# Rob McBroom #

employment@skurfer.com

## Experience {#experience} ##

### LeafLink ###

#### Senior Backend Engineer, May 2022 – August 2025 ####

Worked across multiple teams to create a first-class marketplace experience for sellers and buyers.

* Implemented a new, frictionless workflow for creating orders approximately 8X faster
* Designed a flexible system for interfacing with multiple advertising providers
* Improved performance of our brand catalog by 4X, as well as improving other key endpoints
* Led the team in implementing best practices and improved coding style
* Mentored other developers across different teams

### Six Feet Up ###

#### Developer/Senior Developer, August 2014 – May 2022 ####

As a developer at a small consulting company, I worked on dozens of projects in
different areas, from managing servers to front-end design.

My primary role involved writing Python code, but I was also able to apply
my experience as a sysadmin. I spent much of my time working with Django,
PostgreSQL, Redis, Poetry, Buildout, and other tools common in the Python
world.

  * Custom Django and Flask application design for large, institutional clients
  * Backend Python-based services
  * Managing systems and orchestrations using SaltStack
  * System configuration and maintenance (primarily FreeBSD and Ubuntu)
  * Supporting the rest of the team as the resident macOS, Homebrew, and Git expert
  * Custom exports of content from Zope/Plone to JSON or CSV (for clients migrating
    to Wordpress and other platforms)

### ADESA, Inc. ###

#### Linux Administrator, July 2008 – July 2014 ####

Responsible for over 100 Red Hat based Linux servers as part of ADESA’s UNIX
team.

  * Manage packages, patches, filesystems, backups, users and groups on Linux systems
  * Implemented and maintain an LDAP-based system for tracking machines
    (Linux, OpenLDAP, Python, PHP)
  * Transitioned systems to centralized authentication
    (Linux, OpenLDAP, Kerberos)
  * Implemented Puppet infrastructure for managing servers
  * Automated monitoring and alerting for Linux systems
    (Xymon, Python)
  * Identify and address hardware problems

### Georgia Institute of Technology - Atlanta, GA ###

#### Systems Support Specialist II, November 2004 – May 2008 ####

Worked in the Office of Information Technology’s Architecture & Infrastructure
group providing services to the Georgia Tech campus. Primary responsibilities
involved building and maintaining web-based applications and performing a
variety of system administration tasks.

  * Maintained a central web server for hosting 400+ departmental websites
    (Solaris, Apache, MySQL, Perl, PHP, shell)
  * Installed/maintained the mailing list server for campus
    (Linux, Sympa, Postfix, MySQL, Perl, shell)
  * Developed secure web-based software distribution application
    (Solaris, Apache, PHP, MySQL, LDAP, Remedy)
  * Developed code that allows self-service account management web site to
    interact with various back-end systems
    (Solaris, Apache, PHP, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, XML-RPC, LDAP)
  * Developed back-end for the Frequently Asked Questions website and
    authored most FAQ content
    (Solaris, Apache, Perl, HTML, CSS)
  * Maintained Google search appliance
  * Scripted migration of calendar events from Oracle Calendar to Zimbra
    (Linux, Oracle Calendar, Zimbra, shell)
  * Maintained the newsgroup server for campus
    (Solaris, INN, Diablo)
  * Supported customers via e-mail, phone, and face to face
  * Maintained top-level web infrastructure (to support www.gatech.edu)
    [backup role]
    (Solaris, Apache, MySQL, shell)
  * Maintained central web-based e-mail client (based on IMP) [backup role]
    (Solaris, Apache, PHP, MySQL, IMAP, LDAP)

### Quicksilver ###

#### Lead Developer, December 2010 – Present ####

Part of a small international
[team](https://github.com/quicksilver/Quicksilver/contributors) of volunteer
programmers dedicated to maintaining the open source [Quicksilver
application](http://qsapp.com/) for macOS.

  * Fix bugs
  * Add features
  * Improve internal structure and stability
  * Help set direction and priorities for the project
  * Support users

## Examples {#examples} ##

You can always see what I’m up to on [GitHub](https://github.com/skurfer) and
[Stack Overflow](http://stackoverflow.com/users/491598/rob-mcbroom). Some of
the other projects I’ve worked on are discussed below.

### This Résumé ###

I wanted to make my résumé available as both text and HTML without manually
maintaining two versions. I also wanted to learn a bit about
[Pyramid][pyramid]. The result was a small application that served both the
HTML and the original Markdown source.

Then, I decided that was overkill and rewrote it using [Flask][flask], which
is what you’re viewing now.

[pyramid]: http://www.pylonsproject.org/projects/pyramid/about
[flask]: https://flask.palletsprojects.com/

### Managing Machine Info using LDAP ###

I can’t take credit for this idea, as it was being done at Georgia Tech, but in
my role as system administrator at ADESA, I saw the need to implement it there.
When I was hired, Linux machines were being tracked in an Excel spreadsheet.
This is sufficient for getting information to human eyes, but I saw an
opportunity to automate a large number of tasks by storing the information in a
format that both humans and machines could get to. I also wanted to be able to
view and change information in a variety of ways, rather than depending on
Excel. The answer was OpenLDAP for a number of reasons.

  * Many existing applications (Postfix, Puppet) can use LDAP data
  * LDAP tools are pre-installed on most systems
  * It’s available in most scripting environments (Shell, Python, PHP, Perl)
  * The data can be viewed and edited in many ways (including plain-text)
  * The data’s structure is more flexible than a spreadsheet or RDBMS
  * We were going to need an LDAP server anyway (for authentication)
  * It’s easy for people to read and gather information
  * It’s easy for machines and automated processes to read and gather information

## Skills {#skills} ##
(In order of proficiency)

### Languages ### {: .floatlist}

  * Python
  * Objective-C
  * HTML/CSS
  * Markdown
  * Shell Scripting
  * Swift

### Development ### {: .floatlist}

  * Django
  * Flask
  * Pyramid
  * Plone
  * Zope

### Data Sources ### {: .floatlist}

  * OpenLDAP
  * PostgreSQL
  * JSON
  * CSV
  * MySQL
  * ZODB
  * SQLite
  * Redis
  * Parquet

### Operating Systems ### {: .floatlist}

  * NeXTstep/Mac OS X/macOS
  * Linux (Debian, RHEL, Ubuntu)
  * Microsoft Windows
  * FreeBSD
  * Solaris
  * AIX
  * MS-DOS
  * Mac OS

### Tools and Applications ### {: .floatlist}

  * Quicksilver
  * TextMate
  * Zed
  * Visual Studio Code
  * Homebrew
  * Git
  * Poetry
  * Pipenv
  * tmux
  * Xcode
  * Vim
  * Dash
  * Xymon (formerly Hobbit)
  * Remedy AR System User Tool
  * Microsoft Office Suite

### Services ### {: .floatlist}

  * SSH
  * Nginx
  * Varnish
  * HAProxy
  * Apache
  * Postfix
  * Kafka
  * Kerberos
  * IMAP (UW, Dovecot)
  * DHCP
  * BIND (DNS)
  * inetd/xinetd
  * NFS

### Other ### {: .floatlist}

  * OpenSSL
  * Puppet
  * SaltStack
  * Docker
  * Kubernetes
  * Amazon Web Services

## Education {#education} ##

### Indiana University - Bloomington, IN ###
#### BS, Information Systems, May 1998 ####

Studied Computer Information Systems in the IU School of Business. A strong
interest in math and science is reflected in courses taken outside of the
School of Business.

## Training {#training} ##

  * Mastering Python
    - Big Nerd Ranch
  * Red Hat Linux System Administration (RH133)
    - Red Hat Global Learning Services
  * Solaris 8 Admin II (SA-288)
    - Sun Training U.S.
  * UNIX Shell Programming
    - Georgia Tech Professional Education
  * Multivendor [UNIX] System Administration
    - Georgia Tech Professional Education
  * PHP 5 Bootcamp
    - Big Nerd Ranch

## Activities {#activities} ##

### IndyPy, 2011 – Present ###

Regularly attend monthly meetings of the
[Indianapolis Python users’ group][indypy] to discuss Python and other
technical topics.

[indypy]: https://indypy.org/

### Volleyball Coach, 2016 – 2019 ###

When my daughter was playing for the [Carmel Dads’ Club][cdc], I volunteered
to coach her team.

[cdc]: https://www.carmeldadsclub.org/

### Secretary, IU Water Ski Club, 1996 – 1998 ###

Created and maintained the club web page. Monitored and responded to club
related e-mail. Organized teams to attend tournaments with other schools.
Taught and learned various water skiing skills with other club members. Drove
and maintained the club’s competition ski boat.