Robert McLarty

Email Me • Download PDF • LinkedIn • Homepage

Experienced full-stack software engineer with over a decade of success designing and developing scalable user-centric web applications. Skilled in a wide range of technologies including React, Node, Rails, and AWS with a strong focus on modular code, responsive design, security, and a seamless user experience.

With a background in cognitive science, philosophy, and graphic design, I bring a unique perspective to problem-solving and product development. My experience spans startups like Verold and WorkTango, enterprises like Telus and Kellogg’s, as well as freelance projects for local small businesses and artists. I’m eager to combine my technical expertise and creativity to drive innovation and delight users.

At the end of the day, I like making things. I like teaching others how to make things. And I love it when we can all make things together that are bigger than ourselves!

Stack

Computer Languages

Coding Frameworks

Application Platforms

Software Tools

Spoken Languages

Jobs

Lead Game Developer

Computechnosoft • Toronto, Kelowna

Addressed technical debt and steered the game development toward a modular architecture that resulted in improved performance, reduced bugs, and a working demo now generating wishlists on Steam, gearing up for its first release candidate. Collaborated closely with artists and designers to integrate creative assets with code, bringing the game's narrative to life and enhancing its gameplay experience.

Principal Software Engineer

WorkTango • Toronto, Kelowna, Austin

Focused on software and systems architecture, cloud orchestration, and security. Played a key role in scaling the company from fewer than 10 employees to over 50, resulting in our acquisition by Kazoo. Led internal committees, recruited new hires, and guided production workflows. Integrated systems, people, practices, and documentation, notably improving operations in terms of time-to-delivery and reduced risk of errors.

Staff Software Engineer

Myplanet • Toronto, Berlin, Boston

Collaborated with Telus to develop secure web and mobile apps for Service Management, Telus Health, and VoIP certified as “private by design” and scaling to serve tens of thousands of Canadian customers. Helped Newstore launch global omni-channel e-commerce platform using custom AWS serverless architecture. Integrated 25+ APIs to support PoS, clienteling, and fulfillment across 85+ brands in dozens of countries, ensuring reliability during peak retail spikes. Led Myplanet security initiatives, hosted seminars on privacy and code best-practices, and provided on-site technical support for major international clients.

Senior Full-Stack Web Developer

Verold • Toronto

Developed modular Rails platform to handle authorization, identity management, and social network for novel WebGL ecosystem comprising 3D editor, graphics engine + processor, and coding IDE which facilitated collaboration on 3D assets and accessibility to interactive 3D experiences native to the browser. Thanks to a solid product and some clever growth hacks, we grew to tens of thousands of monthly active users and millions of monthly views for hosted projects, culminating in our acquisition by Box.

Schools

Sheridan College

Illustration & Graphic Design • Diploma

University of Toronto

Cognitive Science • Bachelors

Open Source

• Cred • Authentication + authorization for NodeJS apps using JWT for transport.

• Soko • CLI tools for building and running javascript applications.

• Storium • Unified cloud storage abstraction for Knex apps.

• Fuzzle • CLI tools for static asset name reversioning.

• Crypto-Butter • Collection of cryptographic functions for web clients.

• Rob Chat • Double-ratcheted e2ee websocket zero knowledge group chat.

• Suggestible Input • Fast selectable fuzzy-matched suggestions in an input field.

• Paginated Redux • React/redux state management for paginated records.

• Nginx Config • Reference SSL and reverse proxy with A+ rating on SSL Labs.

• Nav Panel • Simple navigation component for your Rails app's admin interface.

Articles

• What is a JSON Web Token?

• Docker is Fun and Easy

• Personal Security Tips

• Reduce Complexity, Not (Necessarily) Code

• Alternative React Component Patterns

• Stripe VS Paypal

• The Business of Privacy

• How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Cascade

• Don't Use HPKP by Default

• Installing Let’s Encrypt With Certbot