Joshua D Buermann

TECHNICAL SUMMARY

Over ten years of professional experience in applications development with a focus on open source and web technologies. Development projects have ranged from systems support projects, team development of large web applications in startup environments, building and deploying digital research libraries, a wide variety of e-commerce applications, and systems architecture. Proven record of learning new skill sets on the job quickly.

    Platforms
    • Unixen: 15 years.
      • GNU/Linux: 12 years.
      • Solaris: 10 years.
    • MySQL: 10 years.
    • Oracle: 6 years.
    • Postgres: 3 years.
    • CVS/SVN/Git: 10 years.
    • TCP/IP, HTTP, NIS, DNS, NFS, LDAP, VIM.
    		Development
    • Ruby/Rails: 3 years.
    • Perl/Mason/mod_perl: 12 years.
    • Database design: 10 years.
    • XML: 8 years.
    • CSS: 8 years.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

    Tribune Interactive Chicago, IL Software Engineer 8/10-2/11

    • Ruby on Rails; prototype javascript framework; postgres and oracle backends.
    • Rails upgrade from 2.3 to 3.0. Prototype upgrade from 1.6 to 1.7.
    • Re-implemented a dog slow, unstable browser test suite. Cut the integration build time in half by splitting tests across parallel instances. Made the suite deterministic, rewriting firewatir tests with selenium, duck typing top level methods in cucumber and selenium to work with a problematic implementation of prototype.
    • Various feature adds, test coverage, and bug fixes for the Tribune Company's content management system, supporting dozens of markets nationwide, on an agile team of eight developers.

    Mata Traders, StudentSpace LLC Chicago, IL Consulting 12/09-Present

    • Just helping some friends out while on sabbatical.
    • Implemented a store locator integrating retailer data from a backend CRM. Cubecart 3, geokit, Google Maps API, mysql, ajax.
    • Integrated Wordpress and Google Analytics E-Commerce Tracking into Cubecart 3.0. PHP/CSS/Mysql.
    • Developed basic CRM and scheduling tool. Ruby on Rails.

    Shoppertrak/RTC Chicago, IL Architecture Developer 5/07-10/09

    • Developed a core web service for the management of a network of embedded video sensor devices deployed to a global client base using Ruby on Rails (Solaris/Oracle), XML, SSH, and FTP.
    • Re-engineered architecture of supplier-client network communications to meet PCI data security standards and mitigate our impact on client IPv4 exhaustion.
    • Rolled legacy connection protocols into the web service so communications could be centralized using a standard interface across all clients.
    • Developed a universal format for receiving client sales and labor data, encompassing the requirements for hundreds of extant legacy data feeds, future feed requirements, and developed a library in Ruby that allowed non-conforming feeds to be quickly automated with a simple configuration file.
    • Re-engineered multiple legacy systems written in procedural Perl to use DRY, object oriented libraries shared across projects via subversion externals, rolled old systems into source code control process, reduced code replication, enhanced maintainability, and generally tried to make life more consistent for operations. Database interfaces; system logging; SFTP libraries; etc.

    Zzounds Chicago, IL Software Engineer 8/04-3/07

    • Major code overhaul of large retail website separating presentation and business logic with an MVC architecture. (php5 oop, smarty templates, javascript, css, mysql).
    • Developed full back-office e-commerce integrations with a dozen merchants - via third parties or b2b - processing businesss transactions in Perl. SpsCommerce; CommerceHub; Shop.com, etc..
    • Transferred intranet tools to centralized LDAP based account management, migrating CSR intranet auth and permissions; timecard system; htaccess; machine-level restricted access; PAM configurations; and NIS tables into OpenLDAP system.
    • Design and maintenance of affiliate portal architecture.
    • Integrated existing mailing lists with the WhatCounts EmailBroadcast product.
    • Installation and integration of phpAdsNew into existing e-commerce platform.
    • Various proof-of-concept projects and installations: forum software spider, search engine, drupal cms, timecard system, price comparison portal, etc.

    Family Video Glenview, IL Software Engineer 2/04-5/04

    • Customized online store and search engine starting from osCommerce. PHP, Perl, CSS, Linux, MySQL.
    • EDI order transaction processing in Perl.
    • Credit transactions using Verisign: developed Perl library interface and managed credit transactions inside EDI process.
    • Worked closely with client's inventory manager to streamline processes for catching fraudlent orders and designing an interface for CSRs.

    Bank One Chicago, IL Software Engineer 9/03-1/04

    • Built custom web interface for reporting security patch status across multiple Windows platforms, Solaris, AIX, Linux, and HP-UX, from multiple data sources (Tivoli, Oracle, Sybase, Mysql), integrating third party updates from Security Incident Response Teams. Reports reports ran in real time to quickly respond to new security updates by the multiple business groups within the bank. >PHP, Perl, CSS, Oracle.
    • Dynamic front-end driven by my own ORM in the backend to allow flexible addition of new data fields without altering front end code.

    ARTFL/CRL, University of Chicago Chicago, IL Software Engineer/Systems Administrator 10/01-4/03

    • Working with incongruous data using Perl, building databases for use with generic code over multiple interfaces and datasets, saving development time and addressing general data integrity issues.
    • Collaborated with CRL staff members to develop presentation and interactive functionality that addresses imperatives for researchers.
    • Web interfaces in multiple languages (Perl, Python, PHP) for search and display of digital images and documents.
    • Systems migration and trouble-shooting on Linux (Redhat, Debian), Solaris and NT.
    • Apache configuration, debuggin, and performance tuning.

    Edventions Skokie, IL Software Engineer 9/99-1/01

    • Pedagogical software development. Javascript, CSS, Mason-Perl, Postgres, Linux.
    • Designed multiple sub-systems for web application from ground up and multiple tools for analysis of other sub-systems.
    • Routine performance tuning and maintenance on three-fourths of the application code.
    • Assisted co-developers in integrating new systems with existing application. Experienced in teaching new developers the framework and in assisting with code reviews and the development process. Often worked over weekends with management to smooth out presentation and functionality issues; acquired broad experience working in a team environment.
    • Managed the debugging process for a team of 6-10 developers and a high turn-over rate.

    TEK SYSTEMS/ENDEAVOR Des Plaines, IL Jr Systems Administrator 5/99-9/99

    • Remote upgrades of system software, Oracle, Apache, Solaris, AIX.
    • Automated upgrade process using Ksh and Perl.

    UNION BANK OF SWITZERLAND Chicago, IL IT Consulting, Priority Systems Management 9/98-1/2000

    • UNIX Operator, running backend scripts, automated self out of job with Perl.
    • Rewrote multiple jobs (C, various shells) in Perl for mass migrations for Y2K, from Next/SunOS 2.4 to NY/Solaris 6, and a homogenized unix filesystem standard.
    • Recompiled C programs from NeXT and SunOS 2.4 platforms to Solaris 6 (involving CCS, Make, and SunOS 2.4->2.6 linked-libraries and corresponding backwards compatibility issues).
    • Data integrity, processing, and automated reporting of financial data in Perl.
    • Wrote dynamic web site tracking 70+ data feeds for remote trading groups.

EDUCATION

Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. 1995-2000.

ADDITIONAL SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

  • Self-directed; autodidact; outside occasional bouts of esoteric mania have excellent writing and interpersonal skills.
  • Background in volunteer work leveraging information technologies for research and the creative arts. Recently involved in maintaining web-sites and developing workshop and digital publishing software for non-profit performing arts organizations. Occasionally caught picking guitar or banjo in related performances.
  • Maintained Richard Stallman's website, demonstrating capacity to work with curmudgeons.
  • Enjoy working both individually and collaboratively as part of a team. Bring unique perspective to the problem solving process while effectively compromising and synthesizing new ideas and practices based on input from others.

REFERENCES

  • Kyle McClusky: Architect, Tribune Technology.
  • Chris Sprehe: Developer, Tribune Technology.
  • Tony Coconate: Developer, Tribune Technology.
  • Mark Hasse: Chief Technical Architect, Shoppertrak.
  • Mike Brannigan: Systems Architect, Shoppertrak.
  • Andrew Bakun: Technical Lead, Zzounds.
  • Art Witczak: Systems Administrator, Zzounds.