Executive Summary

I have always been interested in understanding how things work. Early in my career, having studied Electrical Engineering, this naturally led me into Software Engineering. Over the last 40 years I have developed software systems across a wide range of industries, building both the technical depth and leadership experience required to operate at the highest levels.

After many years practicing and refining my craft, I recognized that my ability extended beyond software development into technical leadership. My ability to communicate complex engineering ideas to people at all levels allowed me to guide projects, mentor engineers, and lead multidisciplinary teams. Working within large organizations gave me the opportunity to deepen my technical expertise while developing strong governance, compliance, and architectural discipline, ultimately leading to my promotion to Advisor level at Schlumberger.

My career has focused heavily on mission-critical software and embedded systems where reliability, compliance, and operational integrity are essential.

My portfolio spans Embedded Real-Time Systems, Mission-Critical Control Systems, Defense Systems, Medical Devices, Cloud-Based Applications, High-Performance Computing, and Scientific Software for the Oil and Gas industry. Alongside software development, I have developed strong technical writing and documentation skills, supporting both regulatory submissions and large-scale engineering processes.

Later in my career I founded two companies: one focused on Embedded Software and Systems, and the other on Oil and Gas Well Log Analysis software. These ventures allowed me to apply my experience across the full software lifecycle, from concept and architecture through implementation, deployment, support, and client delivery.

What sets me apart is my ability to combine deep technical expertise with cross-disciplinary execution. Compliance, governance, and software quality have always been cornerstones of my work. As both an architect and technical leader, I have consistently transformed theoretical concepts into practical, production-ready systems.

Today I continue to build, innovate, and lead, bringing together decades of experience to solve complex technical challenges and deliver high-value engineering solutions.

Core Technologies

A selection of core technologies and technical domains developed over 40 years of software engineering.

Languages

• Python
• C
• C++
• C#
• Fortran
• Embedded C
• JavaScript

Embedded Systems

• STM32
• ESP32
• ARM Cortex-M4 / M7 / A54
• RTOS (VRTX, PSOS, ThreadX, Integrity, FreeRTOS, Zephyr)
• Bare-metal scheduling
• State Machines

Cloud & Infrastructure

• Docker
• Kubernetes
• Azure
• Linux (Fedora, Ubuntu, Yocto)

Scientific & HPC

• Parallel computing
• Iterative solvers
• Distributed systems
• Dielectric modeling

Industrial & Oilfield

• LWD systems
• Coiled Tubing Systems
• Wireline systems
• Well log analysis
• Well Log Plotting
• Data acquisition 

Medical & Regulatory

• FDA technical documentation
• Medical systems
• Bluetooth medical devices

Software Governance

• Technical reviews and audits
• Process compliance and ownership
• Process documentation
• Git Repositories

Mission-Critical Systems Experience

Throughout my career I have repeatedly worked in systems where reliability, fault tolerance, and operational integrity were critical to success.

• Oilfield downhole acquisition systems 
• Defense control systems 
• Medical training and therapy systems 
• FDA-regulated documentation 
• Hydrogen fueling industrial control systems
  • Python to a class at Université Paris-Saclay

Schlumberger – Clamart, Paris France

Technical Center Background

The Schlumberger Clamart Technical Center is home to 250 Scientists, Engineers, and Managers.

The Center is made up of different “Segments” which develop products for all aspects of Oil exploration, drilling, and production.

During my tenure as Software Métier Manager there were 60 software engineers at different technical levels.

Software Métier Manager

As Software Métier Manager I was responsible for all aspects of software development at the technical center including embedded downhole systems, real-time acquisition systems, and high-performance computing infrastructure. I reported directly to the Center Manager and therefore provided the center managers with software support on a range of issues from budgets and timescales to staffing and competency.

Operating at Center Management level required close collaboration with Human Resources on staffing, recruitment, and competency development. I also went on recruiting missions to several universities around France to identify candidates for Internships and for Full Time Positions.

Another important part of my role was teaching and mentoring technical staff, both within the center and externally under the Schlumberger name. I taught the following classes:

• Python to Center Software Engineers
• Aspects of Software Engineering to non-software staff (Physicists, Modelling and Simulation Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Chemical Engineers, Process Engineers, and Project Managers).

Technical Audits and Governance

One of my functions was to perform technical software audits for over 40 different projects based at the center. I performed over 50 of these audits, whose purpose was to identify technical risks, reliability issues, process weaknesses, and mission-critical failure points. I led these audits, called “Formal Technical Reviews,” and filed all compliance and non-compliance reports.

Part of my duties also extended to Quality, Health and Safety at the technical center performing audits and reporting non-compliance and corrective actions.

Technical Center Consolidation

Whilst performing my duties as Software Métier Manager I was asked to provide support in transferring other Technical Centers to Clamart to consolidate the work. The centers for which I transferred the software and the software staff were:

• GeoSciences, Paris France
• Sensa, Southampton England
• Poissy, Paris France
• Oslo Technical Center, Norway

SETC Promotion Leadership

For most of my tenure as Software Métier Manager, I also held another position, SETC Champion. I was the manager in charge of the SETC promotion process. This was the technical process for promotion for all disciplines at the center. For an Engineer to gain a promotion they had to go through the process, and I was responsible for the process. 

I held monthly meetings to assess and review each candidate’s promotion material. There were five categories, each with 5 requirements. I produced the candidate promotion reports which I sent to the head office in Houston USA,

I did not just control the process but also assisted all the Engineers in preparing their technical documentation to support their promotion. This included weekly courses and workshops to prepare candidate documentation and critique their materials.

I assisted candidates and conducted promotion reviews across three technical centers in Paris.

Software Process Ownership

During my previous position, before Software Métier Manager, I wrote 4 of the 32 Software Process documents. Then when I became Software Métier Manager, I was given the responsibility for all 32 process documents. I had to keep these documents up to date and ensure compliance across Schlumberger. This meant travelling to other Technical Centers to perform audits. Some of these Centers were:

• OTC, Asker Norway
• STC, Stonehouse UK
• Sensa, Southampton UK
• HFE, Sugarland USA
• SKK, Tokyo Japan

Advisor-Level Promotion

In my second year as Software Métier Manager at Clamart I was promoted to Software Advisor. I had to follow the SETC process to gain this recognition, a process that took 2 years to complete.

This promotion represented the highest level of technical recognition within the software discipline at the Clamart Technical Center, where I remained the sole Software Advisor.

Embedded Systems Engineering Management - Martin Company

Following my departure from Schlumberger, I joined Martin Company as Software Engineering Manager, where I reviewed software procedures and provided engineering support across multiple embedded and electronic system projects.

Embedded Systems Development

I supported several projects with the following embedded software development:

• Embedded software for STM32 based graphics display library.
• Embedded software for firing switch testing (an explosive firing switch)
• Embedded software for Arm A7 onboard diagnostics, continuous test, and health monitoring for an edge acquisition system

Client Project Support

I managed projects for several clients, had weekly progress meetings, produced requirements specifications and project timescales.

This ensured that product delivery, schedules, and client expectations were effectively coordinated.

Electrical Systems Design

My background in embedded software and electronics enabled me to design and support electrical systems for several display products.

Fortaleza Consulting – Houston, Texas

After leaving Schlumberger, I founded Fortaleza Consulting LLC to provide specialized software, electronics, and technical documentation services across defense, medical, and industrial sectors.

Defense Systems

A defense system required the design of an LCD replacement for obsolete technology. Drawing on earlier experience in vision systems, I designed a modernized replacement using HDMI technology.

I was contacted via an IEEE contact by a defense contractor. I was contracted to design from the ground up an electronics and embedded software system for a ship anchor management supporting the navy. The system was based on an ESP32 device and had multiple displays controlling two anchors in real time. This system did not use a Real Time Operating System but my own timing and scheduling design. The contract lasted for 18 months and ended with the delivery of two fully functional anchor managements systems.

Medical Systems

I provided medical system technical writing for an FDA submission. This contract was completed in 6 months. The FDA submission was successful.

My expertise in technical documentation management was required for a mobile phone based medical device for another FDA submission. The timescales were very short. The Software team contacted me two weeks before the submission was due. There were sixteen documents to write and review for the submission. I managed the project, reviewed each document, created and managed the archive, and corrected the documents so that they were ready in two weeks for the submission. The software team was comprised of one manager and 5 developers. I demonstrated that with focused leadership and disciplined review processes, even aggressive submission deadlines could be met while maintaining quality.

Embedded Linux Systems

A long-term project involved the development of an Embedded Linux System-on-Chip based 10-channel audio platform for a mannequin marketed for medical Doctor training. The mannequin provided heart, lung and bowel sounds to train Doctors to recognize good and anomalous sounds during patient diagnosis. Two versions of the software were completed, and it is currently in production.

Bluetooth Systems

I was contacted because of my expertise with Bluetooth communications to support a helicopter wireless medical device. A short term and successful project.

A medical company attached to one of the Houston area hospitals was producing a Bluetooth connected hand therapy device. I provided embedded software to connect the sensors to the acquisition system.

Oilfield Software Auditing

A Logging While Drilling tool company had some unexplained failures with their downhole (in an Oil well) acquisition software. I audited the software and provided a detailed plan to properly detect and debug the errors in real time. This was highly effective and produced error free data acquisition.

Cloud Acquisition Systems

A company was producing a Linux based cloud acquisition system and needed support to implement the sensor acquisition part of the system. The system used standard commercial off-the-shelf components and a real-time operating system. This required rapid integration of commercial hardware, real-time operating system components, and sensor libraries to deliver a functional acquisition platform.

Industrial Control Systems

A system was required to support a specific brand of Programmable Logic Controller to acquire data from a hydrogen car filling station. Starting with just a customer specification I was able to provide a working system in 6 weeks for immediate deployment by my client. The system acquired data but also has a graphical display for user input and feedback.

Founder & Product Architect - NoHiddenPay LLC

In parallel with my Software Consulting business, Fortaleza, I set up another company to address some needed products in the Oil and Gas industry. I started NoHiddenPay with another partner in May of 2020. As of today, NoHiddenPay has a multi-disciplined group of seven partners. All partners have achieved Advisor-level technical recognition within their respective disciplines, providing deep multidisciplinary expertise.

Company Leadership

I am the President and Treasurer and run the company day to day. 

I am the front facing client interface documenting client requirements, providing quotes and invoicing.

I hold and manage a weekly team Zoom meeting with partners and support Advisors to discuss ongoing projects and question resolutions.

I provide coordination for the team identifying new candidates and on-boarding them when necessary.

Product Development

As my focus is software, I also implement all the algorithms into products for the Oil and Gas industry. 

These are the products I developed that are currently in use:

• GeoFinder EPSI LWD
• GeoFinder Inspector
• GeoFinder Cloud 
• GeoFinder Point to Point
• GeoFinder Log Plotter
• PS Model
• GeoFinder License Manager

The products are Python based and incorporate wrapped Fortran applications which implement various algorithms focused on providing dielectric measurement and water-filled porosity analysis for the Oil and Gas industry.

Cloud Infrastructure and Deployment

To allow access to the software products by our clients I designed and deployed Kubernetes and Docker-based cloud architecture in Azure. The cloud application was deployed in a Docker container inside Kubernetes and provided a web application interface. 

Some of the features of the cloud application were the dielectric algorithm, Square Log generation, and Formation Layer definition, all with a custom graphical interface.

Licensing Systems and Commercial Infrastructure

I developed multiple proprietary licensing systems for NoHiddenPay products, built on sound cryptographic principles. 

To allow online users to pay for the use of the cloud product I integrated online payments using a third-party payment platform.

Technical Innovation

The PPIP SCAIP Model is one of my latest projects. It computes salinity independent water filled porosity given a dielectric input using a parameterized iterative solver. Because the solver is a high-performance computing algorithm, I was able to use my knowledge to optimize the code and increase its speed by a factor of 25.

Operations and Administration

Along with the development of the software products, I provided software documentation for the products. This included installation, operation, and license updating.

To better protect the business and the software products I filed for several trademarks, all of which have been successful.

As the company treasurer and financial officer, I produce company financial records and file them with the accountant for tax submission.

The business is data centric as the algorithms must be tested on real world Oil field data. I administer the document repository and the data repository. I have tested the software products with this data.

The web presence for the company is important and so I developed and deployed the company web site. Along with this goes the administration of the company email addresses.

Client Services

Maintaining strong and consistent client relationships is a key part of my role. I collaborate directly with clients to identify requirements, explain algorithms, and provide supporting technical papers and documentation.

When a client provides processing data, it comes to me first for quality control, archiving, and dielectric analysis. If the data requires further processing or explanation, then I pass it on to other members of the team. I provide Oil Well log processing for our clients using our own software.

Advanced Parallel Computing Research

I have an ongoing distributed computing research project supporting future product acceleration. This is a parallel computing platform with 12 multi-core nodes connected through a proprietary communications protocol designed to maximize throughput and task distribution efficiency.