# Chris Saulit > Highly Experienced Software Engineer | Python, Django, React, AWS, Data Engineering, SQL Location: San Francisco Bay Area, United States Profile: https://flows.cv/chrissaulit Seasoned professional with a great track record of exploring and applying new technologies and driving complex or mission-critical projects to completion. Over 20 years software development experience. Ten years as an independent consultant. Over fifteen years web application development. Primary technical skills include: Python, JavaScript, Perl, PL/SQL, Docker, Kubernetes, PostgreSQL/PostGIS, TimescaleDB, Oracle, MySQL. AWS: S3, Lambda, API Gateway, EC2, RDS (Aurora, PostgreSQL), Athena, Batch. Other interests: Aviation, Photography ## Work Experience ### Software Engineer @ Shepherd Jan 2026 – Present | San Francisco, CA Leading the design and development of Oasis, Shepherd’s next-generation pricing engine — a Python-based service that replaces legacy TypeScript infrastructure with a modern compute layer built on FastAPI, Pydantic, and Polars. Re-architecting the pricing system around a semantic, domain-driven model of pricing operations, transforming a legacy, code-centric implementation into a composable, auditable execution framework aligned with underwriting and actuarial concepts. Pioneering a spec-driven, AI-augmented development methodology in which structured, machine-readable design artifacts (architecture, API contracts, pricing workflows, and test strategies) serve as the authoritative system definition. These specifications enable AI-assisted design exploration, implementation, and validation, effectively shifting development from code-first to design-as-execution, accelerating delivery while maintaining strong engineering rigor and correctness. ### Software Engineer (Notebook Canvas) @ Benchling Jan 2023 – Jan 2026 | San Francisco, California, United States Introduced a new PDF export pipeline into the product, using headless Chrome, that delivered critical compliance related functionality for a large customer on a tight timeline. Developed an automated solution to continuously validate completeness of the product's existing audit logs against database transactions via a Kafka-based Change Data Capture (CDC) pipeline. ### Senior Ground Software Engineer @ Astranis Jan 2021 – Jan 2023 | San Francisco, California, United States • Achieved zero reported defects with respect to the commanding and controlling of our first commercial satellite launch and orbit raise (the most critical phase of the satellite's life). I had initiated the development of the mission critical command and control web application development that manages sending commands to spacecraft. This included selecting the tech stack, bootstrapping the development, mentoring full-stack engineers, significant development contributions, and being responsible for the overall quality. • Ensured satellite anomaly visibility across a large number of satellites by rearchitecting a violations monitoring subsystem for near real time visibility of anomalies across an entire fleet. This included architecture to achieve horizontal scalability, all backend development and significant guidance to the UI design. • Evaluated, benchmarked and integrated the TimescaleDB timeseries relational database for high frequency telemetry ingestion from satellites. This included developing tooling for automated schema definitions. ### Software Lead @ Aether Biomachines, Inc Jan 2019 – Jan 2021 | Menlo Park, CA Led a small, empowered, high-performing team of engineers to build out an in-house Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) supporting the unique data tracking requirements of Aether's high-throughput enzyme engineering factory. ### Senior Software Architect @ Iteris, Inc. Jan 2018 – Jan 2019 | Oakland, California Defined architecture, prototyped technologies and developed scalable solutions for a new Traffic Performance Analytics platform supporting key new multi-tenancy Iteris products such as SPM (Signal Performance Measurement) and re-engineered ones such as ClearGuide (Traffic Analytics). Defined a micro-service strategy, built a central authentication solution, built out a large scale analytics engine using "serverless" technologies, big data aggregation. Also led the development team in adopting best practices and driving change in the areas of automated testing, code reviews, continuous integration and delivery, and release planning. ### Senior Software Architect @ Synthego Corporation Jan 2017 – Jan 2018 | Redwood City, CA Designed, developed and implemented a new manufacturing execution and laboratory information system (MES, LIMS) back end to run Synthego's factory which synthesizes RNA for CRISPR genome editing. It replaced the company's initial "minimum viable product" with a production quality solution and prepared Synthego for its next stage of growth. Scope of work included data modeling, back end API (RESTful endpoint) design and development, mobile shopfloor application redevelopment. ### Senior Software Engineer @ Zymergen, Inc. Jan 2015 – Jan 2016 | Emeryville, CA Delivered an initial database schema and infrastructure for Zymergen's first iteration of an Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW). This involved designing and implementing a solution that supports incremental population of a data warehouse in near real time (change data capture, ETL). Also prototyped a solution with Amazon Redshift, and evaluated and deployed Apache Airflow data pipeline framework. Skills/Technologies: Python with Django, Java with Dropwizard and Hibernate, Ruby on Rails, MySQL, Amazon AWS (EC2, RDS, S3), Puppet, Apache Airflow. ### Senior Software Engineer @ Iteris, Inc. Jan 2012 – Jan 2015 | Berkeley, CA Designed and developed the data model and back end services for a product to accommodate high volume traffic data collection (>10TB/year) and map-based visualizations. Designed a flexible architecture that modeled underlying map data and traffic data in an agnostic fashion, compatible with different map providers (e.g. HERE.com, OpenStreetMap, customer-specific) and data suppliers (e.g. HERE.com, Inrix). Also implemented routing capabilities by integrating with OSRM (Open Source Routing Machine). ### Business Applications Manager @ Zhone Technologies Jan 2005 – Jan 2012 | Oakland, CA Designed and developed AJAX based web applications to support mission critical shop floor manufacturing operations. This included a mobile warehouse management solution, using web applications on iPod Touch devices with bluetooth laser barcode scanners. Architected, developed and implemented a shop floor Data Collection and Manufacturing Execution system to replace an aging non-scalable legacy system. This included a unique backwards compatible solution that allowed hundreds of existing test stations on the shop floor to integrate with a new data collection system without requiring code changes. Migrated the Largo, Florida manufacturing facility shop floor Shipping and Manufacturing/Work-in-Process systems from JD Edwards to Oracle E-Business Suite. ### Application Architect @ Oracle Corporation Jan 2001 – Jan 2005 | Redwood Shores, CA Designed the architectural foundation and data model of Oracle Utility Billing, which contains several large components. Also oversaw development of the billing engine core, supervising two external technical consultants. Key technical liaison for Oracle Consulting with their engagement with the City of Philadelphia. Also served as Applications Architect on the Trading Community Architecture (TCA) team. Designed several key features including third-party Address Validation service foundation, Global Name and Address Formatting, and Data Sharing and Security. ### Senior Oracle Engineer @ Bluelight.com (Kmart) Jan 2001 – Jan 2001 | San Francisco, CA Development manager on an enhanced fraud screening addition to Oracle Order Entry (11.0.3). This included scoping, project planning, technical design, overseeing two developers, and performing some coding. The module included both PL/SQL and Java components. Also primary developer for the custom subsystem to handle the processing of customer returns. This startup ended as K-mart made the decision to outsource its e-commerce operations. ### Senior Applications Developer @ Parachute Jan 2000 – Jan 2001 | San Francisco, CA Responsible for the fully customized Order Management (11i) based workflows. Included analysis, design and development of the workflows to support Parachute’s unique order processing model. Designed and developed a Java-based XML-RPC HTTP Servlet that accepted order information over the web and interfaced with Parachute’s Enterprise JavaBeans (EJBs) to submit the order to Oracle’s Order Management product. This startup shutdown in Mar 2001. ### Independent Contractor @ Kellogg Company Jan 1995 – Jan 2000 | Battle Creek, MI and Burlingame, CA Initial engagement as a Business Information Analyst to work on a large scale Order Management project ($53 million USD) for Kellogg’s. Worked with key user representatives and gathered requirements, facilitated JRP (Joint Requirements Planning) sessions, and developed data models (Entity Relationship Diagrams). Subsequent long-term engagement as a technical consultant for Kellogg’s new Global Product Reference System (GPRS). Designed and developed an interface between the GPRS system and GEMMS, an integrated manufacturing software package now part of Oracle’s e-Business suite and known as OPM (Oracle Process Manufacturing) for product and process data. ### Independent Contractor @ Self Employed Jan 1989 – Jan 2000 ### Independent Contractor @ Oracle Corporation Jan 1995 – Jan 2000 ### Systems Analyst @ Quest Consulting Group, Inc. Jan 1990 – Jan 1995 ## Education ### Undergraduate studies in Mathematics and Computing Science University of Alberta ### McNally ## Contact & Social - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/csaulit - Portfolio: https://www.instagram.com/norcalaviator/ --- Source: https://flows.cv/chrissaulit JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/chrissaulit/resume.json Last updated: 2026-04-10