Michael A. Irwin
**** ***** **** ****** *******@*****.***
Tacoma, WA 98408 Phone: 435-***-****
2022.09.01
Professional Profile
Experienced professional with proven ability to assess, evaluate, and solve a wide variety of business problems. Analyzes user processes and designs; creates and maintains database systems, including integration, ETL, and reporting. Highly experienced in conveying ideas, concepts, and necessary information to others in written and presentation forms. Able to converse and teach technical material in English, French, German, and Dutch. Citizen of US, UK, Ireland.
Development
Thirty years experience in designing, developing, and maintaining database systems. Programmer/analyst with highly-developed problem-solving, application design, and re-engineering skills. Ten years experience of creating engineering systems in CAD and aerospace fields. Approximately six years technical documentation. Approximately twenty-five years developing software using a variety of database systems, including about six years partly as a DBA.
Professional Skills
Databases
MS SQL Server 6.5 - 2019, Oracle 7 - 11, Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Datawarehouse, MS Parallel Data Warehouse, Access 2003-7, MySQL 5, InterBase 5, Paradox, mSQL.
Tools
MS Visual Studio, SSMS, SSRS, SSIS, ADF, Power BI, SQL Operations Studio, Azure Storage Explorer, Crystal Reports, SQL Developer, Splunk, Toad, MS Access, Paradox, MS Azure portal and tools.
Languages
SQL (ANSI, T-SQL, PL/SQL), VB.Net, ASP, ADO, ADO.NET, HTML, JavaScript, PHP 4, VB, VBA, VB Scripting, Fortran, Pascal, Prolog, R, C++, C# (CLR), RTL/2, Java. Python, Kusto.
Technical Writing
Six years experience in writing end-user and technical documentation. Two years documentation manager for a web development company. Designed and published high-quality applications documentation and product brochures. Producer of design documents, technical instruction manuals, on-line help systems, and test plans.
Tools:
Ventura Publisher, FrameMaker, MS Office Suite, WP Office Suite, OpenOffice.org, Corel Graphics Suite, Libre Office, Dia, GIMP, InkScape.
Professional Experience
NAES Inc (hybrid) June 2022 – August 2022
SQL Developer, Documentation Writer (SQL Server 2019, SSIS)
On team providing database support during a data migration into MS Dynamics 365 from a variety of other data sources, including SQL Server, Access, Excel, and flat files.
Microsoft Inc. (remote) (contract) April 2022 - June 2022
ETL Developer, Documentation Writer (SQL Server 2019, Kusto)
On a team creating management tools and systems for use by clients with virtual machines running on Azure.
Using Kusto to organise reporting data in order to facilitate analysis and reporting of changes in VM status to clients.
Standard Technologies Inc. (remote) May 2021 – June 2021
Senior ETL Developer (SQL Server 2019, SSIS)
Implementation and improvement of Data Migration system for importing data into a data warehouse from OLTP systems and other unstructured sources such as spreadsheets and text files in order to facilitate analysis and reporting.
Skills Inc. (Auburn, WA) Jan 2021 - March 2021
SQL Developer, ETL Developer (SQL Server 2019, SSIS)
Data Migration and DevOps, reporting for Boeing-related contracts. Project team laid off due to budget constraints.
WCP Inc. (Auburn, WA) (contract) April 2020 – Sept 2020
SQL Developer, ETL Developer, Data Analyst (DB2, AS-400, SQL Server 2019, SSIS)
Data migration and teaching client staff. Worked remotely for the whole project.
Created and maintained a system of SSIS packages for the transfer of Master Data from a data warehouse using DB2 running on an IBM AS400 to one using SQL Server on Azure (Infor).
Designed, created, and maintained ETL to cleanse and transfer master data from legacy to new databases.
Altered existing ETL packages as business requirements altered the specifications, with short deadlines.
Taught T-SQL and SSIS to other members of the team, converting them from DB2 to T-SQL, etc.
Project managed per Agile methodology.
Microsoft Corp. Sept 2016 – March, 2020
Senior Consultant (SQL Server) (SQL Server 2008 – 2017, SSIS, Power BI, PDW,
Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Datawarehouse)
Database systems consultant, performing both Staff Augmentation and reactive investigation and problem solution for a number of customers, working both on-site and remotely.
Expansion of a Global Ordering System for a major auto manufacturer, operating with SSIS feeding a data warehouse on a paired Microsoft PDW system. Also performed DBA and teaching duties for this installation and wrote CLR routines (C#) for string manipulation..
Testing upgraded performance and correctness of an investment system for a North Jersey financial company.
Investigation into and recommendations for hardening of a SQL Server 2016 system for a Palo Alto financial institution.
Evaluated and provided recommendations for a large SQL Server system subject to large load variations in order to reduce likelihood of failure.
Part of a team preparing for upgrade and reorganisation of a major database system from SQL Server 2008-2016, including preparation of objective measurements of complexity to assist in determining planning priorities.
Testing and recommending upgrades to an investment tracking system for internal users in a large US financial investment company.
Provided planning assistance to the support group of a major wireless phone company for a move from local to cloud operation including Azure SQL Data Warehouse and Azure SQL Database.
Provided developer support for an apparel distribution company near Redmond, WA, as they moved a legacy ERP system to Dynamics 365, an in-cloud support database, and an on-prem reporting server. The main goal was to make the back-end changes essentially invisible to front-end programs and reporting.
Prometrics Inc — King of Prussia, PA March 2015 – Sept 2016
Senior Database Developer, Data Analyst (SQL Server 2012, 2014, SSIS)
Data and systems analysis, database design, implementation, and enhancement of health-care data aggregation systems, creation of ETL support for web access sites under strictly secure and HIPAA-compliant conditions, and maintenance and development of web site support database systems. Highlights include:
Restructuring implementation of nightly processes to reduce elapsed time from 4 hours to 30 minutes.
Successful implementation of new error-handling process to eliminate process failures due to deadlock conditions in several systems.
Implementation of new inter-systems connections technique, again eliminating contention side-effects.
Introduction of new techniques for data cleansing and task synchronisation, improving the reliability of the ETL processes.
Extensive ETL work using SSIS, automating data import flows.
Re-design of data validation subsystems to improve reliability and speed.
Control of software release process to eliminate flawed releases.
Overall control of software message handling and forwarding system servicing several clients with differing communications requirements.
On-going maintenance and enhancement of systems for processing patient data, including identification and amelioration of problems such as time-outs and deadlocks in systems with constrained resources and multiple users.
Comcast Inc — Philadelphia, PA (contract) October 2014 – March 2015
Senior SQL Developer, Data Analyst (Splunk, Linux)
Data and business analysis for the Anti-Abuse group within the Email & Voicemail services area.
Analysis of large volumes (multi-GB/day) of real-time metadata regarding email and voicemail traffic.
Translation of client requests into report and dashboard design.
Development of client dashboards and of documentation on dashboard development in Splunk.
Provided assistance transitioning Comcast clients to new bulk mail system.
Stroll Inc — Philadelphia, PA March 2013 – August 2014
Database Developer, Business Analyst, DBA (SQL Server 2008 - 12, TSQL, SSIS, SSRS)
Data and business analysis for a leading web-based direct-marketing educational product company.
Business and data analysis translating client requests into report and dashboard design.
Design and development of SSRS reporting packages for customer-facing applications.
Creation of product dashboards for sales and management use.
Development of SSIS/SSRS systems supporting Sales Monitoring, Collections, and Call Center functions.
Development of SSIS ETL packages for automation of data flows within the company.
Implementation of packages for automation of DBA functions (backup, restore, external data retrieval) using SSIS, Python, and commercial software.
Migration of systems from SQL Server 2008 to 2012.
Instruction of colleagues in use of SSIS, SSRS, and SQL (teaching internal courses).
Business analysis and data analysis and design of initial-phase BI systems.
Maintenance and enhancement of accounting support systems for internal use and for external auditing.
Maintenance and improvement of T-SQL and SSIS code.
Creation of documentation of automated processes.
Touchpoint Solutions — Yardley, PA (contract) August 2012 – March, 2013
Database and Report Developer, Data Analyst (SQL Server 2005/8, TSQL, SSIS, SSRS)
Data Analyst, SQL and Report Developer. Developed business decision support software for Financial, HR, and Contract Team management and also for client status reporting.
Created SSIS packages for inter-server data transfer to support reporting processes.
Designed and created reports using SSRS to improve monitoring and financial reporting for field sales teams.
Conducted ongoing analyses and provided recommendations on improvements to data structures and overall data quality control.
Created business documentation of existing and proposed reporting, of work processes, and of procedures.
Sykes Enterprises — Yardley, PA (contract) April 2012 – August 2012
Database Developer, Data Analyst (SQL Server 2000/2005/8, TSQL, SSIS, Oracle, PHP, ColdFusion)
Analyst and Developer for Sykes, developing supporting software for financial and VOIP applications.
Created SSIS packages for data transfer for billing control.
Created a database, with user front-end written in PHP, to support creation and maintenance of customer satisfaction surveys presented over the phone.
Devised and implemented processes for providing financial data for billing requirements.
Updated, repaired, and maintained a ColdFusion-based phone response support system, including adding new database modules to accommodate new sources of data and re-creating some lost ETL areas.
Matheson Gas — Basking Ridge, NJ (contract) Dec 2011 – March 2012
Database Developer ( SQL Server 2008R2, SSIS, SSRS )
Analyst and Developer for Matheson Gas, developing SSIS packages and analyzing data for reporting systems.
Created SSIS packages for sales support, including centralized production of email alerts.
Interfaced SSIS and Web Services in order to trigger web service processes from data conditions.
Set up Subversion SCCS to support database development.
Created interactive SSRS reporting as user interfaces for remote users.
Bank of America (contract) August – Nov 2011
Database Developer (Teradata, SQL Server 2005/8, DB2, Access)
Analyst and Developer for Bank of America in combating card abuse (money laundering and financial support of terrorism).
Used Access as a control module for coordinating checks on card data validity (patterns and occurrences indicative of invalidity, missing data, etc.).
Wrote queries against DB2, SQL Server, and Teradata database systems.
Created SharePoint forms and defined supporting logic.
blackbaud — Charleston, SC (contract) June – August 2011
Software Developer (SQL Server 2008R2, SSRS, BCRM)
Developer for blackbaud, customizing CRM software for customer use.
Used SSRS to create and update reports from the BCRM data warehouse.
Created product features using XML specs for tables, stored procedures, etc.
Deloitte Consulting — Philadelphia, PA October 2010 – June 2011
Database Developer / DBA (Oracle 10, SQL Server 2005/8, SSIS, SSRS, Access)
Developer and DBA for the FAA to carry out annual inventory of networked equipment and generate reports for the FAA and the OMB.
Used SSIS to import scanned network data from Oracle and client data from flat files into SQL Server.
Created TSQL functions and stored procedures on SQL Server to manipulate large data-sets (up to 40 million records per table). Cleansed and normalized the data according to rules and constraints provided by the client.
Designed and built processes for extracting reportable information from data.
Used SSRS, Access, and Excel to produce both ad hoc and predefined reports for client.
Carried out DBA duties – database design, creation, maintenance, backups and restores. Evaluated and solved performance problems associated with large data-sets.
Mentored colleagues on the project and on some aspects of SQL Server, including use of SSIS for ETL.
Europe (1978 – 1993)
Prior to 1993 I worked in a number of countries in Europe. Projects included naval CADD, in-flight and ground-segment satellite control systems, smart card development and documentation, radar systems design and development, and a number of database projects. Details are available on request.
Education
2021, 2022: Studying and using Kusto, Python, and various No-SQL databases, such as Snowflake.
B.Sc. in Electronics from Queen Mary College, London University, 1978.
2018: Attended five SQL Saturday events.
2018: Passed exam 70-778 (Analysing and Visualising Data Using Power BI)
2017: Attended eight SQL Saturday events. Took PASS training and also Microsoft internal training in Power BI.
2016: Attended eight SQL Saturday events. Presented on SQL and SSIS in local user group. Courses in ethics and SQL performance.
2015: Mission-Critical SQL Server (April) and Linux Administration courses.
2015: Attended eight SQL Saturday events. Presented on SSIS at a local SQL Server user group.
2014: Courses for SQL Sever Advanced DBA, SQL Server Performance Troubleshooting, Advanced SSIS, Query Performance.
2014: Attended nine SQL Saturday events.
2013: Advanced SSIS course, SSRS expressions, attended three SQL Saturday events.
2012: Courses in SQL Server 2012 (new features, changes in T-SQL, etc), SSAS, Advanced SSRS, and DBA support.
2012: Attended three SQL Saturday events and a “SQL in the City” (NYC) training.
2011: Courses in SSAS and in other DBA-related subjects.
2011: Courses in blackbaud CRM use and development.
2011: Courses in Ethics and Professional Independence (Accountancy).
2010: Courses in SSRS, PL/SQL, and for an MCTS (SQL Server 2008 DBA). Attended 1 SQL Saturday event.
2009: Course in SSIS.
2003: Course in C++, Atlantic Cape Community College (honors grade).
Courses in VB, SQL Server 2000 (MCSD), ColdFusion, VB.NET (online refreshers), Oracle PL/SQL, Sun certified Java Programming courses, 1996-1997.
Member of SQL Skills. Active member of Oregon SQL Server users group. Past member of ACM, IEEE, and PASS.
From 1993 to 2004 provided volunteer online technical support with Paradox issues. Paradox beta tester. Presented papers on SQL to Paradox and SQL user groups.
Contributor to SQL Server problem solutions at experts-exchange.com and ITToolbox.com. Awarded recognition of mastery of various aspects of SQL Server 2005 and 2008 by experts-exchange.