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I’m a principal engineer at FanDuel, where I work in the Engineering Productivity team. Having transitioned to development from a fairly extensive test automation career I bring a grounded and quality-focused approach to what I do.

With a long time personal interest in Linux and networking, I am effective in modern cloud-based, containerised development environments and have strong hands-on troubleshooting skills. The streamlining of engineer workflows is something I am very keen on and so am always on the lookout for pragmatic opportunities to automate or optimise tasks.

Over the years I have experienced development life-cycles of varying levels of agility and with this I believe that finding the balance between a pragmatic approach and best practice is key to success. In addition, enabling others is at the very core of what is important to me as an engineer and so I aim to include mentoring and information sharing into what I do.

Skills

  • Programming: Java / Python

  • Continuous delivery: Jenkins / AWS / Docker / git

  • Linux: Arch / Debian / shell scripting

  • RDBMS: Microsoft SQL Server / SQL scripting / Hibernate ORM

  • Virtualisation: VMware Workstation / VirtualBox / vSphere

Experience

FanDuel

  • Principal Software Engineer March 2022 - present

  • Lead Software Engineer - March 2020 - March 2022

  • Senior Software Engineer - July 2018 - March 2020

  • Software Engineer - June 2017 - July 2018

Aquila Insight

  • Automated Test Engineer - February 2016 - June 2017

    • Test team lead, responsible for implementing the test framework and processes for Aquila’s cloud-based analytics platform.

    • I developed UI / API-level tests that are included in the Jenkins / AWS / Docker-based continuous delivery environment.

    • Tests were written in Cucumber-JVM using Java / Spring 4, and I adopted BDD / 3A wherever possible, within the dev team’s Scrum workflow.

Sky

  • Senior Engineer - September 2015 - January 2016

  • Automation Tester - October 2012 - September 2015

    • Part of a small automated test team, using Kanban to track workflow. development and maintenance of the test framework that is in place.

    • Developed tests for a service-oriented CRM platform using Java, Cucumber-JVM, Spring Framework 4 and a host of other other open source libraries.

    • Produced UI-based integration tests within a development scrum team, using QTP / UFT.

Iplay

Iplay deliver integrated casual games solutions worldwide.

  • Senior Test Engineer / Automation Team Lead - April 2012 - October 2012

    • Responsible for driving the implementation and maintenance of automated tests across C# (with Nunit / Selenium WebDriver) and Ruby (with Cucumber / Watir WebDriver) platforms.

QuickTrace Ltd

QuickTrace provide software for use with clinical systems in healthcare.

  • Software Test Analyst (contract) - June 2010 - March 2012

    • Implemented automated test framework and defect tracking procedures.

    • Provided extensive test documentation and procedures for its execution.

    • Tested integration with solutions from major clinical system suppliers in the UK and Ireland (including iSOFT, GPASS, EMIS, InPS, TPP).

Crocodile Clips Ltd

Crocodile Clips (now Sumdog) develop engaging educational simulation software and online arithmetic games.

  • Software Test Manager - May 2009 - May 2010

    • Responsible for a team of twelve Test Engineers ensuring smooth running of test processes in an Agile SDLC.

    • Provided mentoring where test documentation and execution was concerned.

    • Led focus groups of end users in usability testing.

Zonal Retail Data Systems

  • Quality Automation Analyst - May 2008 - May 2009

    • Responsible for the design and implementation of a QTP / WinRunner-based automation framework, running on VMware workstation.

  • Quality Analyst - April 2006 - May 2008

    • Authored test cases / test scripts for exercising proprietary hardware and its embedded software, as well as desktop software.

    • Developed expertise in virtualised environments (VMware) / SQL Server

  • Helpcentre Analyst - Nov 2004 - April 2006

    • Remote support for proprietary EPoS hardware

Sykes

  • Call Centre Agent - July 2004 - Nov 2004

    • Helpdesk for Samsung laptop users

Qualifications / Awards / Certifications

  • Computer Science BEng (hons), University of Edinburgh

  • University of Edinburgh Sidney Michaelson Prize winner 2003 / 2004

  • ISEB ISTQB Foundation Certificate

  • MCDBA - Microsoft Certified Database Administrator (SQL Server 2000)

  • MCTS - SQL Server 2005

Other interests

Outside of tech I enjoy running, weights and playing bass guitar and shouting in heavy bands.