Profile

Motivated Software and Database Engineer with over 15 years’ experience in a variety of technologies. Strong team-working skills, with flexibility and the ability to learn quickly on the job. A lateral approach to problem solving. Understands the importance of a customer-focused approach – both internal and external, and has strength and interest in mentoring others and in increasing a team’s overall knowledge base.

Key Skills

  • C/C++, UNIX/POSIX scripting (sh/bash/ksh), PHP, Python
  • API specification and development
  • RDBMS, Oracle 9i/10g/11g, OCI, PL/SQL, MySQL, PostgreSQL
    • Oracle Certified Associate DBA at 9i and 11g
  • SCM, Clearcase, Subversion, Git
  • Linux, HP-UX, SAN technologies (EMC, HP, IBM and dotHill)
  • Mentoring

Experience

Concept Systems Ltd.

Edinburgh
Aug 2013 – Dec 2014
Contract Software Engineer

  • Re-implemented PostgreSQL DB back end of seismic navigation system, including schema remodelling and refactoring C++ API.
  • Various PostgreSQL DB tuning tasks.
  • Defect fixing in a variety of areas e.g. Qt GUI work, newer C++ components and legacy C code.

JDSU

Edinburgh
Nov 2011 – May 2013
New Product Introduction Engineer

  • Defined support ticket process for new product spanning independent business groups.
  • Provided requirements into product lifecycle for deployment and supportability.
  • Covered the technical planning and rollout of a number of new releases over several products at lead customers, plus general technical support to various parts of the organization in areas of technical expertise.
  • Led in introduction of replacement DB technology based on Infobright and MySQL to replace Oracle in TDR storage solution. This incorporated training of field engineers for support tasks.
  • Worked closely onsite with customers to determine system expansion requirements, including SAN and server hardware. Involved working with 3 parties to re-architect poorly performing storage setup with Oracle DB.

Senior Development Engineer (fixed term)

Edinburgh
Aug 2010 – Feb 2011

  • Development of config and other APIs for use in both C# and Visual C++
  • Defining SCM toolkit system using Python and Subversion, in combination with continuous integration build system Hudson.
  • Technical supervision of graduate engineers.

Agilent Technologies (formerly HP)

South Queensferry, Lothian
1999 – 2010
Senior Development Engineer 2002 - 2010

  • Senior Engineer developing the Oracle and C/C++ based database component of world-leading telecoms network troubleshooting system, handling a constant rate of tens of thousands of inserts per second per location over tens of databases with near-real-time data availability while maintaining high levels of query responsiveness required for online problem solving.
  • Set up and administered project’s overnight build/unit test suite infrastructure. This was vital in the team becoming “best-in-class” within the division for defect containment and quality metrics.
  • General and performance DBA work both during system installation and real world usage, troubleshooting and solving insert and query performance issues on live systems.
  • Graduate and intern recruitment, mentoring, and personal development.
  • Investigated a replacement of Oracle with a MySQL-based solution with an India-based in-house engineering team.

1999 – 2002

  • Protocols build manager, collaborating extensively with a Chinese development team and analysing telecoms protocol specs prior to implementation in China.
  • Development in C/C++ and Agilent proprietary protocol language in HP-UX and Linux environments.
  • Extensive use of SS7, TCP, GSM/GPRS protocols.

Education

University of Strathclyde, Glasgow

  • BEng(Hons) Computer and Electronic Systems at 2:2 (1995 - 1999)
    • Included 5-month internship at Sun Microsystems.

Other

  • Full Member of both the BCS and IET
  • Full UK driving licence
  • Annual Agilent & JDSU Standards of Business Conduct / Ethics courses

Interests

  • Cooking, Drumming, Skiing, Travel (including following the Scottish national football team)
  • President of Halls of Residence Committee within the student union

Languages

  • English (native), Conversational German
  • 5 Highers at AAABC

References

  • References are available on request.