Résumé
Matthew R. Bowen
SUMMARY
Full-stack engineering lead with 18 years of experience in data engineering and web application development across a variety of industries from media to public health to the highest levels of government. Extensive experience developing high quality software as an individual contributor, leading teams to improve output and quality as a technical lead, and managing engineers to deliver business value and grow in their careers. Examples include architecting and leading the client software team for the IRS's Direct File program, leading the technical team behind BecomeAnEx.org, and leading both a 7-figure CMS migration and numerous product launches at USNews.com.
SELECTED EXPERIENCE
United States Digital Service
Staff Software Engineer | Washington, DC | May 2021—Present
- Developed significant portions of the software architecture for the IRS's Direct File program using typescript, scala, and react; currently leads a team of a dozen engineers to deliver the US government's first in-house-developed tax-filing system
- Developed data pipeline tools in Python and Pandas, performed geospatial analyses using GeoPandas, debugged CI performance issues, and created an automated test strategy for the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool, which guides billions of dollars in federal funding
- Developed technical guidance for creating Fact-specific Proxies to qualify people for emergency rental assistance, as well as an implementation in Python using Luigi and Postgres/PostGIS that helped people around the country gain access to rental assistance during the COVID-19 emergency. The guidance and implementation have inspired other agencies to adopt fact-specific proxies to ease uptake of their own programs
- Lead a cross functional team of engineers, designers, and procurement experts to overhaul and re-launch TechFarHUB, a key resource of government procurement; also performed the vast majority of software development using TypeScript, React, Gastby, and Github Actions
- Developed data pipelines, automation, and analytics using Python, Pandas, Spark, and Postgres that helped save thousands of lives during multiple crises at agencies throughout the government
- Provided technical leadership at multiple agencies around system architecture, observability, operations, and helped inform decision making with data
Truth Initiative
Lead Software Engineer | Washington, DC | February 2014—May 2021
- Developed web applications using Python (Django), JavaScript, Postgres, RabbitMQ (with celery), HTML, and CSS, maintained in Git, running on Heroku
- Guided development of larger features, working with developers to ensure consistent APIs, abstractions, and architecture that can evolve over time
- Selected technologies to solve product problems and sets criteria for team for evaluating open-source packages
- Developed SMS vaping-cessation programs using Django, Django Rest Kit, and Twilio that helped hundreds of thousands of people on their journey to quit smoking
- Lead development of hybrid-mobile smoking-cessation app (now retired), using JavaScript and Cordova
- Automated system administration of EC2 boxes with Ansible, including maintaining Jenkins CI server and Groovy workflow configurations
- Developed reports and performed ad-hoc data analysis using Jupyter Notebook and Pandas
- Lead technical security practices (including writing policies and implementing controls) group in regulated (HIPAA) environment
- Documented policies, workflows, and other key team practices and creates systems to foster a culture of clear written communication
- Took an active role in Scrum workflow and other development-process activities
U.S. News & World Report
Director of Web Technology | Washington, DC | August 2011—February 2014
- Supervised a team of nine frontend and software developers who built and maintained usnews.com
- Provided technical leadership to development teams, determining goals and technical direction on major projects like Best Colleges and Best Hospitals, used by millions of visitors per year
- Lead successful major million-dollar+ project to replace U.S. News Content Management system, modernizing publishing operations
- Developed software using Python (Pylons and Pyramid), JavaScript, Postgres, HTML, and CSS, managed in Git, running on Debian
- Provided technical SEO expertise to both U.S. News and its sister company, the New York Daily News
- Acted as backup system administrator, assisting with deployments and server configuration
- Represented development teams to business units, ad operations, and UX teams
- Introduced Kanban process to improve development flow and project prioritization
- Provided project management support on multiple, simultaneous web projects throughout the year
Stratacomm
Director of Technology Services | Washington, DC | July 2008—August 2011
- Developed web-based applications (including a Facebook application), using Python (Django and Plone), JavaScript, MySQL, HTML, and CSS
- Acted as a technical liaison to account teams and clients, offering tactical solutions to clients' problems
- Provided project management for all aspects of online projects, from IA to deployment
- Managed Stratacomm's web team's day-to-day development work and individual client projects
- Awarded "Team Player of the Year," 2009, Stratacomm’s only office-wide award
National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC)
Webmaster | Washington, DC | October 2006—February 2008
- Developed pages and interactive components, using Python (Plone), XHTML, CSS, and Javascript
- Lead development of long-term strategy for NCPC's web presence
- Represented web team to senior staff
- Wrote documentation for NCPC's web technologies
- Trained staff on software use and technological trends
EDUCATION
University of Maryland at College Park
2001—2005
- Bachelor of Arts: English (Honors)
- Bachelor of Arts: Economics
Résumé
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