resume/stealth-startup/backend-developer/paul-halvorsen-resume.md

name, keywords, left-column, right-column, fontsize, fontenc, urlcolor, linkcolor, numbersections

name	keywords	left-column	right-column	fontsize	fontenc	urlcolor	linkcolor	numbersections
Paul Halvorsen	python, backend developer, REST API, database management, security, MySQL, git, docker, testing, performance optimization	Email: paul.halvorsen@pm.me Phone: +1-410-236-4665	GitHub: github.com/malwhile LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/paul-halvorsen Blog: flow.halvo.me	10pt	T1	blue	magenta	false

Professional Summary

Backend Engineer with 15+ years of experience developing scalable server-side applications, REST APIs, and database systems. Expert in Python, MySQL, and test-driven development with a proven track record of optimizing backend performance and implementing security best practices. Passionate about building reliable infrastructure and writing clean, testable code.

Core Technical Skills

Languages: Python (Advanced), Rust, C, GoLang | Databases: MySQL, SQLite, SQL/NoSQL | Backend: REST APIs, JSON, Nginx | DevOps: Docker, Git/GitLab CI/CD | Testing: Pytest, Unit Testing, Integration Testing | Security: Encryption (RSA, AES), Authentication, Data Protection | Frameworks & Tools: Tokio, TDD, pytest

Professional Experience

Software Engineer | Abnormal AI

\resumedate{January 2026 – Present}

• Develop and maintain Python-based data aggregation services for multi-region deployments (US East, US West, EU West)
• Design and optimize real-time storage and long-term data management systems handling customer data at scale
• Implement performance optimizations including auto-scaling and compression, improving efficiency by up to 70%
• Write comprehensive unit and integration tests using pytest; maintain high test coverage
• Collaborate with 5-person team on monorepo architecture and continuous integration pipelines
• Build and manage infrastructure using GoLang and Python for data pipeline orchestration

Sr Software Engineer | Binary Defense

\resumedate{April 2022 – October 2025}

• Architected and implemented Python backend libraries for cross-platform event monitoring (Windows, Linux, macOS)
• Designed REST APIs for secure communication between client endpoints and backend services
• Optimized backend services, achieving 60-80% improvements in memory and network traffic reduction through intelligent filtering and compression
• Implemented encrypted SQLite database layers with secure key storage (DPAPI, freedesktop.secrets)
• Built end-to-end integration testing framework spinning up pre-configured VMs and automated test servers
• Executed performance profiling and optimization on data processing pipelines handling millions of events
• Developed Python libraries for network traffic monitoring with event-driven architecture and regex-based filtering
• Maintained CI/CD pipelines (GitLab) for compilation, testing, and deployment across platforms
• Implemented security hardening: public key pinning, certificate transparency validation, secure key exchange protocols

Security Software Engineer | Parsons

\resumedate{April 2018 – November 2020}

• Designed and built back-end file storage service supporting concurrent multi-user access with role-based access control (RBAC)
• Implemented REST API for file management with web and CLI interfaces
• Managed MySQL database with advanced indexing and optimization strategies
• Developed data deduplication logic to eliminate redundant storage and support multi-user read access
• Built custom serialization protocol optimizing network traffic and data transfer
• Implemented LDAP integration for enterprise user authentication

Security Software Engineer | NSA

\resumedate{November 2011 – April 2018}

• Designed and maintained MySQL databases holding CVE data, exploit information, and system fingerprints
• Built REST JSON APIs for real-time data transfer between web interfaces and backend services
• Implemented query optimization and indexes reducing query latency by 50%+
• Developed backend web services using PHP, Python, and Java supporting thousands of concurrent users
• Created secure communication protocols and custom serialization for limited-bandwidth environments
• Deployed backend systems on Tomcat, Apache, and Nginx across Linux and Windows platforms

Systems Engineer | NSA

\resumedate{September 2009 – November 2011}

• Managed infrastructure supporting 130+ RHEL servers across 10+ systems
• Developed Python automation scripts for system monitoring, health checks, and remediation
• Built reporting systems integrating with Web APIs for real-time alerting and status tracking

Software Developer | Salisbury University

\resumedate{November 2006 – May 2008}

• Built C++ backend for risk assessment system supporting real-time data processing and reporting
• Designed database schema for scenario storage and analysis
• Collaborated with Geographic Information Systems team to integrate maps and spatial data

Education

Master of Science in Computer Science | University of Maryland Baltimore Campus (2013)

• Thesis: "Stateless Detection of Malicious Traffic: Emphasis on User Privacy"

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science | Salisbury University (2009)

• Graduated Magna Cum Laude

Security Clearance & Certifications

• CompTIA Security+ (Expired 04/04/2024)
• Expired TS/SCI Clearance

Open Source & Projects

• testct & ctclient (Rust) - Certificate transparency testing, validation, and monitoring tools
• baseball-nn (Python) - Machine learning project using TDD and pytest
• sjles-pta-vote (Go, TypeScript) - Full-stack community platform with REST APIs