Sam Walczak

Product Manager | Software Engineer

I'm currently managing a team at the intersection of software development and international affairs. I'm aiming to continue to use my technical knowledge to help bridge the world's cultural divides.

Since an early age I've been very interested in world geography and history. I've always made an effort towards seeing and learning as much as I can about the world. I also realized early on that technology is a gateway towards learning and interacting with the world at large. The early internet offered a seemingly limitless sandbox for technological exploration. From my first customizable HTML template, I learned and bonded with like-minded individuals from around the globe. I've strived to use technology to strengthen these bonds, especially as a multitude of forces seemingly narrow the digitally connected world's cross-cultural scope.

I graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 2016 with a B.S. in Information Systems and Chinese Studies, and a minor in Global Systems and Administration. Since then, I've worked in DevOps and Cybersecurity, modernizing distributed, global systems. In my spare time, I've continued to pursue Chinese Studies, earning an M.A. in History from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in 2026, with a focus on U.S.–China Relations.

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Active Projects

Track Everything

A Python Webapp aimed at creating a digital representation of a user's past and future. Deep interconnection and customizable modules allow for a user's comprehensive tracking of their own personal data.

Primary project, still in development, publicly accessible in beta.

Visit Track Everything

Perfect Nonograms

A Swift application/engine to play and create nonograms with many quality of life improvements over competing apps.

Still in development with a 2026 Q4 planned release date.

Helpful Bash Additions

A standardized console modification allowing striking the balance between simplicity and usability. Powered by Shrimp Alternation.

Live now.

Inactive Projects

Beacon

Interactive convention mapping app built utilizing Ruby on Rails. Originally a group project at Carnegie Mellon University.

View on GitHub

PostChair

Application/physical product built using Ruby, Raspberry Pi, FSRs (Force Sensing Resistor), and furniture. Corrects a user's sitting position via notification upon detection of bad posture. Originally a group project at Carnegie Mellon University.

View on GitHub
2025
2024
2023
2022
2016
2015
2014
October 2024 – Present

IT Specialist (APPSW/INFOSEC)

Department of State, Washington, DC
  • Performed as a government technical monitor for enterprise reporting at the Office of Consular Systems and Technology
  • Managed the development and maintenance of a consular data analytics platform used at hundreds of consular posts
  • Prioritized features, data governance requirements, and technological decisions across three teams and over thirty developers
  • Acted as a contracting officer's representative for consular systems modernization, overseeing over $10,000,000 in funds
  • Supported the development and deployment of predictive analytics artificial intelligence model programs for visa adjudication
January 2024 – October 2024

Senior Software Engineer/Project Manager

AT&T, Oakton, VA (Contract)
  • Led AT&T FirstNet's deliverable standardization project, prioritizing automation efforts for hundreds of monthly deliverables
  • Identified and implemented areas of automation for dozens of existing reports, improving turnaround and compliance
  • Built infrastructure to create reports using Excel, Python, and Power Automate, saving hundreds of labor hours within FirstNet
  • Modernized knowledge management and task management practices, increasing project-wide visibility and accountability
June 2023 – December 2023

Senior Python Development Consultant

Freddie Mac, McLean, VA (Contract)
  • Automated ETL processes for counterparty modeling systems, leading to more centralized and visible datasets for stakeholders
  • Programmed smoke and performance testing for production-level applications, increasing stability and customer confidence
  • Created customer-facing microservices using Python, allowing for on-demand reporting and data-transfer for financial systems
June 2022 – April 2023

Senior Backend Software Engineer

data.ai, Columbia, MD
  • Migrated hundreds of backend tasks to a newer Python 3 architecture, securing code while optimizing application runtime
  • Developed multiple headless browser applications built with Python on AWS, leading to more accurate metric collection
  • Designed and connected microservices for user profiling and credential storage, allowing for easier employee system access
  • Rearchitected backend infrastructure to increase observability, enhancing organizational tracing and monitoring capabilities
August 2016 – June 2022

Senior Software Engineer – Cloud Security (Cyber)

Capital One, McLean, VA
  • Created data loss prevention tools utilizing Python and AWS, scanning petabytes of data to keep the environment secure
  • Detected and remediated vulnerabilities in multiple cloud environments, safeguarding thousands of business applications
  • Implemented multiple enterprise-wide security tools, including AWS GuardDuty and Macie, securing thousands of accounts
  • Standardized and ingested collected data from multiple security platforms, automating ETL processes from beginning to end
  • Led the integration of current tools into non-US jurisdictions, navigating nuanced legislation differences for many countries
  • Built dashboards for security tool metrics using Python, Snowflake, and Tableau, increasing platform accountability
August 2016 – June 2022

Java Developer – Recoveries

Capital One, McLean, VA
  • Developed microservices for accepting and ledgering transactions using Java, processing over 10,000 transactions per day
  • Built a code deployment pipeline on Jenkins with shell scripting, halving deployment time for more than ten teams
  • Bridged mainframe services to the cloud, allowing for unprecedented scalability and cost-cutting for Capital One
  • Proposed and implemented zero-downtime deployment using Ansible and AWS, decreasing downtime by 95 percent
May 2016 – July 2016

Environmental, Health, and Safety Information Management Consultant

Jacobs, Chicago, IL
  • Integrated EHS systems using C# to automate updating thousands of employees' contact information
  • Created safety reports for many clients with customized Windows forms, increasing awareness and mitigating safety issues
  • Provided consulting services on IT/OT solutions, decreasing costs and timelines for projects by nearly 30 percent
May 2015 – August 2015

Student Consultant, Ministry of Education

Technology Consulting in the Global Community, Palau
  • Developed a system to monitor student progress with PHP, allowing hundreds of teachers to track student development
  • Created a PHP application to monitor energy consumption, giving the ministry a clear means to save thousands of dollars
  • Integrated learning materials with the local caching system, offering students triple the access to educational documents
  • Evaluated and changed the organization's internal IT processes, saving days in the standard IT ticketing process
May 2014 – August 2014

Software Development Intern

ReSource Pro, Qingdao, China
  • Led the development of a customer ticket portal using C#, streamlining processes for more than 1,000 workers' IT requests
  • Optimized existing support ticketing system in place, creating a faster, backwards-compatible system for over 30 IT employees
  • Participated in efforts to solve company-wide technological issues, preventing employees from losing focus on their work
August 2012 – May 2014

Technology Assistant, Psychology Department

Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
  • Designed and created dozens of web pages for department faculty and events using HTML, Javascript, and jQuery
  • Maintained existing department websites, giving students and faculty reliable access to up-to-date and accurate information
  • Worked with local businesses to create an online presence for their services, leading to increased community engagement