Joshua Edwards

Enthusiastic software engineer with lifelong passion for gaming from early arcade, console, and tabletop games (including D&D) to modern, next-gen innovation and Steam indie game community. Demonstrated ability to collaborate with artists on creation of games focused on improving player experience. Agile learner with proven history of adapting quickly to new tech stacks and picking up new and emerging software to ensure currency and scalability of development.

Committed to producing clean, sustainable code while having fun doing it!

Senior Software Engineer - Carl Zeiss

(2022-11)

Oversee design and implementation of industry-leading software tools utilized in surgical settings, monitoring performance and user experience (UX) across platforms to maintain optimal performance. Manage resources in AWS via Terraform to provide real-time resolution of resource shortages and performance issues. Develop and document robust, reusable code components in compliance with regulatory requirements and industry best practices.

Collaborate with global cross-functional teams comprised of Product Managers, UI/UX, and Engineering.

• Led integration of legacy solutions into new platform following acquisition of Veracity by Carl Zeiss, ensuring alignment of technology programs with cultural shift from startup to traditional business model.
• Managed localization of software for US and EU teams, including automation, research, and migration.
• Built solution to integrate surgical software with NextGen EMR and other healthcare solutions, enhancing competitive positioning, resilience, and scalability while also reducing potential performance gaps.
• Serviced critical bugs and complex issues in queue as member of first responder team, resulting in 98% user/customer satisfaction and exceeding 99.98% resolution of resource and performance issues.
• Coached and mentored junior engineers to improve quality of engineering and efficacy of issue resolution.
• Refined and updated code through code reviews and refactors of spaghetti code to meet standards.

Game Developer - N3 Games

(2012-03)

Create video (top-down, side-scrolling, and 3D) and tabletop games that capture emerging trends and player interests. Manage all development aspects from systems and level design through art asset creation, performance analysis, testing, and marketing. Build and secure relationships with artists, write creative briefs, and monitor adherence to game aesthetics and guidelines throughout projects.

Evaluate opportunities to streamline development to reduce costs while meeting player needs and enhancing UI. Engage with players on social media.

• Led development of Doom Cube from ground up for planned 2026 release, overseeing all aspects from creation of game systems, VFX, sound, environments, and components to ensure effective level building.
• Managed coding and design of UI/UX components to maximize player experience, as well as analyzed player feedback to optimize UI according to insights.
• Produced countless pixel art assets (characters, tile maps, structures, etc.) using Adobe Photoshop, Gimp, Krita, Pro-Motion NG, and Aseprite.
• Implemented object pooling to reduce system memory usage and improve runtime performance.
• Ensured interfaces and managers were developed in simplified way for non-developers while also meeting quality and scalability goals.
• Partnered with artist on concept art who went on to become award-winning MTG artist.
• Launched Darkmane video game (2D side scrolling platformer) based on Battlegeddon system.
• Introduced custom leveling system in Darkmane with automatically calculated level adjustments and enemy experience values to improve playability and experience.
• Planned concept and designed structure, aesthetic, and website for Feyalis/Battlegeddon tabletop game.
• Developed Quicksand Castles, a block-stacking physics game, as part of a 24-hour project challenge for Hack Reactor and expanded functionality into RESTful application to ensure playability across systems.
• Engineered scalable game architecture for Tooth & Nail, ensuring seamless integration of core features.
• Custom-designed gaming accessories and tabletop miniatures to advance passion for industry.

QA/Test Developer - IBM

(2020-11 - 2022-11)

Conducted comprehensive unit, regression, and end-to-end testing of software to ensure alignment with performance standards and reliability goals. Diagnosed and resolved software issues during production, reducing system downtime and improving user experience. Led testing across teams and projects in Agile environment.

• Consistently delivered 90% test coverage across projects.
• Developed and maintained XML/XSLT schemas for middleware systems to ensure seamless data integration across and between applications.
• Partnered with clients to understand needs and managed integrations from planning through rollout.
• Earned Super Learner Gold during both years of employment for completing 200+ hours of professional development annually and committing to continuous learning.

Software Engineering Immersive Resident (SEIR) - Galvanize

(2020-03 - 2020-08)

Recruited from Hack Reactor to mentor, coach, and train students in software engineering intensive study program.

• Sustained 92% success rate for students during residency with zero attrition.
• Created interactive learning tools to simplify software engineering concepts to accelerate student learning and improve retention of core principles, which are still in use today.

Undergraduate Coursework - Computer Animation - Full Sail University

Professional Training - Full Stack Software Engineering - Hack Reactor