Benjamin Michael Waters
Senior Software Engineer · Systems & Cloud Architecture
📍 Greater Burlington Area, VT
Professional Summary
Full-Stack Software Engineer and Applied AI Engineer with a B.S. in Computer Software Engineering and over two decades of hands-on experience designing, developing, and deploying business-critical applications, internal tools, and data pipelines. Founder of TLRD.AI, building privacy-first search and AI tooling (Kotlin Multiplatform, Next.js, Django). Embeds directly with operational stakeholders to turn ambiguous requirements into reliable solutions, and uses agentic coding tools (Claude Code, Cursor, Google Gemini) to ship faster.
Verified Experience
Founder / Full-Stack Software Engineer / Applied AI Engineer
TLRD.AI • 2026-01
- Architected and built a cross-platform context-menu search utility from the ground up using Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP), maximizing shared business logic while keeping native performance.
- Authored software design specifications defining the multiplatform architecture, data flow, and boundaries with platform-specific APIs.
- Engineered native OS context-menu integrations that capture and process text selections without interrupting the user's workflow; used Next.js for a responsive, state-driven UI.
- Sole developer across the full lifecycle: architecture, interface design, testing, and deployment. Also building AI tools that extract verified skills from codebases and turn them into quantitative ATS resumes.
AI Trainer
Handshake AI Fellowship • 2026-10
- Develop and evaluate domain-specific prompts to assess large language model performance; analyze outputs for scientific accuracy, clarity, and depth.
- Improve model understanding through expert review and feedback, supported by independent research.
Freelance Web Developer & Software Consultant
Self-Employed • 2005-08
- Partnered directly with non-technical clients to translate operational needs into maintainable Drupal, Django, and Next.js web applications and custom tools.
- Designed custom RESTful APIs, database schemas, and admin dashboards across retail, food co-op, and healthcare clients, owning the lifecycle from scoping through deployment and training.
Systems Administrator & Web Developer
Springfield Food Co-op • 2011-05
- Embedded with store operations to build automations: batch point-of-sale price imports, inventory reconciliation, and custom reporting that saved hours of manual entry weekly.
- Designed and maintained responsive, mobile-friendly HTML5 Drupal websites; managed Windows systems, networking, and user provisioning.
- Wrote user documentation and trained non-technical staff to drive adoption of new tools.
Information Technology Specialist (Intern)
Springfield Hospital • 2008-08
- Supported daily IT help-desk operations in a mission-critical healthcare setting, resolving computer and network issues for hospital staff.
Database Administrator & Software Developer (previously Frontend Developer and GIS Technician)
Geographic Data Technology, now TomTom • 1998-08
- Built a system to catalog and search 60,000 maps, with a custom barcode-scanner checkout; profiled SQL Server and wrote stored procedures to cut search response time to 0.2 seconds.
- Built ConTrack (Microsoft Access) to track and assign GIS editing tasks; trained new employees and taught cross-training classes in MS Access database development.
- Recognized as Employee of the Month for work on the Library Catalog.
Technical Proficiencies
Python
TypeScript
JavaScript
Kotlin
Dart
PHP
Bash
HTML5
CSS3
Visual Basic
Docker Compose
GitLab CI/CD
GitHub Actions
Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)
Proxmox
Caddy
Zero-Trust (Cloudflare Tunnels)
AWS
Hetzner
Claude Code
Cursor
Google Gemini
GitHub Copilot
PostgreSQL
Microsoft SQL Server
SQLite
PostGIS
Microsoft Access
Discourse
Syncthing
React
Next.js
Node.js
Express
Kotlin Multiplatform
Jetpack Compose
Flutter
Django
Django REST Framework
Drizzle ORM
Drupal
Ember.js
Key Projects
SearchWith.app
['Kotlin', 'Kotlin Multiplatform', 'Android', 'AIDL IPC', 'Next.js', 'AES-256-GCM', 'Claude Code', 'Google Gemini']
Privacy-first search orchestrator with fast native performance and an air-gapped core.
- Engineered a privacy-first search orchestrator with fast native performance and an air-gapped core, built with Kotlin / Kotlin Multiplatform, Android (AIDL IPC), and Next.js.
- Decoupled core routing logic from isolated service providers across strict IPC boundaries; built a cloud sync service with client-side zero-knowledge AES-256-GCM encryption.
- Shipped the full application suite using agentic AI pair programming (Claude Code, Google Gemini) for prompt engineering, automated refactoring, and multi-module integration.
SearchWith.site & Browser Extensions
['Manifest V3', 'Chrome Side Panel', 'AES-256-GCM', 'PBKDF2']
Privacy-first search hub and cross-browser extensions supporting 80+ search engines and AI models.
- Built a privacy-first search hub and cross-browser extensions (Chrome, Edge, Firefox) supporting 80+ search engines and AI models, using Manifest V3, Chrome Side Panel companions, and isolated incognito search routing.
- Implemented client-side AES-256-GCM encryption with PBKDF2 key derivation for passphrase-protected history and zero-trust cloud sync.
- Refactored monolithic code into single-responsibility domain controllers (engine management, cryptographic vault, sync engine).
Contribs.app
['Django REST Framework', 'PostgreSQL', 'Kotlin', 'Jetpack Compose', 'Python', 'Docker Compose', 'Git']
Free, open-source political contributions transparency engine (VTSU Senior Capstone).
- Built a free, open-source political contributions transparency engine: Django REST Framework and PostgreSQL backend, Kotlin / Jetpack Compose frontend.
- Engineered Python ETL pipelines that normalize thousands of JSON records into a relational schema, exposed through modular serializers, viewsets, and routers.
- Containerized with Docker Compose and automated Git post-receive deployment hooks; used agentic coding tools to speed prototyping and test coverage, earning an A grade.
Resistance.chat
['Flutter', 'Matrix protocol', 'flutter_vodozemac', 'SQLite', 'Docker', 'Synapse', 'PostgreSQL']
Free, open-source secure coordination engine for social actions.
- Created a free, open-source secure coordination engine for social actions, using Flutter and the Matrix protocol with end-to-end encryption (flutter_vodozemac), an offline-first SQLite cache, and a Dockerized Synapse and PostgreSQL backend.
Proxmox Homelab Linux Virtualization Server
['Proxmox', 'Linux', 'Caddy', 'Syncthing']
Self-hosted Proxmox / Linux environment running containerized services and reverse proxying.
- Architected and maintain a self-hosted Proxmox / Linux environment running containerized services, a Caddy reverse proxy, and Syncthing file sync across local hardware and VPSs.
TLRD.AI & SearchWith.app Discourse Support Server
['Discourse', 'Ember.js']
Discourse community support server for TLRD.AI and SearchWith.app products.
- Run a Discourse (Ember.js) community support server for the TLRD.AI and SearchWith.app products.
Autonomous Configuration Agent & Internal Tooling
['Next.js', 'TypeScript', 'Express', 'Drizzle ORM', 'Docker', 'SSH']
Extensible CLI automation engine using modular action packs for remote service configuration.
- Designed an extensible CLI automation engine (Next.js, TypeScript, Express, Drizzle ORM, Docker) using modular action packs to automate remote service configuration, provisioning, node bootstrapping, health verification, and secure SSH credentialing.
Allergy Assistant
['Django REST Framework', 'PostGIS']
Geospatial restaurant finder built as a UVM team project.
- Geospatial restaurant finder with Django REST Framework and PostGIS (2016–17, UVM team project).
Springfield Food Co-op Website Redesign
['Drupal', 'PHP', 'HTML5']
Website redesign focusing on improved mobile experience.
- Redesigned website using Drupal, PHP, and HTML5 to improve mobile experience (2012–13).
GIS Mapping Resource Library Database
['SQL Server', 'Access', 'Visual Basic']
Database system to catalog and search map resources.
- Catalog and search database built with SQL Server, Access, and Visual Basic (1999–2002).
Education
Bachelor of Science, Computer Software Engineering
Vermont State University
Cyberethics research on cell-site simulator protocols, mobile communication security, and data privacy. Coursework: Database Systems (A+), Object-Oriented Design (A+), Advanced Web Development (A+), Software QA & Testing (A), System Architecture, Operating Systems.
Coursework toward B.S. Computer Science
University of Vermont
A.S., Computer Systems Management
Community College of Vermont