Daniel Talsky

I turn complicated systems into dependable software and workflows, carrying the work from an unclear problem through design, implementation, and production. I build applications, improve how engineering teams work, and orchestrate LLMs for complex technical tasks.

Photo: Lora Robertson

Work: Satellite Collective presents “Walls Are Here To Fall”

Professional Experience

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May 2021 — Present

Senior Software Engineer II, divvyDOSE / Optum

Primary Technologies:

Python, Flask, Serverless, Terraform, AWS Lambda, DynamoDB

  • Owned several pharmacy business domains end to end, working directly with stakeholders to clarify requirements and carrying the resulting systems through design, implementation, deployment, and production support
  • Led engineering projects that simplified prescription onboarding and reduced recurring delivery issues, helping raise monthly patient Net Promoter Scores from the 80s into the 90s
  • Co-led the adoption of LLM-assisted engineering across 60 repositories, developing AGENTS.md conventions, reusable agent skills, documentation, and practical guidance that helped inform internal policy
  • Developed repeatable coding-agent workflows for complex production PRs spanning application and infrastructure code, database migrations, state-specific regulatory logic, test suites, and deployment pipelines
  • Led and coordinated multi-stage post-acquisition migrations across 60 repositories, consolidating CI/CD, source control, and package/container infrastructure into Optum’s corporate platforms
  • Rebuilt alerting and support workflows for dozens of products and microservices, enabling half the previous staff to maintain existing production coverage
  • Served as Incident Commander during major production outages, directing technical investigation, cross-team recovery, stakeholder communication, and post-incident follow-through
  • Owned controlled-substance reporting for both a pharmacy dispenser and reporting vendor, translating state regulations and the ASAP specification into production systems while working directly with government agencies to resolve ambiguities and minimize regulatory risk

October 2017 — May 2021

Senior Associate / Software Engineer, Capital One Financial

Primary Technologies:

Python, Django, RabbitMQ, Docker, AWS, Kubernetes, Terraform, Jenkins, PostgreSQL

  • Authored cyber threat modeling documents for bank infrastructure
  • Created fully containerized environments for applications using Docker, ECS and Kubernetes
  • Wrote a full BDD testing suite in Ruby/Gherkin for a large integration project
  • Created predictive load-based ECS scaling to reduce EC2 cost usage cost by 16%
  • Contributed to a large Python 2-3 codebase conversion
  • Wrote scalable REST API's to help serve Capital One Shopping's 10+ million active customers
  • Created push notification messaging architecture for iOS and Android

July 2016 — July 2017

Senior Software Engineer, Talent Inc.

Primary Technologies:

Docker, Docker Compose, Gulp, PHP, Python

  • Increased production page performance by 60%
  • Wrote a custom front-end build system in Node and Gulp
  • Developed Docker containers for each product
  • Troubleshooter for all web application PCI compliance issues

June 2013 — April 2016

Software Engineer, Sony Music

Primary Technologies:

PHP, Zend, MySQL, Git, AWS Redshift, AWS SQS, AWS CloudSearch, Python, Flask, JavaScript ES6, jQuery, Node.js, npm, Gulp, Grunt, React, Jenkins, Docker

  • Designed and authored natural language search RESTful microservice back-ended by Amazon CloudSearch. Pages powered by API saw a 75%+ performance boost
  • Co-architected and created BACON, the first commercial tool for automating YouTube monetization using the YouTube Partner API and Amazon SQS. Billboard Magazine coverage.
  • Collaboratively designed and authored Flask/Python REST microservices

Selected Earlier Experience

2014 — August 2023

Director of Technology, Satellite Collective

Primary Technologies:

Google Analytics, Google Ads, Ruby on Rails, Heroku, HTML/SASS, JavaScript, jQuery, Apache, PHP, AWS

  • Set up payment processing and infrastructure for our Fellows program, offering guidance, fundraising support, and growth strategies
  • Webmaster and SEO consultant for a prominent 501(c)(3) New York arts organization
  • Created an open-source web application to display networked art project involving more than 400 people in 43 countries. New York Times coverage: "Satellite Collective, including a programmer and a designer, Daniel Talsky and Matt Dabrowiak, [...] created an elegant website that displays the works as a sort of family tree."
  • Elevated web site to top ranking position on major search engines

February 2012 — June 2013

Web Developer, The Jones Group, Inc.

Primary Technologies:

DemandWare, JavaScript, jQuery, HTML/CSS

  • Developed and deployed DemandWare eCommerce properties for high-profile retail brands owned by The Jones Group
  • Part of a small agile team responsible for the implementation of new features, enhancements and marketing campaigns for several high-volume web properties collectively generating $80 million annually

October 2011 — February 2012

Web Developer, Bandwidth Productions, Inc.

Primary Technologies:

PHP, MySQL, FFmpeg

  • Integrated custom CMS with websites using PHP and MySQL
  • Wrote a cross-platform video processing queue using FFmpeg

December 2010 — August 2011

Web Developer, Big Fish Games

Primary Technologies:

PHP, MySQL, Lucene, Solr, SVN

  • Spearheaded a project to create a Solr-driven search tool to replace a JavaScript solution and brought the project to completion
  • Implemented PCI compliance with CSRF protection on account pages

July 2009 — December 2010

Independent Technology Consultant

Primary Technologies:

PHP, MySQL, SQLite, JavaScript, jQuery, Apache, SVN

  • Partnered with freelance creative resources to produce brand sites and web applications
  • Architected and authored a secure, classified web application for the U.S. military to manage security clearance for military personel

October 2007 — June 2009

Senior Developer, ProQuest

Primary Technologies:

Java, Ruby, C#, MSSQL, Perl, SVN

  • Implemented a high-availability SOAP-based XML API in C#.NET
  • Authored a detailed article about ProQuest library technology published by the prominent library and technology journal, Code4Lib.

March 2003 — October 2007

Owner and Application Architect, Roboticat

Primary Technologies:

PHP, Python, Ruby, PostgreSQL, GD Image Library, Apache, HTML/CSS

  • Managed design and implementation of online shopping cart for Utilikilts, increasing online sales by 20%
  • Architected and implemented program catalog and online registration system in a three month timeline handling thousands of registrations each day

Skills: Specific Technology Experience

  • Regularly use Ruby and Python for automation, file ingestion, web applications with Django and Rails, and Microservices with Flask
  • Regularly use containerization technologies like Docker, ECS, and Kubernetes
  • Regularly use front-end technologies like JavaScript ES6, JSLint, npm, LESS, SASS, HTML 5, CSS2, CSS3
  • Strong with natural language ingestion and search technologies like Lucene, Solr, ElasticSearch, CloudSearch
  • Built and architected tools using Amazon Web Services like Elastic Beanstalk, EC2, S3, SQS, Redshift, and Aurora
  • Strong PHP skills and proud of it, including related technologies like CakePHP, Zend, Composer, Laravel
  • Architected applications using queuing technologies like SQS, RabbitMQ, ZeroMQ, and Apollo

Personal

Interests & Hobbies

I'm involved in the Interactive Fiction community, people who use computers to make something that's half story and half computer game. They're like literary Choose-Your-Own-Adventures.

One of my works was an award winner in the Interactive Fiction Competition, and another was an award winner in the Spring Thing Competition.

I also write some tools and tutorials to help other authors of Interactive Fiction write and style their own works.

I love music and listen to new albums every single week. Check out my Spotify Playlists

I'm just a little into numismatics and have been collecting in-circulation U.S. coins since I was a kid. How wholesome is that? You can see what pennies I still need here.

I also like to BBQ and grow cacti.

Say Hi

Recruiters

The best way to contact me is my email, danieltalsky@gmail.com. Please send a job description and I'll almost always respond, even if I'm not interested.

Other People

The best way to contact me is my email, danieltalsky@gmail.com.