Samuel McKnight

Software Engineer

Who I am:

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I’m a software engineer with experience building event-driven microservices, workflow-based integrations, and production systems that support real customer workflows. Since joining EquipmentShare, I’ve worked across dash-cam systems, product integrity, and time card infrastructure, with a focus on Python, async processing, observability, and scalable cloud architecture. I enjoy solving ambiguous problems, improving system reliability, and delivering backend work that has measurable impact across teams and customers.

Highlighted Skills and Experience

Languages

  • Python
  • SQL
  • TypeScript / JavaScript
  • Go
  • Java

Platforms and tools

  • Cloud: AWS Lambda, SQS, CDK
  • Infrastructure: Terraform, Kubernetes
  • Data and messaging: MongoDB, PostgreSQL, Redis, Kafka
  • Workflows and APIs: Temporal, REST, GraphQL
  • Frontend: React, React Native

Professional Experience:

EquipmentShare

Software Engineer · Aug 2021–Present

Software Engineer III · Driver SafetyPython · MongoDB · Terraform · Temporal · Kubernetes · Kafka

  • Built event-driven microservices connected through asynchronous Temporal workflows, with monitoring and logging included in each service.
  • Worked closely with the dash-cam vendor to design a Kafka-stream and REST API integration that preserved stability across systems.
  • Planned and established scalable data-processing patterns, including access-layer improvements, schema changes, and Atlas Search indexes for fast reads.
  • Contributed to AI tooling that improved team productivity and helped maintain production SLOs for a publicly traded company.

Software Engineer III · Product IntegrityPython · TypeScript · SQL

  • Collaborated across teams in an agile environment to identify customer pain points in business logic and deliver stable solutions that reduced reported defects by 40%.
  • Provided essential support for core business applications and served as SME for the Time Cards application.
  • Led the planning and execution of a California meal attestation report that saved the company thousands of dollars each pay period.

Software Engineer II · Time CardsMar 2022–Aug 2023Python · AWS SQS and Lambda · React · TypeScript · Node.js

  • Identified and optimized low-performing areas in the application, including query refactors that improved P90 latency by 20%.

Software Engineer I · Time CardsSep 2021–Mar 2022Python · Flask · PostgreSQL · React Native · AWS CDK · Redis

  • Independently completed dozens of features, chores, and bug fixes across REST APIs, React Native mobile work, and AWS CDK infrastructure.

Junior Software Engineer · Time CardsAug 2021–Sep 2021Python · Flask RESTful · PostgreSQL · AWS Lambda

  • Pushed out production-ready code within the first two weeks and was promoted within one month.

Junior Implementation Developer – AudioEye – 05/2021 to 08/2021 – Tech: JavaScript, JQuery, CSS, HTML

  • Improved accessibility for over 40 customer websites, ensuring compliance with WCAG guidelines and significantly enhancing usability for screen readers.

EFL English Teacher – Jeollanamdo Language Program, South Korea – 08/2018 to 08/2019

  • Helped over 200 students with very limited English knowledge prepare for standardized tests in weekly classes.

Prep School Teacher – Great Hearts Academies, Arizona – 07/2015 to 07/2018

  • Developed and taught the high school poetry and music curriculums, turning classes into a creative outlet while addressing standardized test concepts.
  • Taught over 90 students per semester and wrote detailed quarterly evaluations that informed individualized growth plans.

Projects

See My Work

Personal Projects

Want to get in touch?

I’m open to software engineering, backend product, and cloud/platform opportunities.

Email

Github

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