Resume: Owen Byrne
owen@permafrost.net
Mountain View, CA
415-321-0461
Summary
20+ years software development, operations, information technology and management experience. Highly experienced in managing and developing scalable web applications in a startup environment, specifically with LAMP technology on Unix hardware. Experience with "cloud" technologies (AWS), scalability and UX/UI.
Technology
Languages: PHP, Javascript, Python, Perl, Ruby, C, SQL
Technologies: HTML/CSS, Apache, Jquery, Mysql, Git, Svn, HTML 5, RabbitMQ, AWS
Work
2011-
Software Engineer
Gazehawk.com
Mountain View, CA
Working closely with the founders on a variety of projects, multiple languages (Java, C, C++, Python, PHP, Javascript). Projects included an http proxy; a reporting system with animated visualizations; a tool for capturing screenshots with a headless browser; maintaining and minor tweaks to an iPad project; and others.
2010-2011
Software Engineer
Rentwiki.com
Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, I am the sole technical resource for a venture-funded Real Estate/Lead Generation startup. Setting up and managing infrastructure, development processes, refactoring and optimizing legacy code in a LAMP environment.
2010
Director of Information Technology
Astrum Solar Inc
Annapolis Junction, MD
Primary developer and general IT resource for Astrum Solar Inc, a fast growing privately funded startup that installs solar panels for private residences.
2008-2010
Senior Technical Manager
New Initiatives
Tripadvisor.com
Ottawa, Canada / Boston, MA
Technical lead/manager for a team of developers assigned to developing the air meta-search product (
tripadvisor.com/flights). In September 2009 I was transferred from Canada to the head office in Newton, MA to be part of the New Initiatives group at the main Tripadvisor office.
2004-2007
Senior Software Engineer/Technical Team Leader
Digg, Inc.
San Francisco, Ca
In 2004, I built, with Kevin Rose, the website
digg.com, which grew to become the leading "social news" website on the web, ranking as high as 55th in world internet traffic rankings from alexa.com. From inception in October 2004 to our series A funding in fall 2005, I was the primary technical decision-maker for the company, and contributed to strategy, customer support, and operations.
2001-2004
CEO/Senior Consultant
3030656 Nova Scotia Limited
Halifax, NS, Canada
From 2001 to 2004 I was a self-employed web developer. I have developed all or part of 70+ websites, most notably digg.com and thechronicleherald.ca, for clients in the USA and Europe.
2001
Contract Developer
Motorola, Inc.
Swindon, UK
Tcl/Tk Developer. Working with manufacturing applications on HP/UX at Motorola's global GSM manufacturing facility.
2000-2001
Lead Programmer/Development Manager
competitiveness.com
Barcelona, Spain
Customizing the Ars Digita Community System for use in a well-funded B2B Internet startup. Programming in Tcl, JavaScript and Oracle. Developed a Tcl/Javascript menuing system. Developed a set of pages and database adapters for manual fulfillment of auctions. Mentoring of junior programmers. Prepared and presented 2 classes on the Ars Digita Community System to university students.
1998-2000
Programmer/Analyst
The Halifax Chronicle-Herald Limited
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Programming in C, Perl and other languages on Unix/Windows/MacOS. Part of the team that migrated the Herald to 2 new business systems in time for Y2K.
School
1994-1998
ABD
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
I completed all the requirements for a Ph.D. in Management/Operations Research other than the dissertation (i.e. coursework, research and teaching apprenticeship, and candidacy exam).
1991-1994
MBA
Dalhousie University
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
I completed this degree in 2 part-time years, and 1 full time year (80% of the normal required time).
1983-1986
B. Sc.
Saint Mary's University
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Majored in Mathematics/Computer Science.
Presentations
June 2009
PHP-DC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
March 2009
PHP-Quebec, Montreal, Canada
October 2007
Reflections/Projections University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL
May 2007
IEEE Comsec Chapter, San Francisco, CA
April 2007
Web 2.0 Summit, San Francisco, CA
November 2006
Webmasterworld Pubcon, Las Vegas, NV
Interests
I am an avid photographer. My pictures have been featured in print - Business 2.0, Wired.com, a European travel magazine)
and a variety of websites and high profile blogs (cnbc.com, wikipedia.com, valleywag.com, lifehacker.org).
Since January 2009, I have been an active member of Toastmasters International, and I enjoy the opportunity to practice and improve my public speaking.
I enjoy running, and have completed 5 half-marathons and 1 marathon.