Staff Software Engineer
Los Angeles, CA - joshszep@gmail.com - linkedin.com/in/joshszep

Staff Software Engineer with 19+ years of experience. I’m particularly confident in using Python for backend and data engineering. I advocate for remote work, leveraging AI, and fixing the technical interview. My passion is solving real-world problems using software. I thrive when given autonomy and ownership in a fast-moving environment.

Staff Software Engineer
AUGUST 2024 - CURRENT

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Senior Software Engineer Consultant
MARCH 2024 - JUNE 2024

• Grew and led a fully remote team of 9 engineers across the USA, South Asia, and Vietnam.
• Architected and implemented backend REST API services for core product features.
• Introduced CI/CD processes for linting, formatting, type-checking, and automated testing of a Python FastAPI codebase, resulting in a 50% decrease in defects deployed.
• Deployed to AWS Lambda resulting in 90% cost savings for Kintsugi’s unique traffic patterns.

Senior Software Engineer
JUNE 2020 - MARCH 2024

• First hire on the Data Solutions Team, growing it to 9 members.
• Architected and developed REST API microservices using Python, FastAPI, and Redis to provide B2B user trust scores from machine learning (ML) models.
• Scaled services deployed to AWS to handle 10,000 requests per second with under 40ms latency.
• Provided leadership across multiple teams to coordinate successful deliveries on tight timelines.

Senior Software Engineer
FEBRUARY 2019 - MAY 2020

• Led effort to create automated tests resulting in 50% fewer defects.
• Designed and implemented integrations with Point of Sale systems.
• Owned migration from GCP AppEngine to Django on AWS.

Senior Software Engineer
SEPTEMBER 2014 - JANUARY 2019

• Maintained mission-critical AWS Redshift Data Warehouse ETL infrastructure.
• Founding member of Yelp’s Data Pipeline Team which designed, implemented, and maintained a novel streaming data infrastructure leveraging Apache Kafka, Python, and Docker.
• Executed a project to support PyPy in Yelp’s core codebase, enhancing performance by 150%.
• Mentored, reviewed code, and interviewed new engineers, fostering a collaborative team environment.

Senior Software Engineer
MAY 2013 - AUGUST 2014

• Sole developer on a full stack application for Dell using C#, SQL, and Javascript.

Technical Co-Founder / CTO
NOVEMBER 2012 - APRIL 2013

• Co-founded and led technical development for a lease marketplace startup.

Software Engineer
AUGUST 2009 - NOVEMBER 2012

• Developed desktop training simulations for DARPA and USAF using C++, C#, and Python.

Software Engineer
JULY 2006 - AUGUST 2009

• Engineer on the core technology team, using C++, C#, and Python.

The Guildhall at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX
2005 - 2007

Stark State College of Technology, North Canton, OH
2002 - 2005

Languages: Python, SQL, Terraform, Javascript
Technologies: AWS, Docker, Django, FastAPI, Kafka, Git, PostgreSQL, Redis, AI, SQLAlchemy, React
Soft Skills: Mentoring, Team Building, Code Reviews, Interviewing, Leadership