Your friendly average software developer nerd:

River W.

she/her

About Me

Welcome to my corner of the digital world! I’m River, a Java and Golang developer passionate about crafting efficient software solutions.

I thrive in the backend, where I’ve delved into diverse projects encompassing ETLs, microservice architecture and script generation/compilation. I’m proficient in API design and adept at navigating the intricacies of ETL development for complex data. I’m also quite profiecient in the art of hiding my imposter syndrome.

I’ve built large data volume services handling an average of 250k requests weekly. I’ve also developed a script generation system that retrieves complex data and standardizes it into effective models.

I’m an advocate for Test Driven Development (TDD) and ardently believe in user trust, safety and privacy. These are values that are easily forgotten with the need for speed, so it’s important for me to advocate for them.

Outside of work, I’m a social butterfly often found navigating the local party scene or diving into intriguing events. My free time is often devoted to delving into Daoist literature, seeking a balance between spirituality and the bustling tech world. You might not expect it, but I’m also a huge nerd with an increasing interest in trading card games.

Here's some of the technologies I've worked with:
  • Golang
  • Java
  • Spring Boot
  • Apache Kafka
  • Docker
  • ANTLR
  • MySQL
  • PostgreSQL
  • Public Speaking
  • Technical Docs

Experience

Software Development Intern - JD Power
May 2023 - present
  • Implemented high data volume services with Java Camel Orchestration,

  • Managed and improved ETL services with Apache Kafka and Java Spring Boot,

  • Improved time and space efficiency of code generation, parsing, and transpilation projects by 20-30%

Research Assistant - University of Alberta
May 2022 - Jan 2023
  • Developed a Twitter connections ETL with Golang, and PostgreSQL

  • Double data throughput and efficiency by taking advantage of concurrency patterns

  • Ensured data safety by creating automated system restoration/backup procedures

  • Made a lot of mistakes

Education

2020 - present
Honours Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
University of Western Ontario
GPA: 3.7 out of 4.0

Throughout my program, I specialized in software engineering. I learned skills including:

  • Requirements gathering
  • Test driven development
  • Scrum and Agile methodology
  • Project management
  • Distributed Systems
  • Compilation
  • Handling rejection emails
  • Suppresing imposter syndrome

Projects

Cafe C++
C++ Makefile lots more C++ wt
Cafe C++
A cafe ordering and inventory management system written in pure C++. I managed the repository and handled most of the merging and conflict resolution.
Uni Meetups
python javascript bootstrap css flask
Uni Meetups
A meetup social platform written for Calgary Hacks 2022. This was my first project. Going into this project, I didn't even know what an HTTP request was... It's fun to look back and see what I created when I was a naive beginner.
A Typical Developer
Hugo Markup Go Cloudflare CI/CD
A Typical Developer
"A Typical Developer" is one white space away from "atypical developer". This is a blog about being "average" in an industry that tends to over inflate our egos.

Get in Touch

Feel free to email me if you have any questions or just want to say hi!