- 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.
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Alden Gillespy
Senior Software Engineer and Production Storyteller
Summary
Full-stack software engineer with a production background, working at the overlap of systems and storytelling. I build scalable web applications across frontend, backend, and cloud infrastructure while bringing narrative clarity, usability judgment, and cross-disciplinary execution to product and platform work.
Experience
Reverse-chronological roles focused on product delivery, reliability, and full-stack system ownership.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Continue with the work that answers your question.
Review engineering case studies for technical depth, production projects for narrative execution, or open the conversation for role-specific context.
