Nick Nichols

Clojure Developer and Dungeon Master

Research Interests

Genetic Algorithms, Evolutionary Computing, Technical Education, Linguistics, and Formal Grammars

Work History

Start Up - Senior Software Engineer

October 2020 - Present

Chicago, Illinois

Software Products

  • Core Infrastructure Libraries
  • Central Infrastructure-as-Code Repository
  • Clojure Build Tools

Primary Skills Utilized

  • Clojure / Clojurescript
  • Bash
  • PostgreSQL
  • Terrafom
  • Node.js

Job Duties

  • Create and issue cross-team utilities, tools, and solutions to common technical needs and problems
  • Create and maintain infrastructure-as-code modules and central resources

Guaranteed Rate - Lead Software Engineer

September 2018 - October 2020

Chicago, Illinois

Software Products

  • Intelligent Workflow Management SPA
  • Work Lifecycle Rules Engine
  • Real-Time Notification Service

Primary Skills Utilized

  • Clojure / Clojurescript, with the Reframe Framework
  • JavaScript
  • PostgreSQL
  • HTML and CSS

Job Duties

  • Design, code, test, and implement new business rules and functionality
  • Create and issue cross-team utilities, tools, and solutions to common technical needs and problems
  • Negotiate requirements, deliverables, and workable scope between development teams and business owners

State Farm Insurance - Lead Software Developer

October 2017 - August 2018

Bloomington, Illinois

Software Products

  • Financial Transaction ETL Engine
  • Continuous Integration / Continuous Delivery Tools and Automation

Primary Skills Utilized

  • Clojure
  • Spark
  • Docker and Kubernetes
  • Shell Scripting

Job Duties

  • Lead and mentor an agile development team of 7 people, and consult for parallel development teams across the technical portfolio
  • Analyze system requirements to architect and design applications
  • Design, code, test, and implement new business rules and functionality
  • Create cross-department DevOps tooling and resources, and lead training sessions for best practices
  • Serve as GitLab repository administrator
  • Negotiate requirements, deliverables, and workable scope between development teams and business owners

State Farm Insurance - Systems Analyst

June 2013 - October 2017

Bloomington, Illinois

Software Products

  • Statistical Reporting Engine

Primary Skills Utilized

  • IBM SAFR
  • COBOL
  • JCL
  • DB2

Job Duties

  • Design, code, test, and implement new business rules and functionality
  • Create and issue cross-team utilities, tools, and solutions to common technical needs and problems
  • Maintain and monitor legacy services on a regular execution schedule

Self-Employed - Tutor

August 2009 - December 2017

Central Illinois

Areas of Focus

  • English Writing
  • Speech
  • Calculus
  • Web Development

Primary Skills Utilized

  • Communication
  • Writing
  • Coaching

Job Duties

  • Teach remedial lessons in a variety of high school level subjects
  • Assign and grade coursework
  • Assist students studying, applying for universities, and applying for careers

Illinois Wesleyan University - Mathematics Teaching Assistant

January 2013 - May 2013

Bloomington, Illinois

Classes Taught

  • Number Theory
  • Algorithm Design and Analysis

Primary Skills Utilized

  • Communication
  • Coaching
  • Mathematics
  • Python

Job Duties

  • Educate students on critical class concepts
  • Responsible for grading quizzes and homework, providing out-of-class tutoring and mentorship, and holding regular office hours for student support.
  • Developed Python examples to demonstrate in-class concepts such as RSA Encryption, Turing Machines, and Prime Factorization.

Illinois Wesleyan University - Receptionist

August 2009 - May 2013

Bloomington, Illinois

Primary Skills Utilized

  • Communication
  • Writing
  • Web Design

Job Duties

  • Performed receptionist duties for the Andrew W. Mellon Center
  • Updated and maintained the university’s writing program website

Education

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, with a minor in Mathematics

Illinois Wesleyan University. Bloomington, Illinois

Graduated May of 2013

GPA: 3.35/4.0

Research Experience

  • Multivariable Traveling Salesperson Problem, January 2011 - May 2011
  • Ant Colony Optimization, August 2011 - December 2011

Publications

Honors and Awards

Special Achievement Award - State Farm Insurance

November 2016. Awarded for the creation, conceptualization, and execution of the RED Mic platform: an employee-led platform for inspiration and grassroot cultural change.

Special Achievement Award - State Farm Insurance

August 2017. Awarded for the continual success and implementation of the State Farm Systems Intern Speech Program.

Memberships and Affiliations