TLDR: I build web applications. I have a strong sense for visual and structural aesthetics. I merge quickly into new projects and environments. I have extensive experience in large-scale development.

If this sounds like something that you’re looking for, or if you have any questions, drop me a line at hello@isaacbowen.com. References available on request.

Technical Skills

Languages and Databases

Ruby, PHP, Python, JavaScript/CoffeeScript, Perl, Java, VB.NET, C++, C, XML, XHTML, HTML5, CSS/SCSS, SQL, PL/SQL

PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle 10g, MongoDB

Platforms

Linux (Debian, Ubuntu, Gentoo, Arch, RedHat, CentOS), Unix, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows

Amazon Web Services, Heroku, PHPFog

Frameworks and Tools

Ruby on Rails, Zend Framework, CakePHP, Django, Glade/GTK+

RSpec, Cucumber, Unit::Test, PHPUnit

Professional Experience

Threadless

Description

"Threadless is not your average company. The designs on our products are sourced from our ongoing open-call for submissions from a worldwide community of amazing artists and designers. Once submitted, our community of over 1 million members cast votes that help us decide which designs go on Threadless stuff."

Role

Senior Engineer (02/2011 – THE FUTURE)

Achievements

Stay tuned.

CaSTT (Commerce and Search for Technology Transfer)

Description

CaSTT drives unsolicited leads, increases revenue, reduces costs and speeds time-to-market for tech transfer organizations within universities, hospitals, national labs, research and development facilities, and corporations.

Role

Lead developer (Contractor: 05/2011 – 11/2011)

Achievements

Working closely with a remote team of developers, managers and stakeholders, designed and built a strong platform for online marketing and automated licensing of intellectual property.

Worked with client organizations to develop and deploy flexible, multi-tenant solutions, allowing clients to massively increase sales to a global market.

Successfully migrated and enhanced existing PHP code using Ruby on Rails in a fraction of original development time, greatly increasing the efficiency of future iteration.

Technologies

Ruby (Rails 3), MySQL, HTML5, CSS, Javascript (jQuery), Git

Authorize.net, IndexTank, Capistrano, and a host of community gems

Relax Relax Inc

Description

Relax Relax Inc provides professional video hosting services to a broad client base.

Role

Lead developer (12/2009 – 05/2011)

Technologies

PHP, MySQL, XHTML, CSS, Javascript

CakePHP, Adobe AIR, Adobe Flash Media Server, Subversion, Git

Achievements

Designed and built a framework, based on CakePHP, for handling all business processes – from billing cycles to media assets.

Built a client self-service media management application, greatly simplifying asset control.

Built an administrative application for top-level client and media management, resulting in significantly less administrative overhead.

Wrote abstract routines for asynchronously executing complex tasks in queue, allowing the user experience to be uninterrupted by long-running processes.

Constructed a traffic reporting service, drawing from Adobe FMS, providing granular statistics and analytics to administrators and clients.

Over the course of a week, designed and built a large-file upload and email service, allowing users to exchange large media files despite email provider limits.

Chicago Public Library

Description

Serving 2.8 million patrons at 79 branch locations, the Chicago Public Library is one of the largest public library systems in the United States. Its award-winning Information Services department extends the library’s service to online users worldwide. The library’s technology has received many awards, and has been recognized by President Obama.

Role

Web developer (10/2008 – 12/2009)

Technologies

PHP, Java, Perl, PL/SQL, XHTML, CSS, Javascript

Zend Framework, Oracle Database, Subversion

Achievements

Planned, designed and executed a complete user interface overhaul for the library’s internal web applications, greatly increasing usability and presentation.

Quickly became familiar with the many systems supporting and running the library’s services, learning new languages, frameworks and architectures on the fly.

Designed and helped build a system to handle reservations and inventory control for any items in any department, tied to existing patron databases.

Wrote SOAP exposures for the above system, and created a general-use ui integrated with the library’s public-facing website.

Created new report types on request for the existing data analysis engine, developed internally.

Designed and built a course registration wizard to streamline the existing scheduling process for staff training. As a result, a confusing set of disparate tasks were combined into a simple, user-friendly system.

Wrote a complete implementation of the Google Maps API for Zend Framework, allowing geographical mapping to be done efficiently across many systems.

Oversaw maintenance and content deployment for the public-facing website, assisting content editors and troubleshooting when needed.

Provided support and assistance for internal applications to library staff.

Implemented a security layer for patron self-service applications, including brute-force detection and Recaptchas.

Prototyped a 3d interface for displaying circulation activity across a geographical map.

Customized the functionality of an existing visual media repository, and assisted in its visual and functional integration with the library’s public website.

Brovizion

Description

Brovizion serves mid-sized businesses and organizations through website design.

Role

Web designer/developer (Contractor: 04/2008 – 10/2008)

Technologies

PHP, MySQL, XHTML, CSS, Javascript

Global Grounds Cafe

Description

Global Grounds Cafe is located on-campus at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.

Role

Web developer, barista (08/2007 – 02/2008)

Technologies

PHP, MySQL, XHTML, CSS, jQuery

Achievements

Designed and built a team scheduling request and fulfillment system, automating the unwieldy process of manually collecting and organizing shifts.

SIL International, NRSI

Description

SIL International is a nonprofit organization committed to serving language communities worldwide as they build capacity for sustainable language development. The NRSI is a department of SIL whose task is to provide guidance, information, research and development for SIL and its partners to facilitate the use of non-Roman and complex scripts in linguistic study, translation, literacy and publishing.

Role

Web developer (Intern: 06-08/2005)

Technologies

PHP, MySQL, Subversion, phpDoc, XHTML, CSS, Javascript

Achievements

Extended and maintained the NRSI’s internal CMS, developed in-house and used by several child organizations of the SIL.

Projects

Gatekeeper

Description

A content security and user management service that provides deep integration with Shopify, a turnkey solution for online commerce.

Technologies

Ruby (Rails 3.1), CoffeeScript, SASS, PostgreSQL, MongoDB

Status

Live and profitable with hundreds of shops and thousands of protected resources

Link

apps.shopify.com/gatekeeper
gkapp.com

lucky-fm

Description

Stumble-style interface for Last.fm's track.findbyaudiofeatures API, because why not.

Technologies

Coffeescript, jQuery

Status

Alive and kicking

Link

isaacbowen.com/lucky-fm

Fracken

Description

A quick tool for transferring one’s Flickr library to Dropbox.

Technologies

Ruby (Rails 3.1), CoffeeScript, SASS, PostgreSQL
Flickr, Dropbox and Stripe APIs

Status

Live

Link

secure.fracken.com

Rigging

Description

An enhanced theme editor for Shopify, including tabbed editing, friendly keybindings, and syntax highlighting.

Technologies

Ruby (Rails 3), XHTML, CSS, Javascript (AJAX), CodeMirror
Shopify API

Status

Retired

Biped

Description

A functional experiment in providing statistical tracking functionality from Last.fm in a live Pandora session.

Technologies

XHTML, CSS, Javascript & AJAX (jQuery)

Last.fm REST API, Pandora Javascript API

Status

Alpha; almost certainly broken

Link

hellobiped.com

Education

Illinois Institute of Technology

Computer Science, Information Technology & Management (2007-2009)

National Merit Scholar, a distinction granted to 0.05% of the 1.5 million applicants

University of Wisconsin – Superior

Computer Science (2010-2011)