Howard Zhong

Research SWE at CHTC, MSCS at UW-Madison

stay hungry, stay foolish (yeah, I know it’s cliché, but hey, it’s been sitting on my desk since middle school, judging my snack choices and bad ideas ever since)

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Areas

Backend Dev

Fullstack Dev

Open-source Projects

Bio

Howard Zhong is a research software engineer who works on the “Netflix” of PB-scale data. He obtained his Master of Science degree in Computer Science from UW-Madison. He has more than 1 year of experience in building robust software systems. From enterprise microservices built on Java Spring Boot to open-source data federation platform, he dedicates to backend and full-stack development, embracing the opportunities to grow in different settings.

Tech Stack

  • Languages: Java, Python, Go, JavaScript, Typescript, HTML/CSS, SQL, C++, Bash Shell Script
  • Frameworks: Spring Boot, Kubernetes, Redis, RocketMQ, JUnit, React, Next.js, Node.js, REST API, GraphQL API, Mapbox GL JS, Prisma, Apollo, Bootstrap, Flask
  • Developer Tools: Git, Webpack, AWS, Docker, Figma, MongoDB, Auth0, Firebase

Experience

Research Software Engineer
Oct 2024 – Present
Center for High Throughput Computing - Morgridge Institute for Research
Madison, WI
  • Build the core features of Pelican (a.k.a. Open Science Data Federation, OSDF), a worldwide distributed computing infrastructure supporting high-throughput data transfer up to PB-scale
  • Golang development items: Issuer public/privite keys rotation; Server downtime persistence; APIs
  • PR reviews: Kubernetes operator, NextJS web UI; Support high-profile customers like FermiLab, LIGO
Fullstack Development Intern
Sep 2023 – Dec 2023
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Atlanta, GA
  • Developed a Java pipeline and algorithms to migrate 800+ customer reports to new database and backend service
  • Worked with tech lead to finalize the new database schema design, optimize the SQL scripts, write technical docs, and debrief stakeholders in the Sprint Review
  • Implemented new and refactored existing Spring Boot RESTful APIs, carried out frontend development with JavaScript to meet business needs in Agile workflow, resulting in enhanced system performance
  • Utilized Jenkins, OpenShift CI/CD pipelines to configure stages and jobs for automated build and deployment
Backend Developer, Student Lead
Aug 2023 – May 2024
UW School of Medicine and Public Health
Madison, WI (Hybrid)
  • Lead a team to build, integrate and test APIs of a lab recruitment platform with Golang/PostgreSQL, which was selected to NSF Regional I-Corps
  • Orchestrate a micro-service structure to synthesize the Golang backend, Python algorithms, and file storage respectively with Azure Container App, Serverless Function, Blob storage and PostgreSQL database
  • Parallel requests through Go routines & channels, optimizing query performance by 57%
  • Apply DevOps integrations with Microsoft Azure, Docker, Github Actions to perform CI/CD
Software Engineer Intern
June 2023 – Aug 2023
Liba LLC
Sunnyvale, CA
  • Refactored Java Spring Boot microservices according to Domain-Driven Design principles, to optimize the performance of high-throughput system
  • Revised the optimistic-lock in MySQL, avoiding stock inconsistency risks arising from concurrent orders
  • Deployed Redis for high throughput scenarios like Flash Sales, improving performance from 500 to 50,000 QPS
  • Designed peak-load shifting for order service by asynchronously creating orders using RocketMQ. Implemented 'Pay-check & Cancel' by consuming delay message
Software Engineer Intern
June 2022 – Aug 2022
Patternlot
Remote
  • Researched, designed, integrated RESTful APIs for Spring Boot-Redis systems per requirements
  • Implemented new software designs that reduced API response time by 15%-60%
  • Automated nginx file config by using confd and Redis, ensuring availability during system upgrades
  • Documented internal knowledge base on Jira Confluence
Tutor | CS300: Programming II
Jan 2022 – May 2022
UW-Madison
Madison, WI
  • Led weekly meeting which covers topics including sorting algorithms, data structures, OOP in Java
  • Developed question sets and helped students with course projects coded with Java
© 2021 - 2024 Howard Zhong