec, MongoDB, jQuery, JavaScript, Haml, SCSS, CSS, HTML, Ruby on Rails (RoR)

  • Software Development Intern

    2010 - 2011
    Pathfinder Software
    • Implemented finished design mockups in HTML/CSS, including slicing and coding.
    • Learned the ins and outs of Ruby on Rails.
    • Practiced state-of-the-art lean web development, including small teams, development sprints, test-driven development, and other agile development methods.
    Technologies: Agile Software Development, Test-driven Development (TDD), Haml, CSS, HTML, RSpec, Ruby on Rails (RoR)

  • Software Tester

    2010 - 2010
    TZ, Inc.
    • Implemented scientific testing of control software for remotely-controlled storage locks.
    • Encountered some common challenges of embedded systems, such as correctly sensing and controlling the physical state of large banks of electromechanical locks via software.
    Technologies: Networks, Embedded Systems

Experience

  • Sobot Rimulator
    http://github.com/nmccrea/sobot-rimulator

    Sobot Rimulator is robot simulator and programming tool, built for practicing mobile robot control theory. It is an open-source project built in Python.

    Georgia Institute of Technology provided a link to Sobot Rimulator as an option to students of the January 2014 iteration of their Coursera course "Control of Mobile Robots."

  • Recursor
    https://recursor.nickmccrea.com

    Recursor is a tree fractal creator.

    This is a small project that I did with React, Redux, and TypeScript to help me practice the latest best practices in these technologies. I found the entire experience very enjoyable and fun.

  • SolarBear

    Rooftop solar system engineering is a complex task which requires the combination of panels, inverters, and other components with the right properties and in the right configuration to produce the most power for your buck. Traditional solar engineers may take several days or weeks to come up with the correct inventory of components.

    SolarBear was a free online tool which allowed users to generate these optimal configurations within seconds simply by providing their budget, power requirements, and other factors.

  • An Introductory Robot Programming Tutorial (Publication)
    https://www.toptal.com/robotics/programming-a-robot-an-introductory-tutorial
    Let's face it, robots are cool. In this post, Toptal Engineer Nick McCrea provides a step-by-step, easy-to-follow tutorial (with code samples) that walks you through the process of building a basic autonomous mobile robot.
  • Learn to Code: Wisdom and Tools for the Journey (Publication)
    https://www.toptal.com/freelance/learn-to-code-wisdom-and-tools
    It's no surprise that more and more people, from all kinds of backgrounds, are deciding to learn to code. But, each person who tackles the task is soon faced with an unpleasant reality: Learning to program is hard. Contrary to expectations, the feeling of "I don't get it," may persist unabated long into the journey, making once bright-eyed beginners feel hopeless, lost, and ready to give up. The moral of the story is this: Be prepared. The path to programmer paradise is a long one, and without the right mindset at the beginning, it can quickly lose its appeal. In this article, I'll attempt to give you some guidance on what to expect on your journey, how best to go about it, and what tools and resources you may find helpful along the way.
  • A Digital Nomad Adventure: Traveling with Hacker Paradise (Publication)
    https://www.toptal.com/freelance/a-digital-nomad-adventure-traveling-with-hacker-paradise
    The nomadic lifestyle is not a vacation. There remains an impermeable barrier between the work world within the computer, and the real world outside of it. Yet there is so much intellectual stimulation and inspiration to be found on the road, it's a genuine shame that we can’t build on it in the work we do, and with those we find around us. Making that dream a reality is the goal of Casey Rosengren and Alexey Komissarouk, founders of Hacker Paradise.
  • A Machine Learning Tutorial With Examples: An Introduction to ML Theory and Its Applications (Publication)
    https://www.toptal.com/machine-learning/machine-learning-theory-an-introductory-primer
    This Machine Learning tutorial introduces the basics of ML theory, laying down the common themes and concepts, making it easy to follow the logic and get comfortable with the topic.

Skills

  • Languages

    JavaScript, Ruby, TypeScript, HTML5, CSS3, SCSS, SQL, Python 3, Bash, C++, C, Python, HTML, CSS, Haml, Java, GraphQL

  • Frameworks

    Ruby on Rails (RoR), Redux, Ruby on Rails 5, Bootstrap

  • Libraries/APIs

    React, REST APIs, Node.js, Redux-Saga, jQuery, Scikit-learn, Pandas

  • Tools

    Atom, Git, GIS, GitHub, Vim Text Editor, Webpack, RSpec, Skype, Google Docs, Terminal

  • Paradigms

    Object-oriented Programming (OOP), Test-driven Development (TDD), Behavior-driven Development (BDD), Functional Programming, Scrum, CRUD, Agile, Web Architecture, Agile Software Development, Data Science

  • Platforms

    MacOS, Firebase, Visual Studio Code (VS Code), Mapbox, Linux, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Windows, Raspberry Pi, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Docker

  • Storage

    NoSQL, Relational Databases, MongoDB, PostgreSQL

  • Other

    Writing & Editing, Algorithms, Software Development, BaaS, SaaS, Documentation, Real Estate, Communication, Software Architecture, Geodatabases, Squarespace, Analytics, Cloud Architecture, Online Payments, Serverless, Calculus, Linear Algebra, Regression Modeling, Optimization, Google Tag Manager, Classification, Embedded Systems, Networks, Machine Learning, Cryptography, Control Systems, Robotics, Neural Networks, Differential Equations, Statistics, Data Analysis, Styled-components, Embedded Software

  • Industry Expertise

    Project Management, Security

Education

  • Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Engineering, Hardware Concentration
    2005 - 2010
    University of Florida - Gainesville, FL

Certifications

  • Machine Learning
    AUGUST 2013 - PRESENT
    Coursera
  • Cryptography I
    MAY 2013 - PRESENT
    Coursera
  • Control of Mobile Robots
    MARCH 2013 - PRESENT
    Coursera

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