Matthew William Hickey

Technical Skills

• Languages: TypeScript, Python, Clojure, Ruby, Go, PHP, Perl
• Frontend: React, Redux, Ember.js, HTML/CSS
• Backend: Node.js, Express, Django, REST, GraphQL
• Data & Messaging: PostgreSQL, SQL, Redis, DynamoDB, RabbitMQ, Immutable DBs
• DevOps & Cloud: Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, CI/CD pipelines, Git
• Methodologies: Test-Driven Development (TDD), Agile, Object-Oriented and Functional Programming

Experience

PropertyMeld | 2024 – Present

• Tech Stack: Python, Django, React | Property Management & Maintenance Logistics
• System Architecture & Integrations: Code owner for CI/CD pipelines, developer experience, and third-party integrations with external property management and accounting systems.
• CI/CD Optimization: Substantially improved CI/CD pipeline reliability while significantly reducing overall pipeline infrastructure costs.
• Legacy Modernization: Built a shared foundation to increase code reuse across existing integrations and spearheaded a zero-downtime plan to unify legacy codebases.

Red Sky | 2022 – 2023

• Tech Stack: Clojure, ClojureScript | Agrifood Logistics
• High-Performance Architecture: Architected a real-time system utilizing a distributed immutable database alongside a highly responsive, WebSocket-based client.
• DevOps Foundation: Built all internal testing framework and DevOps infrastructure from the ground up.

Contentful | 2019 – 2022

• Tech Stack: JavaScript, TypeScript, Ruby, Go, SQL, DynamoDB, Kubernetes, CSS
• API Core Development: Extended the public Contentful API, leading the implementation of the first major structural change to the core data model in several years.
• Full-Stack Engineering: Developed solutions across all layers of the stack—ranging from low-level Kubernetes configuration down to UI styling in CSS.
• Leadership & Onboarding: Managed external contractors while actively mentoring and onboarding new engineering team members.

Assemble | 2017 – 2019

• Tech Stack: Node.js, Express, PostgreSQL, Redis, Ember.js, iOS, Custom In-House Cloud
• Enterprise Fleet Application: Extended and maintained a transit application powering private vehicle fleet operations for a major tech enterprise.

Haiku Deck | 2016 – 2017

• Tech Stack: React, Redux, Node.js/Express, PostgreSQL, Redis, Stripe, Docker, Kubernetes (GKE)
• Access Control System: Built an enterprise feature enabling teachers to grant students temporary, affordable access to paid platform features.
• Billing Infrastructure Overhaul: Redesigned the Stripe-based payment architecture to support multi-currency international transactions and custom academic billing tiers.
• Cloud Migration: Containerized Rackspace deployments and migrated systems to Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), saving thousands of dollars in monthly operating costs while enhancing developer deployment workflows.
• DevOps & Support Automation: Built a custom Slack chatbot to handle administrative and support tasks (closing accounts, tier upgrades) alongside automated DevOps commands (server restarts, system diagnostics).

Hermit Cove Boats | 2014 – 2017

• Tech Stack: Python, CAD, Rhino
• Product Innovation: Founded Hermit Cove Boats to design and manufacture specialized rowboats to fulfill an unaddressed market need.
• Algorithmic Construction: Invented and generalized a skin-on-frame construction technique adaptable to arbitrary hull forms using parametric Python scripts and CAD/Rhino models.
• Parametric Design Engine: Built an automated workflow to generate scaled models across a spectrum of boat dimensions, offering customers tailor-fit designs.

HelloSign / HelloFax | 2012 – 2015

• API Engineering: Architected and deployed the core HelloSign REST API for digital document signing.
• UI/UX Optimization: Engineered front-end improvements to enhance user workflows within the web-based document signing application.

CollegeNet | 1999 – 2011

• Enterprise Email Platform: Built a web-based mail client optimized for shared university inboxes (e.g., admissions@school.edu) integrated directly with the admissions pipeline for personalized mass outreach.
• Higher-Ed CRM Platform: Architected a Customer Relationship Management system tracking applicant and donor lifecycle data, featuring custom file ingestion and integrated email communication.
• Automated Workflow Engine: Created an event-driven messaging platform that delivered dynamic, conditional communications triggered by student application milestones.
• Asynchronous Queueing Architecture: Engineered a distributed, SQL-backed message queue and worker engine featuring dynamic autoscaling, job priority queues (FIFO, LIFO, random), web monitoring interfaces, and query-driven batch job generation.
• Product Impact: These systems scaled to process millions of university applications, records, and notifications, continuing to serve as core components of CollegeNet’s enterprise suite.