Ryan Wilcox, Developer in Hartford, CT, United States
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Ryan Wilcox

Ruby on Rails Developer

Hartford, CT, United States

Toptal member since October 3, 2011

Expertise
Full-stackGitAgile DevelopmentPythonObjective-CRubyHerokuFintech DevelopmentDevOpsAPINode.jsLinuxJavaScript
Bio

Ryan has over 20 years of programming experience and extensive knowledge of Ruby on Rails, Node.js, React, and Python. Along with his hands-on skills, he has worked in technical lead, platform engineering, and architect roles and can help your team move faster and perform better.

Portfolio

AgFirst Farm Credit
C#.NET, Azure, Smalltalk, .NET, Git, Agile Software Development, Scrum, SQL...
Apollo GraphQL
CircleCI, Python, Gradle, Kotlin, TypeScript 5, React, GraphQL...
Citizens Financial Group
Node.js, Jenkins, Docker, Helm, Kubernetes, API Architecture...

Experience

  • Python - 10 years
  • JavaScript - 10 years
  • Node.js - 10 years
  • Amazon Web Services (AWS) - 9 years
  • React - 7 years
  • Docker - 7 years
  • Ruby on Rails (RoR) - 6 years
  • TypeScript 5 - 2 years

Preferred Environment

Linux, MacOS

The most amazing...

...app I've worked on was when I was the lead architect and developer on a back-end-for-front-end style application for the ESPN mobile apps.

Work Experience

Architect

2023 - 2024
AgFirst Farm Credit
  • Designed, prototyped, and then handed off responsibly for a team-level Release Engineer role and workflows, ensuring the team completed various required artifacts in the SDLC and stakeholders were informed about changes through our different environments.
  • Created a SQL schema exploration environment using GToolkit, which allowed quick interactive architectural exploration of a 300-table MS SQL database (including finding usage of structure, stored procs, or views in C# or SSIS packages (XML)).
  • Worked as the Enterprise Architect for the team directly responsible for ACH transfers and payments (among other products).
Technologies: C#.NET, Azure, Smalltalk, .NET, Git, Agile Software Development, Scrum, SQL, Functional Programming, API Architecture, Software Architecture, Technical Leadership, Architecture, Fintech

Staff Software Engineer

2021 - 2023
Apollo GraphQL
  • Implemented cloud cost reporting by environment and team, documenting how teams can build reports, and ensuring finance (a major stakeholder in this effort) had what they needed for proper accounting practices.
  • Implemented cloud cost observability and reporting for our spend by environment across both cloud-native resources and Kubernetes deployments, documenting this for teams towards a self-serve experience.
  • Improved the continuous delivery flow in CircleCI, making this a push-button experience and writing automation to remind developers to hit that button to deploy their software to production.
  • Created, abstracted, and propagated CI/CD standards with regard to deployments, linting, and builds across multiple teams and projects.
  • Prototyped and productionized Rust applications with an embedded JavaScript engine for Apollo GraphQL Supergraph composition. This reduced the internal time to adopt new supergraph versions from months to days.
Technologies: CircleCI, Python, Gradle, Kotlin, TypeScript 5, React, GraphQL, GraphQL Federation, GraphQL Code Generator, Google Cloud, Terragrunt, Terraform, Rust, Docker, Git, Agile Software Development, Scrum, JavaScript, DevOps, Linux, Node.js, Continuous Integration (CI), Functional Programming, Java, Helm, Kubernetes, API Architecture, Platform Engineering, Full-stack, Full-stack Development

Principle Engineer

2018 - 2021
Citizens Financial Group
  • Led the development and maintenance of the consumer mobile banking application, composed of 11+ full-stack “squads” building a microservice-based distributed system.
  • Led multiple teams, including a DevOps and cross-functional application development teams, to execute client and organization goals.
  • Evaluated and analyzed enterprise software solutions, providing support in planning, design, construction, and implementation of upgrades, maintenance, and migrations.
Technologies: Node.js, Jenkins, Docker, Helm, Kubernetes, API Architecture, Agile Software Development, Platform Engineering, Git, Scrum, Amazon Web Services (AWS), JavaScript, DevOps, Linux, Domain-driven Design (DDD), Continuous Integration (CI), Functional Programming, React, Technical Leadership, Full-stack, Architecture, Full-stack Development, Fintech

Software Engineer III

2015 - 2018
ESPN
  • Created an internal app for reporters to create short-form content on the go. Implemented both the iOS front end, Node.js and Coffeescript backend, and Angular admin area.
  • Led a team that created a back-end-for-front-end (BFF) service for ESPN.app, used by ESPN.app on iOS, Android, and Windows Phone, as well as by ESPN app properties in India and Southeast Asia. Domestically, these apps have 12.5 monthly users.
  • Worked on the next generation of ESPN APIs, written in Java, in areas of stream processing, cloud native elastic data stores, and API design.
Technologies: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Agile Software Development, Node.js, Java, Apache Kafka, iOS, React, Chef, Groovy, Spring Boot, Docker, MongoDB, Git, AWS OpsWorks, MySQL, Scrum, JavaScript, DevOps, Linux, Domain-driven Design (DDD), Continuous Integration (CI), Functional Programming, API Architecture, Terraform, Full-stack, Full-stack Development

Developer

2013 - 2014
Fanzter
  • Developed a social and fashion iOS app backed by Node.js (CoffeeScript).
  • Formulated and implemented an error and exception reporting and recovery strategy for the Node.js app.
  • Maintained a large Rails 2.3 codebase that had been previously upgraded from Rails 1.2.3.
  • Assisted with future product direction and design.
  • Handled data migration and synchronization work between two related products.
Technologies: Objective-C, Ruby, MongoDB, Git, Heroku, Agile Software Development, MySQL, Scrum, Amazon Web Services (AWS), iOS, JavaScript, DevOps, Linux, Node.js, Elasticsearch, Continuous Integration (CI), Functional Programming, API Architecture, Full-stack, Full-stack Development

Lead Developer

2002 - 2014
Wilcox Development Solutions
  • Contributed to versions 1.2, 2.0, 2.0.0.1, and 2.0.1 of the W.E.L.D.E.R iPhone, iPad, and Mac OS X game. The game was featured in Apple’s New and Noteworthy section of the App Store starting June 21, 2012.
  • Designed the automated Instagram printer kiosk used during Coachella 2012 (H&M's #kissforacause campaign).
  • Worked on a pocket streaming radio publishing iOS app with heavy ties to the Facebook and Spotify APIs.
  • Created a web and QuickBase-based application for the Washington, D.C. Public School Special Education Department to manage massive special education complaint and case loads. Later developed a Ruby on Rails version of the same system.
  • Developed Ruby on Rails Large (26,000+ LOC) C.S.R for Wreal TV (http://www.wreal.tv/), including integration with UPS logistic services.
  • Worked as a Dancing with the Stars (2007) Production Supervisor, designing a Python application to read from a USB timecode device vCal parsing library (2,100 lines of Python and 6,300 lines of unit tests).
  • Created various desktop applications using PyObjC, including one application consisting of over 3,000 lines of code.
  • Worked for QSAToolworks.com porting one of the original Mac apps (created circa 1983) to Mac OS X with C++ and the wxWidgets framework.
Technologies: SQL, Cocoa, JavaScript, Node.js, wxWidgets, C++, PyObjC, Python, Ruby on Rails (RoR), QuickBase, iOS, AngularJS, Git, Behavior-driven Development (BDD), Heroku, Agile Software Development, MySQL, Scrum, jQuery, Amazon Web Services (AWS), DevOps, Linux, Domain-driven Design (DDD), Continuous Integration (CI), Functional Programming, API Architecture, Full-stack, Full-stack Development

Software Developer

2012 - 2013
Green River
  • Worked on projects of varying size using technologies such as Ruby on Rails and Cocoa.
  • Self-initiated and self-directed a position with DevSales. Served as point of first contact, with a high level of involvement in sales calls.
  • Improved a Cocoa library wrapper for a custom network protocol, enabling greater abstraction and better speed for developers.
  • Implemented a training program for selling via eCommerce platforms. Implemented workflow to take the user through the steps involved in the training process.
  • Worked on a social network for teachers that included the ability to share via Google Docs so that users can quickly create and share a document with fellow teachers.
Technologies: Cocoa, Ruby on Rails (RoR), Git, Scrum, JavaScript, Linux, API Architecture, Full-stack Development

Experience

My Blog

https://blog.wilcoxd.com
I've been writing technical posts on my blog since 2003, covering a variety of topics: from technical topics to enterprise architecture, platform engineering, and detailed systems development. It was deployed on AWS with Gatsby.

Incoming SMS Service

I implemented a service-oriented architecture (SOA) web service to handle incoming and outgoing SMS messages from mobile aggressors and route them properly. It was developed in Ruby with Sinatra and EventMachine.

Lifehacker: The Beginner's Guide to Working From Home

http://lifehacker.com/the-beginners-guide-to-working-from-home-733412770
On July 9, 2013 I wrote a blog article for TopTal called "How to Work Remotely and Still Be the Best", in which I talked about my tools and techniques for working remotely. I was fortunate enough for this article to be picked up and republished on Lifehacker.

Ruby on Rails/Spree eCommerce

(Now defunct) Featured on Ars Technica on December 27, 2011. Integrated the Spree eCommerce Ruby on Rails store with a telephony app that lets users send recorded voice messages (via robocall) to select politicians or groups.
Image of The Many Interpreters and Runtimes of the Ruby Programming Language publication
Publication

The Many Interpreters and Runtimes of the Ruby Programming Language

https://www.toptal.com/developers/ruby/the-many-shades-of-the-ruby-programming-language

Education

1998 - 2002

Bachelor’s Degree in Management Information Systems

Rochester Institute of Technology - Rochester, NY

Skills

Libraries/APIs

wxWidgets, Node.js, jQuery, PyObjC, React, Terragrunt

Tools

Git, AWS OpsWorks, Chef, Jenkins, Helm, CircleCI, Gradle, Terraform

Languages

Ruby, Python, Objective-C, Groovy, JavaScript, Kotlin, GraphQL, Smalltalk, SQL, C++, Java, TypeScript 5, Rust, C#.NET

Frameworks

Cocoa, Ruby on Rails (RoR), .NET, AngularJS, Spring Boot

Paradigms

Scrum, Behavior-driven Development (BDD), Agile Software Development, DevOps, Continuous Integration (CI), API Architecture, Functional Programming

Platforms

Heroku, Amazon Web Services (AWS), iOS, Linux, Kubernetes, Docker, Apache Kafka, Azure, MacOS

Storage

QuickBase, MySQL, Google Cloud, MongoDB, Elasticsearch

Other

Full-stack, Full-stack Development, Domain-driven Design (DDD), Platform Engineering, GraphQL Federation, GraphQL Code Generator, Technical Leadership, Architecture, Fintech, Business, Operations, Finance, IT Project Management, Asynchronous I/O, CMS, Software Architecture

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