Mark Maxham mark@maxham.com
241 Harrison Ave., Redwood City CA 94062
Summary: I am a competent technical manager. I have a track record of building high-performance teams by identifying, recruiting, motivating, and retaining top developer talent. I am also a broadly-experienced generalist with a large toolkit, a mature software engineer who gets stuff done with speed and quality.
Objective: I'm seeking interesting challenges with talented peers
Interests: Biomedical instrumentation, networking, games and simulation, distributed systems, multiprocessing, bioinformatics
Languages: Fluent: C#, Java, C++, C, Python
Familiar: Perl, PHP, Javascript, assembly, SQL
Fascinated: Lisp, Erlang, Ruby
Systems: .NET, JDK 1.02-1.6, Mono, JSP, XML, XmlRpc, SOAP, JDBC, servlets, OpenGL, yacc/lex
Experience: Senior Manager, Instrument Software, Pacific Biosciences Inc. (Aug 2004-present)
Leader of software team for DNA sequencing startup, reporting to VP Eng. Performed project planning and scheduling, staffing, mentoring, gathering requirements, server configuration. Assembled original SW team of nine direct reports, then hired and helped VP SW to grow the team to 46 developers in five groups. This team has built the software stack for PacBio's instrument. Currently responsible for delivering a diverse array of components, including control loops, image processing, robotics, machine vision, GUI, database, build & release, sample-prep protocol. Also designed and implemented apps for lab automation, data visualization, data processing, and build system. One patent granted, another two pending.

Principal Engineer, Mirra Inc. (Sept 2002-Aug 2004)
Participated in specification, design, and development of the Mirra Personal Server. It provides continuous real-time backup (local and off-site), remote access, file sharing, and synchronization. Main contributions were to embedded java infrastructure (sync engine, authentication, etc.) on the appliance. Also contributed to the PC client (C#), and web service using jboss, EJBs, and JSP. Team lead with two direct reports. Shipped 1.0, 1.1, 2.0. Filed one patent.

Principal Engineer, Ciena Inc. (Nov 1999-Sept 2002)
Tech lead of ON-Designer, Ciena's planning tool. OND provides network layout, enforces detailed engineering rules, performs physical simulation of signals in fibers, optimizes card placement, generates work orders and connection diagrams as well as troubleshooting guides. Developed ND from crude prototype to sophisticated application. Received two patents.

Director of Engineering, Intermix Media (Sept 1998-Nov 1999)
Designed and implemented large-scale multiplayer game and multiuser helpdesk system. Entirely written in Java, it includes JDK 1.02 applets, JDK 1.2 servers, JDBC database access, and a servlet-based front-end. Used custom reliable datagram protocol for scalability. Also served as team leader, doing recruiting, scheduling, test-planning, with five direct reports. (Title somewhat inflated by dot-com bubble.)

Consultant, Maxham Consulting (July 1998-present)
Freelance engineer involved in a diverse array of software projects:
* Prototyped agent-based simulation game for Online Alchemy.
* Contributed to optimization products for Scorpion Technologies.
* Developed database and SNMP components for Optical Networks Inc. (now part of Ciena) in C++ and Java.
* Ported video effects plugins from Adobe AfterEffects to the Avid editing system for DigiEffects Inc.
* Designed and implemented a lab-animal motion-tracking system for the Aging and Memory Research Labs at the University of Texas at Dallas, using C++ and QuickTime on the Macintosh.

Founder and Architect, Glassworks Inc. (1996-1998)
Principal in a software tech startup. Developed large-scale multi-user extensible virtual-reality technology. My technical contributions included physics modeling, space-management, parts of an OpenGL-based graphics engine, and a distributed-object consistency model. Designed and implemented a graphical chat-room in Java. Developed tools for filtering e-mail, including spam identification. Designed and implemented a large number of C++ and Java classes. Participated in all company activities: project management, sales and marketing, documentation, hiring, Unix & NT administration, webmastering.

Research Engineer, Apple Computer (May 1991-April 1992, May 1994-November 1996)
* Developed teleconferencing software components for QuickTime Conferencing. Implemented multicast A/V protocols rtp, rtcp, and sd, as well as audio and video codecs. Created a Unix-based reflector for QTC.
* Studied communications issues in mobile computing. Wrote tools to integrate e-mail, voice-mail, fax, pages, and other messages into a single environment.
* Investigated component-based software implementation. Worked on predecessor of OpenDoc. Extended AppleEvent mechanism to Unix platforms. Created Mac applications, drivers, inits, and control panels.

Engineering Consultant, Novatec Medical (1990-1991)
Researched, designed, programmed and prototyped a device to electronically detect failures of latex gloves during surgery. A 68HC11 in a pager-sized package performs signal processing on a low-amperage current between the doctor and patient. One patent granted.

Software Engineer, Transcommunication Corp. (Summers 1988-1990)
Designed and implemented a Tandem network monitor program for PCs which provided global and regional network display, using a mouse-based graphical interface for network commands and data retrieval. (This was a big deal in 1989!) Wrote automation tools to provide canned demos of live tools. Co-developed a PC-based Tandem 6530 terminal emulator with graphics and mouse extensions.

Behavior Modification Specialist, YMCA Camp Grady Spruce (Summer 1992)
Spent a summer as a counselor at the camp I attended as a tyke. Was responsible for groups of five to eight boys, ages 8-12, for two-week periods. Supervised activities including swimming, archery, riflery, hiking, water skiing, games, and sailing. Trained in first aid, CPR, and lifeguarding. Didn't make any money but I had a blast.

Education: Rice University, Houston Tx. M.S. Electrical Engineering 1994, B.A.C.S. & B.S.E.E., 1990
Master's thesis: ASPEN, high-performance hardware support for distributed shared-memory. Research areas: shared memory multiprocessors, memory event ordering and consistency models, cache coherence, architecture interaction with OS and language design.
Activities: Ultimate frisbee, flying, flying trapeze, ice hockey, snowboarding, travel, rollerblading