# Hector Polanco

> Director of Engineering @ Nowsta

Location: New York, New York, United States
Profile: https://flows.cv/hectorpolanco

I am inspired by complex systems and how technological decisions impact the economy at-large. I've been into technology since I could fire up a 56K modem, log into AIM, and (allegedly) browse through catalogues of music on Napster. At Columbia, I pursued Neuroscience to better understand biological systems and the psychology of decision-making. 

Following Columbia, I channeled my analytical, systems, and scientific research knowledge into an entrepreneurial track at Nowsta. By interfacing with our clients and internal development team, I discovered my passion for software engineering and navigating ambiguity to create exceptional product experiences for our users.

Interests: Camping, Hiking, Epigenetics, Boxing, Behavioral Economics, Rap, Finance, Virology, Marketing, Product Design, UX/UI Research, and Tech

Skills: JavaScript (ES6+), Ruby, React, TypeScript, Node.js, Express, Rails, Python, RESTful APIs, GraphQL, Redux, Zustand, SQL/Relational Databases, Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA), Docker, AWS, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), PostgreSQL, MongoDB, MySQL, RSpec, Jest, Spinach, git, CircleCI, Jenkins, Heroku, webpack, and HTML/CSS

## Work Experience
### Director of Engineering @ Nowsta
Jan 2025 – Present | New York, New York, United States

### Senior Software Engineer - Tech Lead @ Nowsta
Jan 2020 – Present | New York, New York, United States
• Work on several products, ranging from SPAs to mobile applications, which leverage JavaScript, React, Node.js, Rails, Python, Postgres, AWS, Pusher, and Docker
• Develop external and internal facing APIs for our third-party partners and mobile team
• Manage and contribute to project planning, scoping, architectural design discussions, technical support to internal team, code reviews, and production bug triaging

### Strategy and Operations @ Nowsta
Jan 2015 – Jan 2020 | New York, New York, United States

### Full-Stack Software Engineer, Mobile Finance App @ Recent Projects
Jan 2020 – Jan 2021 | New York, New York, United States
Technologies used: React Native, Rails, D3.js, Redux

### Full-Stack Software Engineer, Chatroom.io @ Recent Projects
Jan 2020 – Jan 2020 | New York, New York, United States
Technologies used: React, Node.js, Pusher API

### Full-Stack Software Engineer, Google Maps Music Player @ Recent Projects
Jan 2020 – Jan 2020 | New York, New York, United States
Technologies used: JavaScript, Rails, Google Maps API, Spotify API

### Research Assistant, Taub Institute for Alzheimer's and the Aging Brain @ Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Jan 2015 – Jan 2015 | New York, New York, United States

### Summer Intern, Department of Vascular Surgery, Strong Memorial Hospital @ University of Rochester Medical Center
Jan 2014 – Jan 2014


## Education
### Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Neuroscience and Behavior
Columbia University


## Contact & Social
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hdpolanco

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Source: https://flows.cv/hectorpolanco
JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/hectorpolanco/resume.json
Last updated: 2026-03-29