Website Contact Page: [here]
Jacob Taylor
Head Of Information Technology and Server Engineering at RC Consulting, Inc.
Experience
Richard Carlton Consulting, Inc., Los Osos, CA (01/2018-present)
- Director of Information Technology and Engineering Services (01/2024-present)
- Head of Information Technology and Server Engineering (01/2020-12/2023)
- FileMaker Engineering Specialist and IT Administrator (01/2019-12/2019)
- Lead FileMaker Engineer and IT Administrator (07/2018-12/2018)
- Associate FileMaker Engineer and IT Administrator (01/2018-06/2018)
Projects at RCC
- Authored significant upgrades to a software product delivery system, enabled by subscription lifecycle management improvements
- Rewrote subscription lifecycle management system making it more flexible, accurate, and correct, while significantly reducing the overhead cost of launching new products
- Migrated companies from legacy authentication to OAuth, including improving application login system code
- Rebuilt Windows server backup system (written in PowerShell) to add central configuration, logging, system event log preservation/offsiting, partially-automatic configuration, an AWS S3 Object-Lock system for ransomware-resistant offsite backups, as well as Storage Tier improvements and AWS Lifecycle rules for automatic cost optimization. Revisited constraints on the IAM user.
- Developed two-stage Python+Powershell deploy-to-AWS-EC2 system for FileMaker Server, reducing new server deploy from 4 hours to 15 minutes. Includes automagic backups into S3 w/constrained IAM user. Deployer uses heuristics for database size and user count to optimize machine cost. (AWS SSM/IAM/EC2/S3)
- Developed a Windows System and FileMaker Server performance metrics accumluator for our clients' server fleet in Powershell, PHP, and FileMaker (via DAPI) — and built realtime alerting in FileMaker on top of this.
- Forked and improved a PHP wrapper for the FileMaker Data API, which is maintained as open source. It is incredibly easy to use and gives excellent feedback when something is not working. It also has several different well-supported credential management modes and good documentation for how to use them.
- Built several company websites, including securing form submissions with Google Recaptcha.
- Migrated all company websites from PHP5 to PHP7, including code maintenance and library replacement. http→https, too.
- Resolved email deliverability issues for our mailing list and customer support personnel by implementing DKIM, SPF, then DMARC.
- Held responsibility for hundreds of customer FileMaker Server and FileMaker Cloud for AWS installations, and kept them running smoothly.
- Developed and shot video content for RCC's industry-leading video training course, covering FileMaker Server — including incident response and recovery content — and both generations of FileMaker Cloud.
- Led FileMaker Server, FileMaker Cloud, and FileMaker Application Performance live training sessions on FMTraining.TV's Twitch.TV channel.
- Launched Video Library Publication Kit, a free PHP+FMS product which allows CMS-like management of website video content within FileMaker Pro, and shot accompanying code deep dive for RCC video training course.
- Secured a PHP website codebase, under the direction of a client's internal software security audit team.
- Built a secure File Upload Utility for use during company Live Streams.
- Authored code standards to improve website performance over time -- in combination with other work, greatly improving website performance and overall company SEO profile.
- Collaborated with internal and external employees at all organizational levels to meet their business and operational needs.
Offers Network, San Luis Obispo, CA (07/2016-10/2018)
- Systems Administrator and PHP Engineer at small automated marketing company
- Migrated company from RHEL to Ubuntu Server
- Manage video production pipeline, including RETS XML ingest
- Rewrote XML ingest (PHP) pipeline using PHRETS and EasyDB
- Built a new product in Bootstrap
Design Laurels, San Francisco (06/2013-05/2015)
- Project Coordinator at boutique design firm
- Led client support
- Built websites [HTML5/CSS3/JS] from mockups
- Optimized client website hosting, and made it profitable
Wolf and Associates, Davis, CA (2004-2009)
- Performed IT support for executive staff
- Solved technical issues in a timely fashion to keep the business running smoothly
- Self-managed to stay on budget and on timeline
United States Geological Survey, Sacramento, CA (Spring 2008)
- Installed and configured embedded monitoring systems based on Windows XP embedded, LogMeIn Hamachi, and Verizon cellular cards
- Created, implemented, and refined the standardized procedure for installing the monitoring systems' OS images
Side Projects
- I'm a welcome wagon for fc00 / CJDNS, a FOSS mesh networking software with source-based-routing using a DHT (~Kademlia), and end to end encryption (Curve25519-Poly1305-Salsa20). Each user generates a public/private keypair; their fc00::/8 IPv6 address is derived from that public key. In addition to helping new people find project resources, I help the project leader maintain consistency between his stated philosophy, and the software as-implemented.
- I run a large bittorrent tracker which serves between 5.5 million to 6.5 million peers at a time. This is how I support the free exchange of culture.
Publications
My portfolio of work for graduation from CSU Monterey Bay.
Education
BA Global Studies, California State University, Monterey Bay (2013-2015) GPA: 3.85
- Capstone paper topic was on blockchain technology, human/machine shared identity, the internet of things, and how we should think about a cognizant environment
- Technical Liaison for Globalization 2.0: US-India digital hybrid-online course taught by Dr. Ajit Abraham
- Received World Affairs Council Singleton Scholarship for excellence in International Studies
- Vice President, Delta Pi chapter of Sigma Iota Rho, an International Studies Honor Society (F2014-S2015)
- Coursework: International Development, Dilemmas in Humanitarianism, Global Politics, Global Political Economy, Global Ecology, Anthropology of Education, World Views, GIS, and Historical Approaches
AA International Studies, Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA (2009-2013)
- Coursework: Macro+Micro Economics, World Politics, Comparative Government, Political Philosophy, French 201+202, Cultural Geography, Cultural Anthropology, Social Psychology, Fundamentals of Computer Science, x86 Assembly Programming, Fundamentals of Electronics, U.S. History, Public Address, U.S. Government and Politics, English Composition and Critical Thinking, and Fiber Networking
Davinci High School, Davis, CA (2006-2009)
- Gates Foundation-Funded New Tech High School built around Project Based Learning and modeled after the workplace
- Technology-first education: emphasized full technological literacy, group collaboration, leadership, negotiation and compromise
- Built and tested Dell laptop fleet for student body in 2008
- Spearheaded student laptop repair team of three after school district removed professional support position from 2007-2009
Community Involvement & Organizations
Sigma Iota Rho Honor Society for International Studies (S2014-S2015)
- Vice President Delta Pi Chapter, F2014–S2015
Participated in Social Justice and CSUMB@20 Colloquium, where we built a first draft of a new vision statement for our university. Spring 2015
Participated in the Ignite! Social Justice and Leadership Retreat. Spring 2015
Participated in CSUMB Connections Conference, a 1 day leadership development course. Spring 2015
Team Member, FIRST Robotics team #1678 (2005-2009)
- Each year, for four years, built 5 cubic foot robot and controller in six weeks, and programmed it to complete complex tasks.
- Mechanical Team (2005-2008)
- Built a robot with ingenuity, duct tape, and zip ties.
- Fundraised capital for the team’s operation by finding and working with sponsors
- Team Webmaster (2008-2009)
- Wrote and maintained the team’s website with timely news and sponsorship information for the team
- Co-designed team logo, still in use, as well as team name "Citrus Circuits"
Participated in Close Up (Washington D.C., politics intensive) during Spring 2009
- One week immersion in D.C. studying US Government, functions, and principal actors
- 18 hour days spent up close and personal with US representatives and their staff
- Fund-raised entire cost of attendance ($2100)
Spoke at City Council meeting, and organized successful student protest against funding cuts to our school district in 2009
Filmed a video production supporting Measure W in Davis, CA in 2008
Trained as Red Cross Disaster Action Team member (2005-2006)
References
References are available upon request.