Andrew Hobgood
White River Junction, VT
andrew@strange.net
Summary:

Innovative and creative software and systems engineer with experience in designing, implementing, and deploying systems to solve complex and difficult problems. Strong programming background and expertise in scalable systems, distributed computation, data engineering and analysis, networks, virtualization, interactive systems, simulation, and realtime computer graphics (including virtual, augmented, and mixed reality). Demonstrated track record of invention through grants of multiple US and international patents.

Skills:

  • Software development:
    • Concept, design, architecture, and implementation
    • Expertise in backend, network, 3D graphics, secure, and system programming
    • Experience with traditional (datacenter, bare metal), cloud, and embedded platforms
    • Distributed systems, parallel processing, event-driven systems, serverless computing
  • Hardware/software systems integration:
    • Virtualization (on-premise and cloud) and storage systems
    • Thin clients, embedded systems, microcontrollers
    • Software-defined radio, digital signal processing, basic RF and electrical engineering
    • Real-time video encoding and transmission
  • Data engineering, pipelines, analysis, and visualization:
    • Collection, ETL, normalization, processing, and validation of large, growing, and realtime data sets
    • Intuitive visualizations and representations of complex data relationships
    • Construction of useful dashboards and monitoring metrics for data processes

  • Languages — C, C++, Perl, Python, JavaScript, Unix shell (sh/ksh/bash), Go, PHP, Lua, Assembly (Intel/x86, Motorola 68k, MIPS, Z80), Java, Tcl/Tk, JSON, HTML, CSS, YAML
  • Operating systems — Unix/POSIX (including Linux, BSD, Solaris), Windows, DOS, MacOS/OSX
  • Cloud and virtualization technologies — Amazon Web Services (S3, EC2, Lambda, DynamoDB, ElastiCache, KMS), Google Cloud Platform (Object Storage, Compute Engine, Cloud Functions, Cloud Run, Cloud Build), VMware (ESXi, Workstation)
  • Network protocols — TCP, UDP, IP, DNS, ICMP, HTTP, TLS/SSL, BGP, SNMP, ARP
  • Other tools and libraries — NoSQL (Redis/Valkey, memcached, Elasticsearch), SQL (PostgreSQL, MySQL, sqlite), git/GitHub/GitLab, Swagger/OpenAPI, REST, Docker, graphviz, Airflow, Jenkins, Grafana, Prometheus, D3.js, Jupyter, matplotlib, pandas, Avro, Parquet, OpenGL, DirectShow, ffmpeg

Job Experience:

  • Kentik Corporation (Remote, HQ: San Francisco, CA)
    Senior Backend Engineer (April 2021 - December 2022)

    • Developed and maintained tools, APIs, pipelines, and processes to improve metadata quality and reliability. Harmonize third-party geolocation, network operator, malware, spam, and other datasets with customer-provided hints and internal corrections to allow customers to accurately label and categorize network endpoints.
    • Defined and developed new insight templates to help customers understand and visualize patterns and changes in their data.
    • Designed structured document format and associated tools for service descriptors, allowing the engineering team to describe, analyze, and visualize data flows and dependencies within the platform.

  • Touchpoint Restaurant Innovations (Remote, HQ: Palo Alto, CA)
    Senior Engineer (October 2019 - November 2020)

    • Maintain and extend distributed enterprise point-of-sale (QSR/fast casual) backend and middleware APIs to enable new customer and franchisor experiences (e.g. Smart Folio, Zero Contact, etc.)
    • Implemented a variety of security improvements (traceable encrypted cloud storage for financial information, URL shortener hardening, mandatory authentication layers for event distribution, standardizing encryption with AES-CFB, secure code auditing, fuzz testing).
    • Worked closely with infrastructure/operations to monitor and manage a highly available distributed data environment across a heterogenous mix of virtual (AWS) and physical (on-premise) resources at hundreds of customer locations.

  • Oracle Corporation - Internet Intelligence Team (previously Renesys, then Dyn, Inc.) (Hybrid, Hanover, NH)
    Principal Data Scientist (June 2010 - October 2019)

    • Worked with a small research team to develop an extensive suite of data products, pipelines, and tools for realtime and forensic analysis of global Internet topology, evolution, routing dynamics, network latency, DNS, and other behaviors.
    • Developed improved visualization approaches for network maps, performance data, and other derived intelligence to drive stakeholder decision making and communicate observations to a larger audience (including publication at conferences and in major news outlets).
    • Designed, developed, and deployed rapid technical prototypes of data products, APIs, and analysis tools for internal and external customers.
    • Developed a globally distributed network censorship detection platform (in conjunction with the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University). Authored, deployed, and maintained software to detect and characterize network interference at multiple layers in the stack, including packet routing, DNS, transparent proxies, and other middleboxes.
    • Designed and implemented a global route monitoring system to process data from hundreds of BGP peers and detect routing changes across the Internet without prior configuration.

    "Methods, systems, and apparatus to generate information transmission performance alerts," US Patents #11,818,025, #11,178,035, #10,848,406

  • Desktone, Inc. (Acquired by VMware, Inc, October 2013) (Hybrid, Chelmsford, MA)
    Senior Software Engineer (August 2007 - May 2010)

    • Designed a scalable architecture and platform to enable service providers to deliver virtualized desktops as a service to globally distributed customers over the public Internet. Worked closely with a growing engineering team and outsourced global development resources to develop the platform and deploy it with top-tier service providers and Fortune 100 corporations.
    • Developed second-generation lightweight VDI connection broker, remote access/dynamic firewall traversal components, and Adobe Flash multimedia redirection technology.
    • Development lead for client-side components, including customized client software for repurposed PCs and thin client devices. Worked with external vendors to improve remoting protocols and integrate them into the platform to improve user experiences.
    • Worked with external vendors to design, develop, and integrate storage system extensions to enable rapid provisioning and improved disk utilization for virtual desktop workloads.

    "Media Acceleration for Virtual Computing Services," US Patents #10,721,282, #9,973,557, #9,407,613, #8,170,123
    "Virtual computing services deployment network," US Patents #10,057,189, #8,745,236, #8,010,676
    "Remote Access Manager for Virtual Computing Services," US Patents #9,237,147, #8,281,377

  • Creative Optics, Inc. / MetaMersion, LLC (Bedford, NH)
    Lead Software Engineer / System Integration Engineer (July 2001 - August 2007)

    • Designed software and hardware systems for virtual and augmented reality training, mission effectiveness, and entertainment applications in military, industrial, and commercial environments.
    • Implemented custom network communications library to enable distributed, realtime, interactive simulations with low latency.
    • Developed novel augmented reality thermal (LWIR) camera, fuel spray, fuel spill, and crash truck simulations to enable advanced shipboard and aircraft (ARFF) firefighting training scenarios. Developed CBRN simulations and instructor tools to train hazardous materials response, detection, and mitigation scenarios.
    • Ported Half-Life 2 (Valve Software) to our internally developed virtual reality gaming platform. Adapted models, interactions, navigation, vehicles, and other game dynamics to integrate smoothly and naturally with physical movement and custom controls.

    "Method and apparatus for using thermal imaging and augmented reality," US Patent #7,262,747
    "Method for automatically tracking objects in augmented reality," US Patent #7,138,963
    "Method for using a wireless motorized camera mount for tracking in augmented reality," US Patent #7,071,898
    "Method and system for accomplishing a scalable, multi-user, extended-range, distributed, augmented-reality environment," US Patent #7,046,214
    "Method for advanced imaging in augmented reality," US Patent #7,042,421
    "Method for using a motorized camera mount for tracking in augmented reality," US Patent #6,903,707
    "Method and System to Display Both Visible and Invisible Hazards and Hazard Information," International Patent WIPO WO03060830 (EP1466300, CA2473713, AU2002366994)

Publications and Presentations:

  • "The Curious Incident of 7 November 2011," J. Cowie, A. Hobgood (NANOG 54, APRICOT 2012)
  • "Artificial Intelligence Theory: What is AI?," A. Hobgood (Rubi-Con 3 Hacker Conference, April 2001)
  • "An Exploration of Neural Networks in Computer Security," A. Hobgood (Rubi-Con 3 Hacker Conference, April 2001)

Licenses and Certifications:

  • FCC Amateur Radio Operator License (technician class, 2001; amateur extra class, 2018)
  • FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate (issued 2022)

Education:

  • University of Michigan at Ann Arbor (1998-2001)