Resume

Dewayne VanHoozer

Senior Ruby on Rails Software Engineer / Lead / Technical Manager

Summary

Visionary leader with extensive technical expertise and a proven track record in steering complex projects to success. Renowned for strategic problem-solving, innovative technology application, and commitment to team development. Accomplished Senior Software Engineer and Technical Manager with a robust background in developing mission-critical, test-driven applications.

Specializations: Ruby, Rails, API development, data modeling, performance optimization, artificial intelligence, technical leadership, and team mentoring.

Professional Experience

Innovas Solutions | Senior Ruby on Rails Consultant | Remote

October 2022 - July 2023

Enhanced performance and stability of a mental healthcare client’s Ruby on Rails application
Optimized API responses and database queries, significantly reducing system latency by 40%
Implemented automated processes to ensure consistency in commits and pull requests
Mentored software developers on software engineering principles and advanced Ruby techniques

KIPU Health Systems | Senior Ruby on Rails Software Engineer | Remote

March 2019 - September 2022

Enhanced stability, performance, and features of an enterprise-level electronic medical records system serving thousands of users
Resolved systemic time zone issues, unreliable data, and faulty business logic affecting data integrity
Optimized custom reporting sub-system, resulting in 60% performance improvement and increased stability
Led Ruby on Rails upgrade from version 4 to 6, ensuring minimal downtime
Mentored developers on software engineering principles and advanced Ruby concepts

US Department of Veterans Affairs | Research Contract - Architect and Technical Manager | Remote

August 2016 - July 2018

Architected and led development of secure research data platform for medical research
Managed cross-functional team of 8 developers across multiple contractor organizations
Implemented secure data processing workflows for sensitive medical research data
Achieved ATO (Authority to Operate) certification for government security compliance
Delivered project on time and under budget, leading to contract extension

Major Defense Contractor | Applied Research Laboratory Technical Director | On-site

2010 - 2016

Successfully led an applied research laboratory for major defense contract for 6 years
Designated Ruby as the rapid prototyping language for the entire research organization
Secured hundreds of millions in federal contract renewals as key proposal team member and technical lead
Presented findings at RubyConf 2011: “The Secret Life of Ruby: Warrior With A Cause”
Led team of 15+ researchers and engineers across multiple technical disciplines
Developed and presented innovative technology prototypes at national defense conferences

NASA/Boeing Contract | Senior Software Engineer | On-site

2005 - 2010

Contributed to International Space Station (ISS) flight simulator development
Implemented critical real-time systems components for mission-critical applications
Mentored junior engineers in software engineering practices and methodologies
Participated in rigorous testing and validation processes for space-rated software

Education

Bachelor’s Degrees: Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science
Cameron University, Lawton, OK

Technical Skills

Languages & Frameworks

Ruby & Rails: 18+ years experience (versions 1.8 through 3.x)
Python: Data analysis, AI/ML applications, scripting
JavaScript/Node.js: Full-stack web development
SQL: Advanced PostgreSQL, MySQL optimization and performance tuning

Specialized Technologies

AI/ML: Generative AI integration, prompt engineering, machine learning workflows
Testing: RSpec, Minitest, Capybara, comprehensive TDD methodologies
Background Processing: Sidekiq, Redis, job queue optimization
APIs: RESTful services, GraphQL, third-party integrations
Databases: PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redis, data modeling and optimization

Tools & DevOps

Version Control: Git, GitHub, GitLab, advanced branching strategies
Containerization: Docker, Docker Compose, containerized deployment
Monitoring: New Relic, DataDog, application performance monitoring
Cloud Platforms: AWS, Heroku, Digital Ocean, cloud architecture
CI/CD: Automated testing and deployment pipelines

Methodologies

Test-Driven Development (TDD): Comprehensive testing strategies and implementation
Agile/Scrum: Sprint planning, story estimation, retrospectives
Kanban: Workflow optimization and continuous improvement
SOLID Principles: Clean code architecture and design patterns
SAFe: Scaled Agile Framework for large organizations

Notable Achievements

Leadership & Management

Led applied research lab for 6+ years with team of 15+ professionals
Integrated multi-contractor teams improving delivery timelines by 30%
Achieved top-tier performance ratings in high-pressure technical leadership roles
Mentored 20+ developers throughout career, with many advancing to senior roles

Business Impact

Secured $100M+ in federal contracts as key technical lead and proposal contributor
Sole technical contributor in winning $50M+ in sole-source federal contracts
Reduced system latency by 40% through strategic optimization initiatives
Improved application performance by 60% through custom reporting system optimization

Technical Innovation

Pioneered Ruby adoption in defense contracting, establishing new industry standards
Developed AI-driven solutions for standardized image processing and automation
Created open-source Ruby gems used by hundreds of developers worldwide
Presented at international conferences on Ruby’s success in mission-critical environments

Open Source Contributions

AI Development Tools

prompt_manager: Ruby gem for AI prompt management and organization
aia: Command-line AI assistant with Ruby integration

Ruby Utilities

debug_me: Enhanced debugging capabilities for Ruby applications
nenv: Environment variable management with type conversion
cli_helper: Command-line interface utilities for Ruby scripts

Professional Recognition

RubyConf 2011 Speaker: “The Secret Life of Ruby: Warrior With A Cause”
Featured Podcast Guest: DeepDive Podcast on technical leadership
Published Author: Multiple technical articles on Ruby, AI, and software engineering
Community Contributor: Active in Ruby and AI development communities

Professional Affiliations & Security Clearances

Notable Clients & Projects: 42six, ARAMCO, AFATDS, ASAS, Cameron Iron Works, CSC, DataMost, DARPA, GeoLogics, Innova Solutions, ISS, JISR, KIPU Health, Lifestance Health, LMMFC, M.D. Anderson Hospital, MEADS, NASA, NGA, Oddball, Raytheon, SAIC, SSTF, TacFire, TELOS Federal Systems, TEBO, United Methodist Church Upper Room Publications, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, University of Texas Health and Education Research Center, USAF, US Army, VA, USMC, VRSIL

Security clearances and detailed project information available upon request.

Available for: Senior Ruby/Rails positions, Technical Leadership roles, AI Integration projects, Consulting engagements

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