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Staff Software Engineer  ·  25+ Years

Karl Hill

Cloud · Platforms · Engineering Leadership

I architect systems, lead teams, and ship software that matters — from disaster-response platforms at NASA to mission-critical aerospace systems at Jacobs/BlackLynx.

01 — Why Me

I Build

Cloud-native platforms on AWS. Containerized services with Docker and Kubernetes. High-traffic web systems. Secure CI/CD pipelines. Built to last and operate reliably at scale — not just to demo well.

I Lead

Engineering teams from roadmap to release. 1:1s, onboarding, PR standards, definition of done — the unglamorous work that turns a group of developers into a high-performing team that ships consistently.

I Deliver

Predictable execution, every sprint. I translate mission needs into sequenced plans, manage stakeholders across technical and non-technical audiences, remove blockers, and ship.

25+

Years of Experience

1.5M

Monthly Visitors — NASA PLATFORMS

$105M

Platform Acquisition Value

~60%

Efficiency Gained via Automation

02 — Experience

Current Role

Staff Aerospace Software Engineer

Jacobs  ·  Chantilly, VA

Sept 2025 — Present
  • Lead delivery for cloud-native mission-simulation and telemetry services. Own planning, refinement, demos, and stakeholder alignment end-to-end.
  • Own team health and execution — coaching, 1:1s, onboarding, and delivery discipline across multi-repo, multi-environment systems.
  • Set and enforce engineering standards: repo/branch governance, PR reviews, Definition of Done, and documentation to reduce integration risk.
  • Drive DevSecOps and release governance via CI/CD, automated testing, quality gates, and security checks to shorten feedback loops.

Lead Software Engineer

NASA / SSAI

Lanham, MD

Dec 2017 — Sept 2025
  • Architected NASA's cloud-based Flood Mapping System on AWS, delivering near real-time satellite-derived flood products to support global disaster response.
  • Rebuilt the NASA Earth Observatory — a platform serving ~1.5M monthly visitors — improving performance, UX, and SEO.
  • Built a high-performance Ceph-based file + metadata platform, improving large dataset discovery and access for researchers.
  • Delivered an automated content registry workflow that boosted data collection efficiency by ~60% and accelerated researcher access.
  • Implemented GitLab CI/CD + Docker + Kubernetes delivery — automated deployments, repeatable releases, reliable stakeholder approvals.

Sr. Software Engineer

InformedDNA

St. Petersburg, FL

Jan 2016 — Dec 2017
  • Architected a Laravel-based case management platform reducing operational costs by $30K/year.
  • Led CRM enhancements improving client retention and contributing ~15% revenue growth through better lifecycle workflows and reporting.
  • Spearheaded platform upgrades and security improvements, doubling incident response efficiency and strengthening operational readiness.

Earlier Career

1999 — 2015

Ticomix, Inc.

Sr. Software Engineer · Washington, D.C. · 2012–2015

SugarCRM solutions for 20+ clients including VDOT and Kastle Systems. Cut delivery backlog ~90%, improving predictability and customer satisfaction.

Sabre Corporation

Software Engineer · Bethesda, MD · 2010–2012

PHP applications for global travel clients. Mentored junior developers through pairing and code review.

Dante Inc.

Principal Software Engineer · Arlington, VA · 2007–2010

Java solutions for Comcast and Mastercard improving operational efficiency by ~40%. Led Scrum delivery from planning through retros.

Verizon Business

Software Developer · Herndon, VA · 1999–2005

Built Finium, the managed security-services platform that drove a 10× increase in client engagements and supported a $105M acquisition by MCI/Verizon.

03 — Selected Work

NASA Earth Observatory
Laravel AWS

NASA  ·  2017–2025

NASA Earth Observatory

Flagship science communication platform serving 1.5M+ monthly visitors with satellite imagery and Earth science data. Rebuilt the publishing pipeline to unify editorial workflows across distributed content teams. Overhauled the delivery architecture for accessibility compliance and redesigned the information hierarchy for long-term scale.

Flood Mapping System
AWS Python

NASA  ·  2017–2025

Flood Mapping System

Operational satellite imagery processing system generating near real-time flood inundation maps during active disaster events globally. Automated the end-to-end pipeline from raw sensor acquisition through geospatial product generation, dissemination, and integration with international emergency management networks.

Direct Readout Laboratory
PHP Linux

NASA  ·  2017–2025

Direct Readout Laboratory

Scientific data processing hub ingesting multi-instrument sensor streams from polar-orbiting satellites in near real-time. Reformats and distributes Level-0 through Level-2 geophysical products to operational centers and research institutions across a global network of registered direct broadcast ground stations.

ESSCOR
PHP MySQL

NASA  ·  2017–2025

ESSCOR

Earth science data discovery portal unifying archival and near real-time remote sensing holdings into a searchable, standards-compliant catalog. Implemented granule-level access controls and standardized metadata schemas to streamline data ordering and delivery for researchers across government agencies and partner institutions.

InformedDNA Platform
Laravel MySQL

InformedDNA  ·  2016–2017

InformedDNA Platform

Clinical genomics workflow platform coordinating case management, genetic counseling routing, and billing reconciliation across distributed care teams. Unified fragmented operational processes into a governed system with role-based access, full audit trails, and automated documentation pipelines that cut per-case overhead by $30K annually.

Finium
Java Security

Verizon Business  ·  1999–2005

Finium

Enterprise managed security services platform unifying multi-tenant client operations across a national carrier network for a Fortune 500 provider. Automated provisioning, monitoring, and incident response orchestration drove a 10× growth in client engagements and contributed directly to a $105M acquisition.

04 — Technical Stack

Languages

Python TypeScript Java PHP Bash

Cloud & Infra

AWS Docker Kubernetes Helm (OCI) Ceph

Delivery & CI/CD

GitLab CI GitHub Actions Bitbucket Release Automation

Web & UI

React Node.js Laravel Vite Tailwind OpenAPI/Swagger

Data Platforms

PostgreSQL MySQL MongoDB Redis Elasticsearch

Leadership

Agile / Scrum Team Coaching Roadmapping DevSecOps Stakeholder Mgmt

05 — Open Source

github.com/karlhillx ↗

06 — Certifications & Education

Education

B.S. Computer Science Coursework

University of Maryland

Associate of Arts, General Studies

Howard Community College

Project Management

Rutgers University