Mark Smith-Guerrero

Professional Summary

I am a seasoned software engineer with over 20 years of experience leveraging technology to solve complex problems, save time, and create impact. My expertise spans business automation, public-facing web applications, and technical challenges in AI and robotics. As a polyglot developer with a preference for open-source and functional programming, I thrive in diverse tech environments and can quickly adapt to new tools and languages.

My problem-solving philosophy emphasizes process utility—improving efficiency for the largest number of people. I approach challenges with curiosity, seeking multiple perspectives and lateral solutions. Whether combining existing tools, building custom solutions, or running quick experiments, I ensure technical decisions align with broader organizational goals.

experience

Wärtsilä, Sr. Software Engineer

AUGUST 2021 - NOVEMBER 2023

Optimized power plant management software and deployment to accelerate the transition towards a 100% renewable energy future. Improved user experience with additional features and bug fixes. Refactored OPC UA integration for stability and more than 10x throughput.

Walmart Labs, Software Engineer III

MAY 2019 - JULY 2021

Interesting projects include: Automotive Care Center software, Point of Sale integration, legacy/nextgen interop and Product Activation Service.

Mobile application development with React Native. Systems automation. Backend service programming with golang.

Storyblocks, Sr. Software Engineer

JANUARY 2018 - FEBRUARY 2019

Improved user experiences through updated interface designs, page speed increases and bug fixes. Improved developer experience and speed with automation, legacy code refactors and mentoring.

Interactive Intelligence, Durham, NC — Sr. Software Engineer

MAY 2015 - MARCH 2017

Multiple 3rd party systems integrations with business communication application, using combinations of nodeJS, ember, angular, reactJS and also Clojure with heavy Java interoperability. A heavy emphasis on reusable tool building and Amazon cloud technology.

Questex, Washington, DC — Sr. Web Developer

APRIL 2014 - APRIL 2015

Reduced custom report serve time from 15+ minutes to realtime, using database call optimization, pre-caching and asynchronous data calls. Went on to make reports into dynamic and exportable dashboards, using AngularJS and d3js. Supported and improved existing system and troubleshot past data migration issues to recover previously missing data.

SHRM, Alexandria, VA — Web Developer

FEBRUARY 2011 - APRIL 2014

Application development, deploy and business automation using custom nodejs, Drupal, Magento, Django, iOS, puppet. High quality frontends paired with robust, automated backends, making for rapid, stable, incremental improvements.

Rock Creek Strategic Marketing, Washington, DC — Developer

JANUARY 2010 - FEBRUARY 2011

Developed frontend features and automated backend infrastructure using PHP, JavaScript, CSS, mySQL, bash, sed, git and vim on a large scale, high profile Drupal platform as an on-site developer.

Blackbarn Media, Alexandria, VA — Sr. Developer

MARCH 2008 - JANUARY 2010

Performed development and integration tasks for projects using PHP, JavaScript, CSS, mySQL, Perl, bash, sed, awk, and vim for a development and hosting company.. Worked directly with internal teams including designers, developers, and analysts to develop award winning web experiences. Worked directly with clients in commercial, non-profit, and government areas. Built and themed medium- to enterprise-level websites using Drupal. Provided front-end coding by turning design PSDs into functional frontends. Automated varied tasks including content migration, website building, and theming. Provided network troubleshooting and customer training.

projects

Open Source Contributor — Various

Where possible, contributed code for open-source projects including Wordpress, Drupal, and jQuery Mobile

Whitehouse.gov — Gamified Citizens Medal Nominee Selection Process

Used math, data migration, game application development and charm to reduce the candidate pool from over thirty thousand nominations down to the final 100 for the higher ups to choose from.

Whitehouse.gov — Video Indexing Applications

Built two different video applications for successful citizen engagement: one for indexing to particular questions/topics in the healthcare debate; another for video answers to twitter questions to the Press Secretary. Both web applications had to have easy to use administrative backends and also snappy, massively scalable frontends.

education

George Mason University, Fairfax, VA — BS Economics, Math, Computer Science

Graduated 2007

Activities and Societies: Chess Club (founding member), Go Club, Robotics Club, Wing Chun

programming languages

Typescript, javascript, HTML, CSS, node.js, bash, go, Haskell, PHP, Clojure

frameworks / libraries

ReactJS, HapiJS, ExpressJS, React Native, Laravel, Symfony, Drupal, Magento

tools

vim, emacs, git, docker, webpack, Adobe Photoshop, GIMP

pragma

FP, DRY, Automation, Usability, RTFM, Section 508 Compliance, HIPAA Compliance

backend tech

docker, bash, nginx, Apache, MySQL, postgres, dynamodb, redis, GCP, AWS, Puppet

operating systems

OSX, Linux, BSD variants, Windows 3.11-10

spoken languages

English, Conversational Spanish

interests

Mathematics, Woodworking, Games, Puzzles, Martial Arts, Juggling, Speedcubing