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Rafe McDonald
Python & Full-stack Developer
Nelson BC
Python & Full-stack Developer
Nelson BC
I work at the intersection of Python development, full-stack web applications, and industrial automation. On the web side, I’ve helped deliver production systems using Flask, Node.js, and modern front-end tooling. On the industrial side, I’ve contributed to SCADA/RX3i and real-time monitoring systems that support day-to-day field operations. My work also includes freelance builds ranging from early concept sites that help organizations clarify their brand to product-focused applications for clients. During my research internship, I collaborated with industry teams on ML-driven projects such as acoustic event detection and computer vision for lumber grading. Across web, data, and industrial systems, I focus on clear communication, maintainable architecture, and collaboration that turns complex requirements into tools teams can rely on.
I worked as a Python developer on a small team rebuilding legacy SCADA communications for remote industrial units into a modern, maintainable platform. I owned key parts of the data pipeline, including multi-threaded acquisition across 47+ units, refactoring acquisition scripts, and restructuring system metadata. I also refined archiving and query workflows for more than 11GB of time-series data and contributed to REST APIs and real-time monitoring dashboards. Working closely with operations staff, I helped ensure the system matched real monitoring and troubleshooting workflows. The resulting platform replaced a costly SaaS dependency while supporting reliable production-critical remote monitoring and control.
Impact: Reduced SaaS operating costs by more than 80%.
Enterprise Group Inc., Nelson BC
(2025)
Freelance full-stack developer and sole builder of SoftCultivar, a B2B SaaS platform for indoor cultivation facilities that consolidates sensor data from multiple vendors into a single operational dashboard. The system provides real-time interactive sensor visualizations, post-crop analysis tools, and structured timestamped inputs so staff can log observations and decisions alongside facility data. The platform gives operations a single source of truth for environmental data, enabling faster day-to-day decisions, objective records for troubleshooting and learning, and compliance-ready reporting. The product is live on a dedicated Linux server as an active pilot deployment for a commercial client. Work spans the full software lifecycle, including system architecture (Node.js, Express), multi-vendor IoT API integration for sensor ingestion, database design, production deployment, and collaborative design with the client on workflow and reporting requirements.
Impact: Targeting a >5% Productivity Increase for Operations Staff.
Phideliti, Nelson BC
(2024/26)
Code Reviewer / Python Developer supporting AI-driven code review, annotation, and training-data curation workflows for coding models. Evaluated AI-generated code and explanations for correctness, safety, and usefulness, validating implementations through documentation review and testing. Work included head-to-head model comparisons (e.g., Model A vs. Model B), fill-in-the-middle completion quality, and multi-turn context evaluation across diverse libraries, domains, and tech stacks.
Data Annotation Tech, Nelson BC
(2024)
Advanced Computing Research Intern in the Applied Research Co-op program at Selkirk College’s Advanced Research and Innovation Centre. Worked through Selkirk Innovates on industry-partnered ML/AI and computer vision projects, researching and implementing solutions for real-world business needs. Projects included automated machine learning pipelines for sound object identification (industrial noise source detection) and computer vision pipelines for automated quality control such as lumber grading. Work involved open-source ML models (e.g., TensorFlow YAMNet), photogrammetry and point-cloud workflows, and communicating project progress and findings to diverse stakeholders including government partners and non-technical staff.
Selkirk College, Nelson, BC
(2023/24)
Technical sales representative covering British Columbia and Alberta for Natural Insect Control, a provider of biological integrated pest management (IPM) solutions for agriculture and residential lawn and garden care. Managed regional client relationships, delivering product training, application guidance, and technical troubleshooting to growers and distributors.
Natural Insect Control, Nelson, BC
(2018/23)
Python backend / SCADA integration: Multi-threaded polling and control for RX3i/Modbus PLC units; REST APIs (Flask) for dashboard and reporting.
Database architecture (SQLite): Multi-file archive design, metadata indexes, parallel queries, and safe 10GB+ historical data handling.
Data processing & analysis: EDA, anomaly detection, and correlation analysis on time-series industrial data (Pandas, NumPy, Altair, Matplotlib).
Error handling & logging: Circular logging buffers, transaction-level tracing across a multi-stage data pipeline, and robust error reporting.
SCADA dashboard: Modular web dashboard with multiple panels (overview, unit management, reporting, PLC manager, alerts).
Real-time visualization: Live charts with zoom/pan and interaction (Chart.js, Altair), wired to real-time backends.
UI/UX for operations: Layout and flows designed around operator workflows, status visibility, and accessibility considerations.
PLC & protocols: Modbus/SRTP integration with GE RX3i, firmware-aware register mapping, and unit-level control (start/stop, offline handling).
Industrial networking: Network probing, router configuration analysis (Red Lion, Advantech, Skorpion), VPN setup, and connectivity monitoring.
Server & VM management: Linux server administration (SSH, supervisorctl), Windows VM setup, and cross-platform deployment (PySide6, PyInstaller).
Security & access control: Firewall review, IP whitelisting, VPN configuration, and access-control planning for production SCADA.
AI collaboration: Designed comprehensive autonomy/communication rules and context documents to integrate AI into an active SCADA project.
Environment & deployment: Process supervision, restart procedures, and handling large data files in production environments.
Version control & teamwork: Git/GitHub workflows, iterative changes, and traceable documentation.
Project & stakeholder management: Weekly updates, requirements refinement with operations staff, and coordination in a small team setting.
Technical documentation: Infrastructure reports, API docs, user guides, and architecture descriptions targeted at both engineers and operators.
Quality & testing: Functional, performance, and integration testing focused on system reliability and data integrity.
End-to-end system ownership: Comfortable taking a system from network discovery and requirements through backend, database, and dashboard implementation.
Evidence-based debugging: Uses logging, temporal analysis, and multi-stage tracing to diagnose complex data/firmware/network issues.
Data-first mindset: Designs schemas, archives, and queries for large time-series datasets, with clear performance and integrity guarantees.
Operational reliability focus: Designs and operates systems with an emphasis on stability, observability, and safe rollout patterns.
Clear documentation & stakeholder communication: Produces structured technical docs and works directly with operations staff and management.
AI-assisted development: Builds and uses AI interaction frameworks to accelerate coding, analysis, and documentation while keeping human control.
Developer for Python multi-threaded production monitoring system with SCADA/Modbus protocol integration, real-time data acquisition, and a comprehensive front-end dashboard for production-critical remote monitoring and industrial automation control.
Enterprise Group Inc.
Primary Intern Researcher and Programmer for an automated machine learning pipeline intended for detection, identification and documentation of noise sources for mitigation of community impact.
Selkirk Innovates
Primary Intern Researcher and Programmer for Python photogrammetry, point cloud and computer vision pipeline intended for an automated quality control detection mechanism.
Selkirk Innovates
Collaborating member of advanced audio synthesis and effects designers working in Kyma, a hardware-accelerated digital audio synthesis environment.
Kyma Kata
Presenter of research on physics-based analysis and modeling of sonic systems and implementations within the Kyma environment.
KISS Busan, Korea
Full-stack Web Development Certificate (2024/25)
Advanced Computing Applied Research Co-op Internship (2023/24)
Co-op Micro-internship Website Development Project (2024)
University Arts & Sciences Calculus I & II, Linear Algebra, Foundations in Programming (2021/22)
Key Capabilities in Data Science Data Science Certificate (2022)
Physics Based Sound Synthesis (Perry Cook)
Recording Arts Certificate
Master Sitar Mentorship (Kolkata)
CPEMS - Sound Design and Music Production
Introduction to Java Programming
Acoustic Dimensions in Communication (CMNS-259)
Communications Major (3rd Year Complete)