Roland Vilett
15 Heidi Ln
Mount Sinai, NY 11766
(631) 476-0917

LinkedIn Profile (requires login)

Objective

To be part of a team of talented engineers developing cutting-edge commercial software.

Education

B.S. with Distinction, Computer Science, Cornell University, 1991

Skills

• Fifteen years full time experience developing commercial software in C and C++.
• Twelve years full time experience developing software for Microsoft Windows in C, C++, C#, and Delphi.
• Extensive experience designing client/server applications using UDP and TCP protocols for Windows and Unix.
• Extensive experience developing 3D graphical applications. Thoroughly familiar with the RenderWare engine for cross-platform 3D game development.
• Willing and able to work alone or within a team. Experience with managing other programmers in a development team.
• Languages, technologies, and products: C, C++, C#/.NET, WPF, Delphi, Win32, Unix, STL, Javascript, DHTML, HTTP, CGI, WinInet, DLLs, Microsoft Visual Studio, WISE, Perforce SCMS, Faircom C-tree plus, gcc.

Experience

Senior Software Engineer, X1 6/03 - present

• Lead architect for the Windows client component of X1 Enterprise Search.
• Directed team of multiple software engineers.
• Designed and implemented new object frameworks for the team to use while extending the product feature set.
• Developed and maintained a C++ class hierarchy which allows third parties to write C++ plugins which communicate directly with the host application (written in Object Pascal.) The third party plugins submit search results from arbitrary remote sources to the main application and can also extend the application with new features. Wrote several plugins myself.

Software Engineer, Maxis / Electronic Arts 6/02 - 5/03

• Member of programming team developing Sim City 4, the next generation of Maxis' highly successful city simulation game.
  • Sole engineer responsible for implementing the "My Sims" game feature, which allowed importing characters from The Sims into Sim City 4.
  • Extended the project's in-house C++ COM framework to support automatic detection and reporting of memory leaks.
  • Developed tools for analyzing the memory usage of all objects in the game engine and targetting certain areas for optimization. These tools allowed us to significantly reduce the overall memory footprint of the game.
• Member of programming team developing The Sims 2.
  • Developed an engine for rendering 3D particle effects within the game environment.
  • Developed a parametric system for easy, intuitive user control of the camera position.

Software Architect, Activeworlds Corp. 3/97 - 5/02

Architect and lead developer of an engineering team responsible for the design, implementation, testing, and release of Active Worlds, a distributed, scalable, massively multi-user 3D interactive virtual environment for Windows and Unix.

• Senior employee at the company responsible for all aspects of product development.
• Led the development of a commercial product over the full life cycle, from initial design and implementation through beta testing and final release.
• Managed and directed the efforts of five full time programmers.
• Supported commercial products after release; tracked bug reports and developed solutions to customer problems as they came up.
• Researched new technologies, in particular the latest 3D graphics technologies, for incorporation into future versions of the product.
• Worked with high profile customers to develop custom versions of the product to meet their application-specific needs.
• Designed, implemented, and documented the Active Worlds SDK, an API for third parties to develop custom plug-ins for Active Worlds.
• Wrote end-user product documentation and online help files.
• Designed and implemented IM (Instant Messaging) and contact list management systems for use by end-user communities.
• Designed and implemented encrypted protocols and server licensing techniques for hardening the system against hacking and software piracy.
• Interacted directly with end users to help develop feature requirements for new versions.
• Worked with company management to develop feature lists and development schedules for new product versions.
• Designed, implemented, and supported back end database server for Windows NT, Solaris, and Linux.
• Designed and implemented a custom client/server encrypted protocol using TCP/IP for supporting thousands of users accessing a virtual 3D world in real time.

Software Engineer, Worlds Inc. 9/95 - 1/97

• Assisted lead programmer with the design and implementation of the original AlphaWorld product, which later became Active Worlds (see above.) Active Worlds was acquired from Worlds Inc. by Activeworlds Corp. in March of 1997.
• Solely responsible for the development and support of the Active Worlds Windows client application.
• Worked with in-house artists and production teams in the development of custom 3D virtual environments using the AW technology.

Senior Software Engineer, Green Hills Software, Inc. 6/91 - 8/95

• Lead developer responsible for the design and implementation of the MULTI C/C++ Software Development Environment for Unix and MS Windows.
• Supported and improved the MULTI source-level C/C++ debugger
• Ported debugger and development environment to a variety of embedded targets, including ROM Monitors, In-Circuit Emulators, and Real Time Operating Systems.

Other Interests and Hobbies

• Bicycling
• Maps, GPS applications, GIS
• Astrophysics, Cosmology

References

Available upon request.