Jeff Lee
software engineer

I have significant experience with complex, large-scale web services, as an individual contributor, an architect, and as a team lead. I like hard problems and wearing many hats, and am comfortable with the fast pace of growing startups.

I’ve worked extensively in Ruby, JavaScript, Go, and C/C++. Prior to diving into the web, I worked professionally on console video games.

Technical experience

Staff engineer - Slack (2017.10-present)

I work on Slack's developer platform.

Lead product engineer - Chain (2015.3-2017.9)

Chain makes a database for cryptographically-secured distributed ledgers. I led a team that maintained the product surface area, including APIs, client libraries, tools, and prototype apps.

I acted as both product manager and engineering manager for my team, and was responsible for product releases, roadmaps, tech specs for projects of all scopes, engineering process and standards, day-to-day project management, and recruiting. My primary job was to make my teammates more effective, but I do a fair amount of direct implementation work (see my public commits). I also wrote lots of documentation and provide technical consultation for customer teams.

I worked on a stack that included Go, JavaScript (both server-side and in-browser), Ruby, and Postgres, with a liberal sprinkling of Java and shell scripting.

Lead engineer, platform and infrastructure - IFTTT (2012.11-2014.9)

I led IFTTT's server-side engineering projects for the better part of two years.

  • Oversaw the scaling and maintenance of a complex monolithic Rails app, alongside numerous ancillary services, to support millions of users and hundreds of API integrations.
  • Architected IFTTT’s developer platform, and led its implementation.
  • Key participant in “devops” efforts, including deploys, monitoring, firefighting, and tooling.
  • Roadmapping, management, recruiting, and mentoring of small, cross-functional teams.

I worked primarily with Ruby on Rails, Node.js, MySQL, Postgres, Redis, Memcached, Chef, Linux, and a wide variety of AWS services.

“Jeff is, hands down, one of the best people I've ever worked with. He's a brilliant problem solver, and happens to apply his skills to the domain of software engineering, but he's so much more than that. Jeff is a great communicator, leader, and mentor who takes on huge technical challenges and sees them through.”
Devin Foley, Head of Engineering at IFTTT (currently Director of Native Clients at Slack)

Full-stack web developer - Gotham Software (2011.8-2012.11)

I was the first full-time hire for a startup team that built Maybe, a social bookmarking app, and Everwise, a web service that helps professionals find quality mentorship.

  • Performed design and rapid-prototyping for new products, on both frontend and backend.
  • Individually responsible for many backend systems, including mobile API, bookmarking, search, social graph, news feed, and 3rd-party API integration.
“Jeff is incredibly smart, extremely talented as a developer and gets the big picture in a way you rarely find from someone so technically literate. He's also got a wicked sense of humor to boot. Jeff is the real deal and you'd be lucky to work with him.”
Shane Kinder, Everwise PM (currently VP of Product at Upwork)

Game programmer - WayForward Technologies (2010.12-2011.6, 2006.3-2007.9)

I was a systems and gameplay programmer on several mainstream platforms, including Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, PS3, and Xbox360.

  • Made many contributions to core technology, including fast memory allocators, metrics, level design tools, and a C++ gameplay framework used for most of WayForward’s DS catalog.
  • Gameplay for numerous titles, including the acclaimed Contra 4 (DS) and BloodRayne: Betrayal (PS3/Xbox360).

UI programmer - Zindagi Games (2008.10-2010.8)

I was the primary interface programmer for Sports Champions (PS3), the flagship title for Sony’s Move motion controller.

  • Worked closely with designers to implement systems for the game’s many menus and widgets.
  • Solved some tricky UX problems, such as controller calibration and pairing—some of my recommendations made it into Sony’s official technical requirements.

Code samples

See more at github.com/jeffomatic.

Education

Et cetera