cv

General Information

Full name Kayla Cross
Backend Java, Groovy, Grails, Spring (Framework, Security, MVC, Batch), Ruby, Rails
Database SQL (PostgreSQL, MySQL), Hibernate, Active Record, Snowflake, BigQuery
Frontend and mobile JavaScript, jQuery, Bootstrap HTML/CSS, Kotlin, React Native
Testing tools RSpec, JUnit, Log4j, Spock, Geb, Selenium

Education

  • 2017
    Bachelor of Science
    Georgetown University, Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service
    • Focused on technology and media, including computer science courses in Ruby and C++.
  • 2019
    Full Stack Web Development Certificate
    Flatiron School
    • Awarded scholarship by Women Take Tech initiative
    • Full stack web development course included extensive Ruby, Rails, SQL, JavaScript, React, HTML/CSS

Experience

  • 2022
    Software Engineer, Level IV
    Alto Pharmacy
    • Optimized and added features to pharmacy and delivery software for medical providers, resulting in improved prior authorization and medication refill workflows.
    • Developed microservices in a Ruby on Rails framework using Sorbet strict typing and Snowflake, ensuring efficient performance and high-quality code.
    • Investigated bug reports effectively by handling rotating on-call responsibilities using Grafana, NewRelic, and AWS.
    • Successfully made process improvements that streamlined workstation setup and daily standup, resulting in increased efficiency and productivity.
    • Represented Alto Pharmacy at career fairs as part of efforts to improve recruiting and assess interview software.
  • 2021-2022
    Software Engineer, API
    Fundrise
    • Developed full stack APIs for the largest direct-to-investor real estate platform in the US, representing over $2.4 billion in investments.
    • Designed and implemented performant, scalable systems using Java, Spring Batch, Maven, and Snowflake to compute returns.
    • Redesigned quantitative performance ETL and optimized JDBC and SQL queries to enable investors to view returns daily instead of quarterly.
    • Designed new RESTful API endpoints, tested with Swagger, and implemented monitoring using Datadog and Sentry to enhance system reliability and maintenance.
    • Collaborated cross-functionally with departments, including investor relations, to drive feature design and conducted candidate interviews to build a strong team.
  • 2018-2021
    Software Engineer
    Evans & Chambers Technology
    • Designed and implemented a custom API integration for an enterprise client, resulting in successful onboarding.
    • Managed multiple large-scale initiatives, including custom reports and automated workflows, while maintaining daily communication with the client.
    • Successfully transitioned to a multi-tenant architecture after updating Grails and implementing Geb automated UI testing for minimal UX interruption.
    • Optimized code performance by improving SQL and Hibernate queries, resulting in a 92% decrease in task loading time.
    • Led internship outreach, assessment, and training for all 5 interns and conducted interviews for new candidates.
    • Received company-wide Excellence Award in 2019 for outstanding performance and exemplifying workplace values.

Side Projects

  • 2023
    Tree of Life
    • Created a multiplayer card game with instant mobile browser participation, using Java, Spring, Maven, and PostgreSQL for the backend.
    • Implemented real-time updates with Vue.js frontend, WebSockets, and SockJS to enhance engagement and gameplay experience.
    • Containerized the application with Docker for consistency, portability, and easy versioning/rollback.
    • Conducted API endpoint testing with SwaggerUI to ensure functionality and efficiency of backend engineering work.

Other Interests

  • Hobbies: Writing (with my writers group in DC), standup comedy (in the audience, but I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t considered an open mic), photography (just switched to Fujifilm after years of Nikon)