Education

University of Rostock

M.S. Computer Science
October 1997 - January 2004 (6 yrs)
Rostock, Germany

Studied computer science with a minor in computer graphics and media technologies.

• Two academic and two industry internships
• Thesis: Efficient Storage of Imposter Textures for the Real-time Rendering of Complex 3D Scenes
• Grade: Summa cum laude

Student Assistant
January 1998 - August 2000 (2.6 yrs)
Rostock, Germany

Assisted several research projects in web and embedded systems, and provided supplementary work for post-graduate theses.

• Institute for Technical Computer Science, Prof. Tavangarian
• Institute for Technical Computer Science, Dr.-Ing. Hochberger

Experience

Headcrash Industries

Founder & CEO
Since June 2018

Helping game & simulation companies succeed with Unreal Engine.

• Technical support, code reviews & bug fixing
• Engine upgrades, customization & tools development
• Hardware, software & plug-in integration
• Porting to console, mobile & VR platforms
• Infrastructure & workflow improvements
• Performance analysis & optimization
• Online & on-site training

Epic Games

Sr. Engine Programmer (Sequencer Team)
May 2015 - April 2018 (2.9 yrs)
Cary, NC, USA

Designed and implemented Unreal Engine 4's cinematic and media tools.

• Created the initial production version of the Sequencer cinematic tool set from a prototype and prepared it for development by multiple programmers
• Designed and implemented the Media Framework API
• Implemented media player plug-ins for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, NDI, PS4, Switch, VLC, Windows, and XboxOne
• Implemented pixel and color space conversion shaders
• Added support for media streaming and real-time video compositing
• Extended core engine features for asynchronous programming, container and value types, time management
• Participated in creation of several technology demos and short films

Sr. Engine Programmer (Tools Team)
December 2013 - April 2015 (1.4 yrs)
Cary, NC, USA

Helped design and implement Unreal Engine 4's development environment.

• Improved and extended the Slate user interface framework
• Contributed to the improvement of the Unreal Editor tools suite
• Designed and implemented unified settings API for Editor and game projects
• Introduced various new programming concepts to the Engine core
• Restructured and modularized Engine code base into plug-ins
• Helped design the Unreal Engine Launcher application
• Presented training materials at various conferences
• Supported licensees and industry partners

Sr. Engine Programmer (Platform Team)
December 2011 - November 2013 (2 yrs)
Cary, NC, USA

Made the world's best video game engine available on next generation game consoles and mobile devices (Android, iOS, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360).

• Designed and implemented device management and deployment tools
• Designed and implemented message bus infrastructure
• Helped implementing performance profiling tools
• Ported HLSL shaders to AGAL to run Unreal Engine in Flash
• Developed and maintained automated build system and CIS infrastructure
• Worked on distributed render farm, and crash analysis and reporting
• Implemented automated testing framework & unit tests

Finger Puppet Games

Co-Founder & VP of Technology
May 2011 - April 2012 (1 year)
Cary, NC, USA

Created a startup company for entertainment video games with tactile, social and collectible elements.

• Game programming using Unreal Engine 3 for iOS and Android
• Established company's technological server infrastructure
• Programmed game middleware and back-end systems
• Supported all areas of business development and corporate strategies

Virtual Heroes / ARA

Technical Director
June 2007 - May 2011 (4 yrs)
Raleigh, NC, USA

Led the company's software engineering team with focus on rapid prototyping, development and systems integration in the field of Serious Games.

• Developed prototypes and full-scale programs for over two dozen military, medical, educational and commercial immersive simulation applications
• Designed and developed company's proprietary rapid-prototyping game framework and middleware for the HumanSim and SimWars platforms
• Integrated motion platforms, auto-stereoscopic and AR displays
• Integrated and extended human physiology simulation engine
• Software components integration and tools development
• Supported production and business development teams with technical feedback, cost estimates and hiring
• Supported company's appearances at various trade shows and conferences
• Reverse and re-engineering of file formats and APIs

Sr. Software Engineer
October 2006 - June 2007 (9 mos)
Cary, NC, USA

Led the development of and implemented half a dozen Unreal Engine based Serious Games and game based simulation and virtual world applications.

• Game logic, user interface, and back-end development
• Integrated human interface devices and biometric sensors
• Collaborated with clients and external partner companies
• Prepared technical documentation and internal guidelines
• Helped maintaining build system infrastructure

General Dynamics

Sr. Software Engineer
February 2005 - July 2006 (1.5 yrs)
Orlando, FL, USA

Worked on multiple applications for video game-based military training and simulation.

• Designed and implemented the prototype of distributed convoy training simulator based on Unreal Engine gaming technology
• Created world's first fully integrated LVC simulator
• Directed collaborative effort of all internal and external development teams, including LaserShot, Electronic Warfare Associates and Saab
• Integrated various technologies such as JCATS, Janus, FBCB2, OTBSAF, MetaVR, LaserShot, Polhemus, and 3D terrain databases
• Upgraded and integrated the RWA helicopter simulator
• Designed and implemented DIS/HLA middleware for game based simulators
• Implemented the Convoy Leadership Decision Trainer (CLDT)
• Prepared and conducted technical aspects of the company's appearance at NGAUS and I/ITSEC conferences
• Installed and maintained project's technical infrastructure

Atlantis Cyberspace

Project Lead
August 2004 - January 2005 (6 mos)
Orlando, FL, USA

Continued to develop VR applications for military tactical combined arms simulation and training.

• Supervised on-site team of developers
• Ported the video game America's Army to the company's VR middleware
• Integrated various hardware and software components, such as MAK GameLink, Polhemus Liberty, Anteon Mobile MOUT, Immersion CyberGlove, and wireless weapon systems
• Integrated military training simulations Janus and JCATS via DIS
• Created 3D replicas of buildings from real world blueprints
• Prepared and conducted technical aspects of the company's appearance at NGAUS and I/ITSEC conferences

Lead Programmer (Contractor)
March 2004 - April 2004 (2 mos)
Honolulu, HI, USA

Helped transition the company's VR platform from entertainment to military training applications.

• Implemented physics based vehicle simulation in America's Army game
• Added vehicle support to IGS system
• Implemented and adapted application specific video game code and content

Lead Programmer
June 2002 - January 2003 (8 mos)
Honolulu, HI, USA

Developed software and components for the company's IGS system, which was a virtual reality platform for theme parks.

• Supervised on-site team of developers
• Ported the video games Quake, Quake 3, Unreal and Unreal Tournament for use in VR applications
• Improved control center software
• Maintained company's technical infrastructure

Kamehan Studios

Sr. Game Developer
October 1999 - May 2002 (2.6 yrs)
Paris, France

Programmer, Graphics Artist and Level Designer for the then popular video game TacticalOps: Assault on Terror, which was released by Atari in May 2002. I worked on this part time while getting my master's degree in computer science.

• Designed and implemented various aspects of the game
• Helped transition the game from game mod to commercial release
• Created and maintained German community website tactical-ops.de
• Created and maintained product website tactical-ops.to

Infineon Technologies

Software Engineer
May 2001 - October 2001 (6 mos)
Munich, Germany

Worked as a web frontend and backend developer on the company's e-commerce platform in an international team of around twenty people.

• Developed, implemented and documented web components in JSP
• Introduced concepts and development methods to increase efficiency
• Designed web and software prototypes
• Created learning materials

Skills

Throughout my career I have worked with and used a large number of frameworks, paradigms, platforms, technologies, and tools.

Art: Blender, Gimp, InkScape, Paint.net, Photoshop

Compilers: Clang, CodeBlocks, Delphi, GCC, IDA Pro, SoftICE, Visual Studio, Xcode

Databases: MongoDB, mySQL, Neo4j, SQL Server

Game Engines: Quake, RWA, Unreal Engine, Vicious Engine

Graphics: AGAL, DirectX, HLSL, OpenGL, Vulkan

GUI: Cocoa, MFC, Qt, Scaleform, Slate, Swing, Ultimate++, VCL, WinForms, WPF, wxWidgets

Integrations (Hardware): 3Dconnexion, ACS Motion Control, CyberGlove, EmSense, InterSense, LaserShot, Leap Motion, Logitech 3Dx & LED, OrganicMotion, Kinect, Myo, Novint, Philips WOWvx, Polhemus, RF smart tags

Integrations (Software): ASC, AVF, Bink, MAK GameLink & VRLink, Newtek NDI, ODBC, RoQ, Scaleform, Soar AI, Steam, Umbra Culling, WMF

Languages: English (bilingual), German (native), Russian (beginner), Spanish (beginner)

Office: Google, Libre, Microsoft, Visio

Operating Systems: AmigaOS, ArchLinux, Cisco, Gentoo, iOS, macOS, Solaris, Windows

Paradigms: Domain-driven, functional, object-oriented, reactive, test-driven

Platforms: Android, BeagleBone, Lynx, PC, PS3, PS4, PSP, Raspberry Pi, Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One

Programming: Asm, Basic, C, C++, C#, D, Java, Haskell, Lisp, Lua, Nim, Pascal, Scala, UnrealScript

Project Management: Agile, Bugzilla, Doxygen, Hansoft, Project, Jira, Scrum, TTP

Simulation: DIS, FBCB2, HLA, Janus, JCATS, MetaVR, OneSAF, OTBSAF, SIMNET, VRLink

Version Control: Alienbrain, CVS, Git, Perforce, PVCS, Subversion, Team Foundation, VSS

Web: Apache, ASP (.NET, MVC), Blend, BroadVision, CGI, CQRS, CSS, eCRM, Entity Framework, Flash, Grav, HTML, IIS, JavaScript, Java Servlets, Json, JSP, LINQ, NGINX, osCommerce, PHP, Silverlight, VBScript, WCF, Wordpress, XML/XSL/XSLT

Awards

Best Game Engine
2017 ~ Develop Industry Excellence Awards

Best Real-Time Graphics & Interactivity
2017 ~ SIGGRAPH

Best Real-time Graphics and Interactivity
2016 ~ SIGGRAPH

Best Game Engine
2013 ~ Develop Industry Excellence Awards

Best Game Engine
2012 ~ Game Developer Magazine

Best Tech of E3
2012 ~ Game Informer

Best Tools Provider
2012 ~ Develop Industry Excellence Awards

Coolest Tech of E3
2012 ~ IGN

Group Achievement Award for "Moonbase Alpha" Game
2011 ~ NASA

Serious Games Gold Medal for "RoboMath" game
2011 ~ International Serious Play Awards

Technical Achievement Award for DARPA ULTRA-Vis
2011 ~ Applied Research Associates

Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Award
2010 ~ Virtual Heroes / ARA

Serious Games Showcase & Challenge Winner for "Moonbase Alpha" Game
2010 ~ I/ITSEC Conference

Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Award
2009 ~ Virtual Heroes / ARA

Business Excellence Award for "Pamoja Mtaani" Game
2009 ~ Global Business Coalition

Certificate of Excellence for Outstanding Performance and Contribution
2005 ~ Anteon Corporation / General Dynamics

Finalist in "Codeblue" Programming Contest
2001 ~ American Express

"Make Something Unreal" Contest Winner for "Tactical Ops"
2000 ~ Epic Games