James Hicks
LAWRENCEVILLE,Georgia
Summary
With over 40 years of practical software engineering and leadership experience, along with a formal computer science education, I possess diverse skills in real-time systems, operating systems, device drivers, web applications, and microservices. Throughout my career, I have successfully managed teams while excelling as an individual contributor and test automation developer. My expertise primarily lies in Microsoft technologies and development/test tools, where I have dedicated the majority of my 40-year career. As an accomplished Senior Software Developer with 38 years of experience, I have consistently led projects as an architect, developer, and programmer analyst. I am highly proficient in supporting project deliverables and maintaining releases, while also demonstrating strong leadership skills in guiding support teams and resolving complex issues. With a steadfast approach to planning and implementing effective development strategies based on industry best practices, I consistently deliver exceptional results.
Overview
29
29
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Principal Software Developer / Test Automation
Aristocrat Technologies
12.2020 - Current
- Created a distributed test framework allowing Python based tests to exercise Gaming Devices, Manipulate UI Components, Play Games, Simulate Insert Money, Read Results, Validate Outcomes, Log Results
- (C# Based Micro-Services)
- Designed and implemented a Jenkins based CI/CD pipeline that would take remote commands to select a suite of tests, locate available test resources, fetch and execute the test suites to completion, report results, repeat… (Jenkins, Groovy Scripts)
- Modified code of the target devices to improve responsiveness and reliability of responses
- (C# Event Driven, Additional Functionality)
- Wrote Python test code
- Built Python Packages
- Wrote many C# projects
- Published services and libraries
- Wrote documents including best practices and development process
- Mentored Jr
- Developers in best practices and development standards
- Wrote Haskell programs that created Python test code from parameter data
- Uses “All Pairs” testing approach
- The first try generated ~170 test in a few seconds
Senior Software Developer
Digital Dynamics
08.2019 - 12.2020
- Developed Self Hosted Windows WEB API services for product development
- Developed Slot Floor “Game Play” simulation to validate backend product
- Developed Windows Socket based messaging server for new product
- Develop Stress Test Simulator to help find bottlenecks and performance issues in existing casino backend product (C# Found previously unknown issues)
- Design/Document/Develop an entirely new product
- Three gRPC services, all the data modeling and access support for SQL Server, MySQL and PostgreSQL databases
- Provide code examples for other team members, create test suites for all the services and data access layer
- Develop WPF/XAML User Interface for new product
Principal Systems Architect / Developer
Cadillac Jack / AGS
04.2010 - 12.2017
- Architected a series of systems to replace legacy software
- In each case the resulting implementations were many times faster and more reliable
- I designed and created a new Class-2 Bingo Ball Draw Server
- C# multi-processing, functional design and code
- The old system could support ~300 EGMs where the new version could handle over 5000
- Provided Unit tests, functional tests, and Load Tests
- I also worked as a hands-on contributor by creating data models and writing C# many proofs of concept
- Director of Software Practices
- Designed and implemented company best practices and directives for planning, documenting, scheduling, developing, and testing software products
- Successfully completed the full project and it had a direct impact on how Cadillac Jack built, tested, and deployed products
- The number of field issues were dramatically reduced
- Proposed, Developed and Presented training around preparing the basis for getting a patent or keeping company secrets
- Engineering notebooks, record keeping, legal concerns
- Director of Platform and OS Software Development
- Directed the daily and long-term activities of the gaming platform and OS teams
- Prepare annual budget and team goals for the year
- Introduced “Agile” planning and development methodologies
- Director of Systems Software Development
- Established development disciplines where none existed
- Improved legacy system reliability reducing service calls to nearly zero in a single iteration of existing product in less than six months
- Train team of 12 Win32 C/C++ programmers to use C#, .NET, code contracts and a more functional design paradigm for next generation product
- Hands on C# development creating Slot Tournament and Ball Draw rules engine
- Director of Software Quality Assurance
- Direct the daily and long-term activities of the SQA department
- Prepare annual budget and team goals for the year
- Designed and implemented process for creating test cases and test scenarios
Consulting Software Engineer
Station Casinos
01.2007 - 01.2010
- Led team of four in SCRUM based development effort to replace existing floor kiosk loyalty system with entirely new C# .NET solution under 100 days
- Designed and implement .NET Service Oriented Architecture
- Provided software engineering training for development team monthly
- State machines, discrete math, XML, SOA, Six Hats, Estimating
- Developed code review and check-in policy
- Develop and implement security practices for the corporate SOA
- Created a test environment for the team where none existed – tools, servers etc
Software Test Development Lead
Cash Systems
01.2007 - 12.2007
- Designed and Implemented full testing program for software development where none had existed.
- Authored a wide variety of test software that [provided a functional simulator to cover 50+ APIs.
- Created SDK for product package for customers – examples, quick starts, tests.
- Worked closely with the developers to identify and help improving reliability, functionality, and speed.
Software Development Lead
Redrock Software
01.2004 - 01.2007
- Led small development team producing web-based supply chain software
- Developed .NET Managed Services in C#
- Developed Web Page GUI, Custom User and Server Controls
- Developed the Middle tier including business rules and security measures
- Developed a Data tier using NHibernate, Spring and Log4Net
- Assembled physical company windows domain infrastructure
Director of Advanced Software Engineering
Bally Gaming
01.2002 - 01.2004
- Manage .NET software development and test teams of 20+ members from requirements gathering to submission of completed product to government regulators
- Maintain project schedule and assign tasks to test and development teams
- Prepare annual budget, track and report on budget and project costs
- Prepare submission documentation for gaming regulators
- Prepare and present product training to field services and regulatory agencies
- Implement integrated test team, test lab and automated testing
Senior Consultant
Microsoft Corporation
01.1999 - 01.2002
- Architected multi-disciplined, multi-organizational Windows CE product development team at an international farm equipment company
- Managed and Architected ASP.NET Migration at large Telecom Company
- Led development team on large automotive Windows CE Software project – C/C++
- Led large Active Directory migration
- Multiple engineering resources
- 2001 Performance excellence award
PRINCIPAL SOFTWARE ENGINEER
Digital Equipment Corporation
01.1997 - 01.1999
- Managed projects with third party hardware vendors
- Provided one on one Device Driver Technical support to third party vendors
- Prepared written technical content for Microsoft’s Windows 2000 DDK
- Performance Excellence Award for “Best in Show” 3D Graphics at IT/SEC 1997
- Architected device drivers – Windows NT HAL – NT Kernel – C/C++
- Led Technical Team for 64-bit Windows NT HAL Development
- (Sundown)
- Mentored teams of major hardware vendors developing Windows 2000 device drivers
Education
B.S. Computer Science - Computer Science
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA.01.1990
A.S. Computer Science - Computer Science
Tidewater Community College
Virginia Beach, VA.01.1988
Skills
- Automated testing, test design, open-telemetry
- Application design, User requirements analysis, exit criteria
- Version control systems, GitHub, Git, Code Reviews
- Continuous deployment, Jenkins CI/CD, Nightly Builds and tests
Accomplishments
- Created a robust software testing platform which advanced R&D efforts.
- Developed [Internal tool], resulting in a [Number]% increase in employee productivity.
- Served as Lead Programmer on [Project Name].
Certification
- Python Programming Certificate – Python Institute.
- ScrumMaster Certification (CSM) - Scrum Alliance.
Timeline
Principal Software Developer / Test Automation
Aristocrat Technologies
12.2020 - Current
Senior Software Developer
Digital Dynamics
08.2019 - 12.2020
Principal Systems Architect / Developer
Cadillac Jack / AGS
04.2010 - 12.2017
Consulting Software Engineer
Station Casinos
01.2007 - 01.2010
Software Test Development Lead
Cash Systems
01.2007 - 12.2007
Software Development Lead
Redrock Software
01.2004 - 01.2007
Director of Advanced Software Engineering
Bally Gaming
01.2002 - 01.2004
Senior Consultant
Microsoft Corporation
01.1999 - 01.2002
PRINCIPAL SOFTWARE ENGINEER
Digital Equipment Corporation
01.1997 - 01.1999
B.S. Computer Science - Computer Science
Old Dominion University
A.S. Computer Science - Computer Science
Tidewater Community College