Stephen is available for hire

Stephen Shaffer

Verified Expert in Engineering

Software Developer

Location

Ithaca, United States

Toptal Member Since

November 15, 2022

Stephen has been developing software for over 20 years, initially as a web developer and later focusing on database development and tuning. His focus has always been on the business and determining how to use technology to achieve organizational goals.

Troubleshooting Microsoft SQL Server SQL Databases SQL Performance Query Plan Data Integration Azure SQL ColdFusion ETL Visual Basic .NET (VB.NET)SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS)Chatbots SQL Stored Procedures SQL Triggers Stored Procedure

Portfolio

Teaching Strategies

SQL Server 2017, SQL Server 2008 R2, SQL Performance, Performance Tuning...

Bid4Assets

Azure SQL, SQL Performance, Business Logic, Online Auctions...

Ansonia Credit Data

Azure SQL, Azure SQL Databases, SQL Server 2017, SQL Performance, VB.NET...

Experience

Troubleshooting - 20 years Microsoft SQL Server - 20 years Business - 20 years Requirements & Specifications - 20 years Performance Tuning - 10 years SQL Performance - 10 years Fraud Prevention - 10 years Azure SQL - 7 years

Availability

Part-time

Preferred Environment

Microsoft SQL Server, Azure SQL

The most amazing...

...thing I've worked on is deterring $300,000 in fraud during a digital marketing campaign.

Work Experience

Senior Microsoft SQL Server Developer | Contractor

2017 - PRESENT

Teaching Strategies

Conducted Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 to Microsoft SQL Server 2017 performance tuning and troubleshooting, which included working on queries, indexes, deadlocks, timeouts, and server configurations.
Reviewed software developers' Microsoft SQL Server code.
Designed and reviewed the Microsoft SQL Server configuration for existing and future projects.

Technologies: SQL Server 2017, SQL Server 2008 R2, SQL Performance, Performance Tuning, Troubleshooting, SQL Triggers, Database Triggers, Server Configuration, SQL Stored Procedures, T-SQL (Transact-SQL), ColdFusion, Stored Procedure, User-defined Functions (UDF), Microsoft SQL Server, Database Optimization, Databases, SolarWinds, Query Plan, DB, Optimization

Senior Microsoft SQL Server Developer | Contractor

2013 - PRESENT

Bid4Assets

Acted as the primary SQL developer, working on development, architecture, performance tuning, and administration.
Handled the hosted Microsoft SQL Server 2008 to Azure SQL migration.
Designed the exclusive online sheriff auctions in the US.

Technologies: Azure SQL, SQL Performance, Business Logic, Online Auctions, Business Requirements, SQL Stored Procedures, SQL Views, SQL Triggers, SQL Functions, SQL Server 2008, Zoho API, Zoho Books, Navision, Intuit QuickBooks, Stored Procedure, User-defined Functions (UDF), Microsoft SQL Server, Database Optimization, Databases, Query Plan, DB, Optimization

Senior Microsoft SQL Server Developer | Contractor

2014 - 2022

Ansonia Credit Data

Managed the monthly data import process, covering over 1,000 contributors, with $78 billion in commercial-trade accounts receivable.
Conducted performance tuning of Microsoft SQL Server on the Azure SQL Managed Instance.
Supplied data for business credit reports and the client accounts receivable analysis tool by working on company data normalization and accounts receivable information.

Technologies: Azure SQL, Azure SQL Databases, SQL Server 2017, SQL Performance, VB.NET, Import/Export, ETL, Azure Data Factory, Stored Procedure, User-defined Functions (UDF), Microsoft SQL Server, Database Optimization, Databases, Query Plan, DB, Optimization

SQL Developer

2010 - 2014

Havas Group

Collaborated with Groupon on data integration and analysis for an email marketing campaign. This included Groupon, Havas SSIS, and qualtrics survey system integration, along with fraud detection and deterrence, with $300,000 in deterred fraud.
Utilized SQL Server Integration Services for data integration between the Havas Group, Sonic Drive-In, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, and Google Analytics as part of a project for Sonic Drive-In.
Conducted client support for Microsoft SQL Server data architecture, design, and implementation.

Technologies: SQL Server 2005, SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), Microsoft Data Transformation Services (now SSIS), Large Data Sets, Email Marketing, Fraud Prevention, Fraud Investigation, Databases, DB

SQL Developer

2008 - 2010

CoStar Group

Served as an internal management system developer, contributing to an online commercial real estate information management system that focuses on properties in the US and UK.
Designed and implemented a usage-tracking database of CoStar Group's products for applications, business intelligence reports, and annual reports.
Conducted anti-scraping research and analysis to protect the company's copyrights.
Contributed to data cleaning, normalization, XQuery XML parsing, extended stored procedures, triggers, Transact-SQL development, and optimization.

Technologies: SQL, SQL Server 2008, SQL Server 2005, SQL Server 2000, Navision, SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), Data Transformation, TFS, Databases, DB

Experience

PollQ

Built PollQ, an edtech polling software used in higher education. This tool allowed classroom polling using a chatbot mobile app feature that would send information to users. The app was operational between August 2015 and January 2019.

Pick2Pay

Developed Pick2Pay, an app that enables users to maximize their credit card rewards by choosing the right card for every online and in-store transaction. The app was deployed on iOS and Android, with the project being operational between September 2012 and July 2016.

Skills

Languages

SQL, Stored Procedure, Visual Basic .NET (VB.NET), T-SQL (Transact-SQL), VB.NET, PHP

Tools

Query Plan, SolarWinds, Navision, TFS

Storage

Microsoft SQL Server, SQL Performance, Databases, DB, Data Integration, Azure SQL, SQL Stored Procedures, SQL Views, SQL Triggers, SQL Functions, SQL Server 2008, SQL Server 2017, SQL Server 2008 R2, Database Triggers, Azure SQL Databases, SQL Server 2005, SQL Server 2000, SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS)

Other

Troubleshooting, User-defined Functions (UDF), Database Optimization, Performance Tuning, Fraud Prevention, Fraud Investigation, Requirements & Specifications, Accounting Systems, Online Auctions, Optimization, Business, ColdFusion, Credit Cards, Business Logic, Business Requirements, Server Configuration, Import/Export, Data Transformation, Microsoft Data Transformation Services (now SSIS), Large Data Sets, Email Marketing, Zoho Books, Intuit QuickBooks, APIs, Chatbots, Azure Data Factory

Libraries/APIs

Zoho API

Paradigms

ETL

Education

2005 - 2008

Master's Degree in Business Administration

George Mason University - Fairfax, VA, USA

1995 - 1998

Bachelor's Degree in Business Management

Pennsylvania State University - University Park, PA, USA

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