Self portrait

Carter Simonson

Software Engineer specializing in web technologies

ABOUT ME

My introduction to software development came as a byproduct of my childhood passion for video games. Driven by curiosity, I set out to learn how the games I was sinking all my time into were created. I was (and still am) fascinated by the ability to create something cool out of nothing more than time spent tinkering in a code editor.

With that limited programming experience and an eagerness to learn, I landed a position at a local software company, Leum Technologies. This role motivated me to expand my skills, delving into web development, API architecture, and mobile development to build software for local businesses.

My career then took me to Madison, WI, where I first helped bootstrap a taxi management platform at Mobile22. More recently, I've been contributing to product onboarding frameworks with Zendesk's Growth and Monetization team, where I continue to expand my skills in developing and maintaining performant web applications.

PROJECTS

Chopbop Screenshot

Chopbop

Chopbop is a recipe management application that allows users to save and manage their recipes without the hastle of excessive popups, ads, and filler text. Users are able to save, sync, and customize their recipe collection across all of their devices. I built the mobile app on React Native paired with a Firebase backend. It can be found here.

Kenshi Map Screenshot

Kenshi Interactive Map

I built Kenshi Interactive Map to have an easy-to-use reference guide for finding in-game items and locations. It's powered by React, Firebase, and MapLibre and has grown to 10,000 monthly users since launch! It can be found here.

EXPERIENCE

Zendesk

Senior Software Engineer, Mar 2023 - Current
Software Engineer, Dec 2020 - Mar 2023

Focused on shipping improvements to the initial customer onboarding experience for Zendesk's customers with modern web tooling.

  • Developed and launched an in-product support panel with Next.js, allowing users to access setup guide content without leaving the application, improving user go-live rates.
  • Optimized shopping cart performance with lazy loading, tree shaking, and caching strategies, reducing the net bundle size by 70%.
  • Designed and developed a modular, React-based product tour framework, enabling cross-product feature education.

Mobile22

Software Engineer, Jan 2020 - Dec 2020

Contributed to Mobile22’s goal of creating a unified taxi management platform. Utilized React, Node.js, Postgres, and Jest to reliably build, test, and deliver web applications.

  • Architected and implemented a single sign-on (SSO) mechanism across the application suite, reducing login friction and improving security.
  • Led the development of a React-based call center application with a Node.js backend and PostgreSQL database, while onboarding an intern, delivering the product ahead of a tight deadline.
  • Established static analysis, automated testing, and deployment pipelines to ensure feature stability and maintain code quality.

OpenForge

Software Engineer (Contract), Oct 2019 - Jan 2020

Contributed to web and mobile applications utilizing Angular, Ionic, Node.js, and Firebase.

  • Implemented biometric authentication in an Ionic-based mobile banking app, leveraging native APIs to enhance security and user experience.

Leum Technologies

Software Engineer, Jun 2017 - Oct 2019

Architected new mobile and web applications for local businesses, using native mobile technologies (Java and Swift) and hybrid web technologies (Ionic and Angular).

  • Developed a Xamarin-based mobile application for a local taxi company, streamlining dispatch operations, enhancing real-time communication, and automating reporting and payment processes.
  • Engineered a custom microcontroller-based time clock system, including both hardware and software components, streamlining payroll processes and reducing manual data entry errors.

Education

Western Governors University

Bachelor's in Computer Science, Expected January 2025

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