Dustin Sparks's Email Addresses & Phone Numbers

I am a software professional focusing on architecture and development contribution, development methodologies and am creating a portfolio of software methods and technology training courses. As can be seen from my experience, I know software. My passion is building superb software and enjoy exploring all aspects of creating applications. I have solid experience building software ranging from...

I am a software professional focusing on architecture and development contribution, development methodologies and am creating a portfolio of software methods and technology training courses. As can be seen from my experience, I know software. My passion is building superb software and enjoy exploring all aspects of creating applications. I have solid experience building software ranging from raw development to building and managing world class development teams. I strive to continue to grow as a software specialist through self learning, taking on interesting projects and seeking strong teams. Specialties:Software development, architecture, agile methodologies, delivery, Certified ScrumMaster, unique combination of being able to meet client/project needs through the best technical solution, technology and methods trainingIndependent Technology Consultant @ I provide value to my clients and customers through development contribution, architecture, development methodology training and technical training. From December 2009 to Present (5 years 11 months) Dojo Technical Lead (Fusion Consultant) @ Environment: JavaScript, DOJO Framework, Rational Application Developer, Websphere Integration Developer, JSON, Rational Team Concert, Mantis, Java, REST Services Technical lead for a team who implemented a new front end solution for a major Liberty Mutual project. Implemented dijits (dojo widgets), fields in custom framework, implemented custom field framework, implemented tiles and navigation, wrote dojo objective harness (DOH) tests for all project code written, implemented custom validation for fields and fixed bugs. As a lead I also manage the team's work queue, mentor team members, interview candidates, work on strategy with project managers, participated in on site client visits, facilitated dojo training and provide feedback for the team. From March 2012 to April 2015 (3 years 2 months) Charlottetown, PESoftware Developer and ScrumMaster @ Environment: Java 6 and 7, Tomcat, Hibernate, Spring, Struts, MySQL, REST Services, PHP, Adobe Flex, Adobe AIR, Flash Builder, BlazeDS, Ant, Jenkins, JQuery As a developer at ScreenScape, I was able to learn and utilize Adobe Flex and Flash technologies while continuing to build my foundation in Java. My responsibilities included designing, implementing and supporting a number of production applications. Supported applications by fixing defects in all layers of the technical stack, from UI to database to infrastructure. Implemented continuous integration, continuous deployment practices and good configuration management practices. Worked to define architectural vision and trained the team on how to speak a common UML language for architecture and design. Implemented REST services to expose data for use in ScreenScape applications. As ScrumMaster at ScreenScape I was able to help shape and define the scrum methodology within the product team. Educated co-workers on the Scrum process and led efforts in maturing the team's practices. My work leading the scrum process has allowed the team to reliably plan and deliver features allowing for more accurate planning and execution through all areas of the company. From May 2010 to February 2012 (1 year 10 months) Charlottetown, PESenior Java Developer (Fusion Consultant) @ Environment: J2EE, Java 5, Struts, DB2, REST Services Contributed as a Senior Developer on a nationwide commercial insurance project. Responsible for working with the business components to develop new functionality as the team integrates an existing web based user interface with a new backend rating engine. This type of integration project has exercised my client communication skills as groups from various parts of the company are called upon to help develop many of the features. From December 2009 to May 2010 (6 months) Architect and Developer (SparksWare Consultant) @ Environment: Java 5, JBoss App Server, JBoss ESB, JBoss Messaging, analytic platforms, security, JMS, PL/SQL, SOAP Worked with Interactions in the role of developer and architect. In this capacity I architected, developed and created the security and deployment plan for a complicated integration project with an Interactions client. This project utilizes SOAP, JBoss Messaging, PL/SQL and the JBoss ESB. I have also supported the Interactions Analytics Platform based on NetCharts technology by working with NetCharts to understand their deployment and then modify our installation to adhere to Interactions standards and requests for reporting presentation. From December 2009 to May 2010 (6 months) Development Manager @ Responsibilities: Scrum coach, staffing decisions, compensation adjustments, quarterly and annual reviews, technical and methodology mentoring, managing development projects, defining and enforcing development practices, High level Architecture and Design, defining and enforcing development standards, Client representative from development, Code audits, team continuous learning, responsible for meeting development commitments on time. As development manager at Interactions I was able to learn and exercise new skills that compliment my technical competencies. When I became development manager of the 12 developers at Interactions there were few repeatable or consistent processes and a lack of methodology. I led the efforts to implement the Agile Scrum methodology within the development team and across the company through coaching of product owners, stake holders and team members. I worked with the scrum teams to derive good development practices that make sense for our development and compliments our scrum methodology. I documented, enforced and adapted our practices as we learned or the team or work changed. The team is now able to estimate and plan their work allowing us to consistently meet our commitments to our clients. Another gap in the development process was a lack of development production support. When I became manager the software would experience a number of outages and the development team had no organized way of dealing with the production issues we faced. Given this situation, I created a production support team who's focus would be to support outages, fix production bugs and handle the configuration management work. This team has been able to improve the software in production and the configuration management practices so well that the team has been able to reduce in size by 66%, freeing up more resources for new development. From August 2008 to December 2009 (1 year 5 months) Integration Architect @ Environment: Tomcat, JBoss, Sailfin, MRCP, vxml, grxml, Socket programming, SIP, RTP, web services, REST services, postgreSQL, Oracle, stored procedures, Hibernate (JPA), SAX, Google guice, Spring, Jasper reports, JSR 168 and 286 portlet specification, subversion, Hudson, nexus, maven 2, concurrent programming, UML, ETL, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, SuSE, CTI, shell scripting, Core Java and J2EE Responsible for working with clients to define integration requirements, design and implement integration solutions to support IVR self service. Worked with clients from a variety of industries each utilizing different technologies to complete integration. Led refactoring efforts to improve the custom DSL (Domain Specific Language) that is used to write client telephony scripts. Implemented liferay as portal solution and wrote internal reference portal architecture as well as implementing production portlets for internal and client use utilizing the Spring application framework. Implemented jasper reports as BI solution and integrated with the portal framework. Designed and enhanced existing application to work with industry standards. Implemented MRCP stack and modified RTP stack to support integration goals. Also worked with vxml, grxml, SIP and voice platforms such as holly connects, voxeo and genesys. Performed stress tests and tuned JVMs for custom java server applications. From March 2007 to August 2008 (1 year 6 months) Consultant @ Consulted on a variety of projects in many differing roles. Specific project details are outlined in my other position descriptions in my Resume. From August 2004 to March 2007 (2 years 8 months) Senior Java Developer (Fusion Consultant) @ Environment: Java, J2EE, Webworks, Spring, Hibernate, Resin, Stored Procedures, Oracle, Maven 1 Consulted via Fusion Alliance. Development lead and configuration manager in charge of team tasked with making significant enhancements to the existing tax year application. Estimated effort to complete enhancements and assigned work to development team. Set up environments for local development, system test and user acceptance testing. Built and deployed the application to the different environments. Coordinated with test team for planning and deployment schedule. Developed key components of the system including interfacing with checkout web service, altering the flow of the application and integrated with official government databases. From October 2006 to February 2007 (5 months) Independent Consultant @ Environment: Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Java, J2EE, Struts, ffmpeg, UML, Flash, Cisco ASA, Networking, VPN implementation, Scrum Consulted on all technical decisions ranging from infrastructure to project management. Advised on internet security appliances and installed and configured Cisco ASA device. Set up linux servers and installed them in a datacenter. Set up the development environments and defined the agile process used to define and build the system. Architected J2EE application for management of Internet Video. Lead a junior development team in the construction of the project. From October 2006 to February 2007 (5 months) Senior Java Developer/Configuration Manager (Fusion Consultant) @ Environment: Red Hat Enterprise Linux, CVS, Bugzilla, Java 1.5, J2EE, Struts, Stored procedures, Oracle, Jboss, JSP Consulted on various short-term projects. - Internet Video Project Set up and configured Red Hat Enterprise Linux on new IBM servers. Installed and configured CVS and bugzilla. Set up java development environments. Trained team on use of SSH and secure tunneling. - Content Management System Project Developed many outstanding enhancements in a short period of time. Performed system wide code review. Created validation documentation as required by the client. From August 2006 to October 2006 (3 months) Technical Lead (Fusion Consultant) @ Environment: IBM WSAD, IBM Websphere, Oracle, Java 1.4, J2EE, Rational Clearcase, Rational Clearquest, Rational Rose, Rational Reqpro, UML, SOAP Webservices, EJB, JSP, Struts, Hibernate Consulted via Fusion Alliance. Wrote new business rules in an xml and Java based rules engine per requirements. Designed and implemented new functionality into the rules engine to support changes in the application. Wrote web service calls to retrieve reporting data used to determine insurance premiums. Development lead of a 10-person team across 2 states. Set team goals, provided estimates, assigned work, performed code reviews while completing my own development work. Managed code base for the rules team. Pulled down code from the main trunk and merged team changes back into the trunk. From August 2004 to August 2006 (2 years 1 month) Java Developer @ Environment: Java, Unix, IBM WSAD, IBM Websphere, IBM MQ-Series, TOAD, Oracle, Rational Clearcase, Rational Clearquest, Rational Rose, Rational Reqpro, SOAP, XML, EJB, Cheshire, Toplink, ISIS Draw, Shell Scripting Designed and implemented features based off of requirements gathered by analysts. Used Rational ReqPro to access requirements, perform OO design using Rational Rose, implemented java code and J2EE components using IBM WebSphere Application Developer. Maintained production systems by fixing defects. Worked with the data team to finalize data diagrams and design. Performed proof of concept on pseudo-message driven beans (could not fully implement the MDB since we were on version 4.x of WAS which supported only EJB1.1). Advised on web services and directed the architecture team how the services could be best integrated into the application. Performed peer reviews of design and code. Wrote automated deployment scripts. Deployed the application into development and test environments. Administered WAS in development and test environments. From August 2002 to August 2004 (2 years 1 month) Information Analyst @ Environment: TSO/MVS, AS400, SAS, DB2 Developed systems to load clinical trial data from global data management centers. Created statistical datasets used in clinical trial reports. Defined and completed system validation according to regulatory standards. Participated in development of new clinical trials. Developed systems on AS400 to load global clinical trial data into DB2. Wrote systems to create statistical SAS datasets and move them to a TSO/MVS environment. Coordinated more that 200 upgrades to Windows 2000 from Windows 95. Provided training and coordinated tasks that needed to be completed prior to upgrade. Mentored new analysts on technologies and business processes. Peer reviewed and tested projects to ensure quality. From May 2000 to August 2002 (2 years 4 months) Systems Anaylst @ Environment: Cache, Unix, Waterfall methodology Supported FACS financial software by developing new features and resolving client issues. Enhanced and supported FACS software written in Cache post-relational database on Unix systems. Peer reviewed and tested projects. Communicated directly with clients to understand bugs and exact requirements for new features. Deployed software fixes and new version of software to clients via online updates and cutting and sending tapes. Mentored new employees on using Cache and business processes. Designed and implemented event driven enhancement in FACS software. From May 1998 to May 2000 (2 years 1 month) BS, Computer Science, Physics @ Ball State University From 1996 to 2000 Dustin Sparks is skilled in: Java, Flex, Certified Scrum Master..., MySQL, PostgreSQL, IVR, Flash, Hibernate, JBoss, Tomcat, Linux, Guice, Spring, Struts, JSP, SQL, Change Management, Agile, System Architecture, Enterprise Architecture, UML, Unix, Websphere, JMS, SOAP, XML, Shell Scripting, Subversion, Cisco, Ant, Maven, SIP, RTP, REST, Jasper Reports, Hudson, Nexus, CTI, J2EE, ESB, Eclipse, Scrum, Software Development, Architecture, Servlets, JDBC, Web Services, JPA, WebSphere Process Server, WebSphere Integration...