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Resume

Alden Gillespy

Senior Software Engineer and Production Storyteller

Below is my complete professional background across software engineering, product work, and production roles. Each section shows the scope, impact, and decisions from roles I have held.

Summary

Full-stack software engineer with a production background, working at the overlap of systems and storytelling. Builds scalable web applications across frontend, backend, and cloud infrastructure while bringing narrative clarity, usability judgment, and cross-disciplinary execution to product work.

Experience

Reverse-chronological roles focused on product delivery, reliability, and full-stack system ownership.

Senior Software Engineer

SERP Solutions

Jul 2024 - Present

Salt Lake City, UT · On-site, Freelance

  • Design and deliver cloud-native solutions for small businesses, improving reliability and scalability across multiple client platforms.
  • Architect full-stack systems with WordPress backends and React frontends on AWS, improving deployment efficiency and maintainability.
  • Write unit tests and QA automation with Mocha.js and Chai.js to catch regressions early and reduce maintenance risk.
  • Build automation around Amazon EC2 lifecycle operations to speed environment setup and future development workflows.

Senior Software Engineer

Ancestry

Apr 2023 - Oct 2025

Lehi, UT · Full-time

  • Built and optimized high-traffic React and Redux experiences serving 20,000+ daily visitors, with emphasis on performance and accessibility.
  • Led the end-to-end redesign of the DNA Test Activation flow with a mobile-first React UX that reduced friction and improved completion.
  • Helped architect a high-performance Java service layer that streamlined critical workflows and removed costly operational inefficiencies.
  • Reduced infrastructure overhead and processing time, supported traffic above 100,000 concurrent users, and contributed to millions in annual savings.
  • Partnered with executive stakeholders and cross-functional teams to align technical decisions with business objectives.

Lead Software Engineer

NBCUniversal (GolfNow)

Jan 2021 - Sep 2022

Orlando, FL · Full-time

  • Developed and maintained Node.js microservices supporting booking and content workflows for 1,000,000+ daily visitors.
  • Built automation and unit tests with Mocha.js and Chai.js to strengthen QA coverage and release confidence.
  • Created a JavaScript content-transformation pipeline for AMP-compliant pages, improving mobile load speeds and delivery consistency.
  • Developed Node.js and RabbitMQ ingestion tooling to normalize disparate sources and reduce processing overhead.
  • Helped transition services toward a Docker-first microservice architecture for more consistent deployments and scale.

Developer

Concepta Tech

Mar 2020 - Jan 2021

Orlando, FL · Full-time

  • Built a LAMP-based platform with Apache Solr integration to deliver natural-language search capabilities for the flagship client.
  • Developed and deployed a WordPress platform powered by Elasticsearch, improving search relevance, indexing quality, and performance.

Selected Projects

Compact cross-disciplinary examples adapted from the longer engineering and production case studies.

Engineering

Andacity Booking System

Lead full-stack engineer

Built a booking platform around a canonical search contract and normalized data model so new inventory integrations and feature work stayed dependable as the product expanded.

Engineering

Ancestry DNA Kit Activation

Senior software engineer

Led the redesign of a sensitive, high-trust activation flow around clearer state, calmer validation behavior, and more dependable completion at scale.

Production

Bellagio Fountain Film

Direction, capture, and edit

Shaped unpredictable live-performance footage into a coherent cinematic sequence through disciplined framing, adaptive coverage, and editorial pacing.

Skills

Engineering

  • TypeScript
  • JavaScript
  • React
  • Redux
  • Next.js
  • Qwik
  • Node.js
  • PHP
  • Java
  • HTML/CSS

Systems and product

  • REST API design
  • Relational databases
  • SQL and NoSQL
  • Elasticsearch
  • Apache Solr
  • AWS
  • Docker
  • Kubernetes
  • CI/CD
  • Web performance
  • SEO/SEM
  • Accessibility
  • Cross-functional collaboration

Production

  • Visual storytelling
  • Shot planning
  • Camera operation
  • Interview direction
  • Editing
  • Editorial pacing
  • Lighting
  • Color judgment
  • Multi-format delivery

Education

B.S., Computer Science

University of Florida

2008 - 2012

Foundation in computer science theory and software engineering, including algorithms, systems programming, data structures, and web technologies.

A.S., Film & Video Production

Full Sail University

2005 - 2006

Training in cinematography, editing, lighting, color, and directing that continues to inform production work and audience-focused communication.

Next Steps

For a deeper look at the work, browse the engineering case studies and production projects. To discuss a specific role or project, start a conversation.

Alden Gillespy

Software engineering and cinematic production, structured as one practice.

Contact

Engineering work, production inquiries, and selected opportunities.

Release v3.0.0

Published March 21, 2026