Daniel Romero
Software Engineer
New York (10001) United States (New York)
Professional Status
Employed
Open to opportunities
About Me
Eight years of online technology experience in the areas of software engineering, web design, multimedia, and project management. I specialize in developing web sites and web applications, and I manage online projects from conception to completion for online companies. Staying current with cutting-edge technologies, my goal is to meet my clients’ needs through thorough planning, prototyping, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance.
Programmer
Pro Bono Net
Since July 2008
Full-time
New York
- Engineered under Windows 2003 Server / IIS / ColdFusion 8 / SQL Server / Flash Media Server / VMware.
- Developed features and optimization enhancements to all key web site services: search engine (in Verity), events pages, widgets, homepage, registration / login, mailing lists, maps (using KML files and geocoding) RSS feeds, and other CMS-driven pages. Feature enhancements had to be plugged into and accessible via a home-grown CMS.
- Applied MVC methodology for engineering with a home-grown CF framework for the CMS and site. Coded in CFEclipse with Aptana plugin for JavaScript, Subclipse, and EPIC for Perl system scripts. Used RegexpBuddy for Regexps.
- Enhanced UI functionality via jQuery (form validators, usability, and accessibility in pages).
- Performed functional testing in Selenium IDE, wrote Autohotkey scripts, documented test scripts, and debugged UI components using Firefox Add-ons: Firebug, YSlow, HTML Validator (based on Tidy). Used JSLint for JavaScript.
- Administered and maintained health of ColdFusion 8, JRun 4, CoolFusion iMS services and clusters.
- Developed a maintenance plan for the Pro Bono Net infrastructure. Created backup/maintenance jobs for all site data in SQL Server, created Perl and Python scripts for scheduled file cleanups for all servers, and selected a backup service (eSureIT) to meet needs. Used SyncBack and Windows batch files to transfer files across the network as part of plan.
- Migrated SQL Server 2000 databases to SQL Server 2008. Pinpointed and fixed all incompatibilities.
- Set up and maintained Flash Media Server for webcasting. Updated the site webcast module using ActionScript via Flex Builder and Flash Builder. Developed several tests for analyzing bandwidth before deployment.
- Created deployment scripts for site launches using ANT/SVN scripting, to roll out database and CF changes with Email notifications. Other tools used: SQL Server Profiler, SQL Compare, SQL Dependency Tracker, and SQL Data Compare.
- Gathered requirements and authored TSQL reports for staff. Developed scripts to import data into SQL Server.
- Managed the company Wiki. Documented important tech processes (deployments, backup schedules, troubleshooting components) and authored several tutorials (setting up email, configuring IDEs, etc.). Diagrammed network architecture in Visio. Designed software using UML and E/R modeling.
Software Project Manager
artnet
January 2006
to January 2008
Full-time
New York
- Managed all aspects of the software management process: requirements gathering & analysis, project planning, prioritizing, quality assurance planning, testing, contracting, release planning, prototyping, and risk management.
- Authored essays (based on market and company analysis) regarding artnet’s technical risks and solutions to improve artnet’s infrastructure, SEO strategy, service management, content management, user experience, and security.
- Established departmental roles, processes, and ways to interface with other departments.
- Led the largest project in the history of artnet: the artnet Online Auctions, which is an online auctions platform with functionality similar to eBay. Managed teams of software/systems/QA engineers, web designers, analysts and copywriters to make sure business needs are met. The project was successfully launched on time and within budget having high uptime. Managed two different engineering vendors located in Germany and Ukraine.
- Translated business goals, rules, and requirements into software project specifications, as well as assist all stakeholders with functional and non-functional requirements. Managed meetings / kick-offs.
- Served as a business analyst and project manager for many key artnet products and services, including its Auction House Directory, and its Fine Art Auctions Database. Worked with an in-house team of consultants and a vendor in Germany. All projects delivered on time. Did functional testing of requirements using Mercury Quality Center.
- Played the role of project lead for artnet’s SEO strategy and worked closely with the VP of Marketing to establish strategies. Led initiatives for web analytics using Google Analytics and HBX (Omniture).
- Set coding conventions for the department, developed strategies for quality assurance (for products and IT methodologies), and established project management guidelines.
- Held class sessions to train employees on technology (software development and web design).
Site Production Engineer
artnet
January 2004
to January 2006
Full-time
New York
- Engineered (and updated pre-existing) internal applications and new services using ASP (classic), C#, XML, and SQL Server. This included artnet’s key products: the Fine Art Auctions Database, auction email alerts, and artist bios.
- Co-wrote the documentation of all business process of the entire company for every department. Used BPMN diagrams.
- Co-Led the initiatives for an artnet.com redesign and infrastructure rearchitecture.
- Worked in a 3-tier application environment in charge of the client tier using JavaScript (w/ AJAX and JSON), CSS and C#. Source control managed with Visual Source Safe and Subversion (via Tortoise).
- Analyzed and documented every process (e.g., development, research, release, source control, systems engineering) of the artnet technology department to root out inefficiencies. The task also included the improvement of all processes.
- Served as the Lead Web Designer for web applications and web pages. Supported all marketing initiatives including the company newsletter, direct e-mails, web banners and print ads - in two languages: German and English.
- Was the moderator of IT-related incidents. Applied incident/problem solving initiatives based on the ITIL standard (Information Technology Infrastructure Library).
- Executed all content management throughout the web site. Most of the content was in multi-language XML files.
- Led the QA of client-side code and layout of all visual components: header, footer, body, menus, etc.
Creative Director / Lead Engineer
ShinyLight
January 2006
to January 2008
Consultant
New York
- Engineered under Windows 2003 Server / IIS / Apache / ColdFusion MX / SQL Server / MySQL.
- Developed a class registration system. Gathered requirements, prototyped, web designed, developed, and tested the web application. Software composed of various Custom Tags, UDF’s, and CFC’s for future reusability.
- Created a ColdFusion shopping cart with a back-end administration tool to manage inventory. Created a test plan and a QA timeline to check all critical components. It used the Verity FTS to query documents of various formats.
- Served as the information architect, applying principles of Persuasion Architecture by the Eisenberg brothers and usability principles of Jakob Nielsen and Steve Krug.
- Focused on analytic trends based on Google Analytics, reviewing clicks, visits, form abandonment, etc.
- Optimized HTML / CSS code for SEO. Special attention paid to text, keywords, and multimedia (Flash) use.
- Developed a company toolbar for Internet Explorer to include a full-text search + buttons that redirect to products pages.
- Created the project plan and strategy for the inventory of digital camera equipment. Created plans for the systems infrastructure – server hardware and software components. Gathered requirements and created strategy and timeline.
Engineer / Project Manager
XeonStudio
January 1995
to January 2006
Consultant
- Developed a new design for a private organization, along with a content management system programmed in PHP/MySQL. Contained an admin tool for user management, template management, file manager, and support for traditional CMS work flows, preview and push to production.
- Worked with vBulletin and phpBB forums: new styles, and forum modifications and upgrades.
- Shopping cart and administration tool developed in Java Server Pages (JSP) using Apache Tomcat and Oracle 8i. Used Amazon.com’s web service (through XML) to retrieve product information.
- Served as a Microsoft Access developer, optimizing queries and reports.
- Developed project management software (in progress) for a client in PHP/MySQL. Software manages tasks, requirements, code, users, and other projects. Had ability to import/export projects/tasks in XML using proprietary tags.
- Made groupware tools (address books, task managers, calendar, forums) in ASP 3.0/ColdFusion/SQL Server.
- Designed a computing history web site, with full-text search mechanism developed in PHP/MySQL. Programmed Perl scripts to parse PDF files so the data could import into a MySQL Database. Designed a template system for easy edits.
- Engineered File Client/Server in C for Solaris 8. Contained user administration, authentication, and file security.
- Coded email client in Turbo C++ and Assembly for DOS/Win95. Used network libraries to securely transport information across modems. Developed various file utilities (like reboot, shutdown) in Assembly using Microsoft’s DEBUG.EXE.
Software Engineer
Hofstra University
January 2006
to January 2008
Full-time
Hempstead
- Constructed a full-text search application in ColdFusion/MS-SQL for a database of financial institutions. Converted the tables, relationships, and code from MS Access to SQL Server. Successfully migrated all the data, without any corruption. This utility contained AND/OR, specific categories, and number of results.
- Developed an automatic reminder task tool for the Spectra CMS.
- Worked with Macromedia Spectra (a content management system), to create and modify web pages. Instructed faculty members on usage and web page best practices.
- Programmed tools in Perl, C++, and ColdFusion that scanned for key loggers on servers and file sharing programs on the Hofstra network. This helped pinpoint users and aided Hofstra on reducing network bandwidth dramatically.
- Reconstructed the entire computer science web site to reach a younger target audience. I led the requirements analysis, usability, web design, and project management.
Software Engineer / Graphic Designer
CristelCom Inc.
2001
to 2004
Part-time
New York
United States
- Debugged (and added new features to) pre-existing inventory-tracking software in ASP 3.0/ IIS /Access 2000.
- Optimized Access 2000 SQL queries for its inventory-tracking software.
- Designed graphical interfaces for intranet applications (e-mail, invoice, reports).
- Created logos and business cards for clients in Photoshop, Fireworks, and ImageReady.
Software Engineer / Graphic Designer
Anchor Computer
January 2000
to January 2001
Full-time
- Inherited pre-existing e-commerce software. Fixed bugs and added new features such as file-upload and full text search in ASP 3.0 and SQL Server 7.0.
- Developed various intranet applications: change request manager, knowledge manager, and FAQ manager software.
- Designed paper prototypes for intranet applications and authored in NetObjects Fusion, Fireworks, and Dreamweaver.
- Served as the web content manager for the web site.
- ColdFusion, SQL, Python, Perl, ASP
- JavaScript (w/ jQuery), HTML, CSS
- XML, PHP, ASP.NET, Java, C++, C
- DOS, Pascal, Bash, ActionScript
- C#, Assembly, AutoHotkey, Ant
- Eclipse, Subversion/Tortoise
- VS.NET, Dreamweaver, Aptana Studio
- Selenium IDE, Firebug
- Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle
- Access, Red-Gate SQL Toolbelt, SQLite
- CoolFusion iMS Mail Server
- FusionReactor
- CFBuilder
- JRun 4.0
- Photoshop, Flex Builder
- Flash Media Server, SoundForge
- Flash Develop, eJay, ACID
- Windows, DOS, Linux, Solaris
- VMware Workstation, Cygwin
- Microsoft Project, Visio
- Mindjet Mindmanager
- Business Process Visual Architect
- vBulletin, Google Analytics/Adsense
- Omniture HBX, JSLint, WordPress
- FishEye, Spectra
- Playing the piano
- Sketching (http://inscissor.deviantart.com/)
- Tracking digital music
- Jogging
- Speak Spanish fluently
- Blogs (Alagad, JoelOnSoftware, Brent Ozar's, John Resig's); subscribed to 200+ RSS feeds on various software development, web, technology, marketing, design, QA, and strategy topics
- Newsletters (SQL Server Central, UIEtips, WebSite Magazine)
- Podcasts (StackOverflow, HanselMinutes, jQuery, TWiCF, BoagWorld, TWig, and many others)
- Twitter (follow prominent people in the web dev community)
- Reading a tech book a month
- Details about my sources of knowledge (e.g. what books I read, people I follow, all podcasts I listen, and RSS feeds I'm subscribed to) found at http://www.shinylight.com/sources-of-knowledge/
- NYC ColdFusion User Group
- jQuery NYC User Group
- New York Web Performance Group
- NYC Microsoft SQL Server User Group
- ShinyLight.com (My Tech Blog)
- Daniweb.com Web Dev / Database Forums
- NarutoRP.net (My Anime Forum)
