Jonathan W. Zaleski
Atlanta Metropolitan Area - 617.455.7595 - - jzaleski (GitHub) - jonathan-w-zaleski (LinkedIn)
 
Summary
 
Technical innovation leader with 20+ years of experience building scalable systems and leading engineering organizations - from hands-on architect to VP. Demonstrated ability to stay current on the cutting edge (local LLM infrastructure, multi-agent workflows) while scaling teams and empowering others. US Patent holder in codeless automation with a consistent track record of optimizing outcomes across people (mentorship, team development), process (SDLC, onboarding, tooling), and technology (architecture, AI infrastructure, cost optimization).
 
Five+ years leading Labs/R&D divisions (Applause Labs 2019-2021, HappyFunCorp Labs 2025-2026), combining deep technical expertise with organizational leadership. Built Labs operations from the ground up at two companies - defining strategy, recruiting talent, and delivering IP that drove business impact. Active open-source maintainer - never lost my passion for coding while building and mentoring teams.
 
Currently focused on local LLM deployment and multi-agent workflows - built ai-tools repository for managing llama.cpp (llama-server) deployments with specialized agent roles (Architect, Implement, Scribe) using specialized models (Cipher, Sage). Recently published thought leadership on AI-assisted development in Techstrong.ai ("Build Fast, Then Build Right"), The AI Journal ("From Prototype to Production"), DEVOPSdigest (2026 Predictions), and InfoWorld (nonfunctional requirements for AI agents).
 
Deep expertise spanning full-stack development (React, Next.js, Python/FastAPI, Go), distributed systems architecture, and engineering leadership at scale (Wayfair Transportation: 50 engineers, Applause: multiple teams). B.A. in Computer Science, Environmental Science & Math from Westfield State University.
 

Technical Skills
 
AI / ML Infrastructure:
 
Local LLM Deployment (llama.cpp, Ollama, LM Studio), Multi-Agent Workflows (Opencode-AI, MCP, OpenClaw), Commercial LLM APIs (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google), Open-Source / Open-Weight Models (Hugging Face), Open WebUI, Prompt Engineering & Agent Orchestration, RAG Systems
Languages / Core Technologies:
 
React / Next.js, TypeScript / Node.js, Python / FastAPI, Go / Gin, NestJS / Express, Django / DRF, Flask, Ruby / Rails, C#, Java, ASP.NET MVC, Perl, VB / VB.NET, PHP, Angular / AngularJS, Javascript
Databases / NoSQL / Search:
 
Cassandra, Elasticsearch, HBase, Hive / Hadoop / HDFS, InfluxDB, MSSQL, Memcached, MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, Redis, Solr
Operating Systems:
 
Linux, OSX, Windows
Development Tools & Workflow:
 
Git / GitHub / GitLab / BitBucket, Docker / Docker Compose, vim / tmux / i3 / xmonad, Eclipse, Microsoft InterDev / Visual Studio / Visual Studio Code, NetBeans, Subversion
Cloud / DevOps / Infrastructure:
 
Local AI Infrastructure, Vercel, Kubernetes, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Azure, Terraform, Heroku, Linux System Administration, Windows System Administration, Chef, Puppet, Packer, Vagrant
Methodologies & Practices:
 
Agile Development, Scrum, Test Driven Development, Pair[ed] Programming, Peer Code Reviews, Lean Development, Feature Driven Development, Extreme Programming, User Stories
Services / Platforms / Tools:
 
Auth0, Clerk, LaunchDarkly, Algolia, MUX, Segment, Twilio, Sentry, Superset, Confluence, Jira, Branch.io, Capistrano, DC/OS

Professional Experience
 
Vice President of Technical Architecture & Head Of Labs (09/25 - 04/26)
 
HappyFunCorp - New York, NY
 
A NYC-based Product Engineering Firm
 
 
Director of Technical Architecture (08/23 - 09/25)
 
HappyFunCorp - New York, NY
 
A NYC-based Product Engineering Firm
 
 
Staff Software Engineer [Contract] (06/23 - 08/23)
 
HappyFunCorp - New York, NY
 
A NYC-based Product Engineering Firm
 
 
Vice President Of Engineering (04/22 - 03/23)
 
ibble - Austin, TX
 
A social media app that brings conversation to life over video, audio, images and text.
 
 
Director Of Engineering (11/21 - 04/22)
 
ibble - Austin, TX
 
A social media app that brings conversation to life over video, audio, images and text.
 
 
Head Of Applause Labs (10/19 - 11/21)
 
Applause - Framingham, MA
 
Worldwide leader in crowdtesting and digital quality.
 
 
Staff Software Engineer [Contract] (05/20 - 11/20)
 
HappyFunCorp - New York, NY
 
A NYC-based Product Engineering Firm
 
 
Senior Director Of Engineering (01/19 - 11/21)
 
Applause - Framingham, MA
 
Worldwide leader in crowdtesting and digital quality.
 
 
Director Of Engineering (12/17 - 01/19)
 
Applause - Framingham, MA
 
Worldwide leader in crowdtesting and digital quality.
 
 
Engineering Manager - Customer Information (Customer Data, Testing and Analytics + Tracking) (09/17 - 12/17)
 
Wayfair, LLC - Boston, MA
 
An American e-commerce company that sells furniture, home furnishings, luggage, toys, pet items and more.
 
 
Software Architect / Engineering Leader - Customer Identity + Testing and Analytics (11/16 - 09/17)
 
Wayfair, LLC - Boston, MA
 
An American e-commerce company that sells furniture, home furnishings, luggage, toys, pet items and more.
 
 
Software Architect / Engineering Leader - Transportation (06/15 - 11-16)
 
Wayfair, LLC - Boston, MA
 
An American e-commerce company that sells furniture, home furnishings, luggage, toys, pet items and more.
 
 
Principal Software Engineer (08/13 - 06/15)
 
Sermo - Boston, MA
 
The #1 social network for doctors in the US today.
 
 
Manager of Development Operations (01/13 - 08/13)
 
Backupify - Cambridge, MA
 
The leading provider of backup and recovery solutions for Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications.
 
 
Senior Software Engineer [Contract] (06/12 - 08-12)
 
Blue Cod Technologies - Marlborough, MA
 
Delivering a broad range of innovative solutions for the unique challenges facing the property and casualty industry.
 
 
Senior Software Engineer (03/11 - 01/13)
 
LeadKarma, LLC. - Cambridge, MA
 
LeadKarma is a web marketing technology company that applies advanced science to online customer acquisition.
 
 
Senior Software Engineer (09/10 - 03/11)
 
Nimbit, Inc. - Framingham, MA
 
Nimbit aims to provide the easiest solution for self-managed artists, managers, and emerging labels to take their music direct to the fans that love them, and to give fans more ways to support their career.
 
 
Adjunct Instructor (07/09 - 04/10)
 
The Career Institute of American International College - Framingham, MA
 
A career college that specializes in healthcare, digital media, personal training and information technology professions.
 
 
Lead Software Engineer / Architect (08/07 - 09/10)
 
Blue Cod Technologies - Marlborough, MA
 
Delivering a broad range of innovative solutions for the unique challenges facing the property and casualty industry.
 
 
Senior Software Engineer (02/07 - 08/07)
 
Enpocket Inc. (later acquired by Nokia) - Boston, MA
 
Developing Marketing Solutions for Deployment over the SMS / MMS / WAP Channel(s)
 
 
Senior Software Engineer (04/06 - 02/07)
 
Pactolus Communications Software Corporation - Marlborough, MA
 
Developing feature-rich, carrier-ready IP voice services for converged TDM/IP and VoIP (Voice over IP) networks.
 
 
Senior Software Engineer (04/05 - 04/06)
 
Dovetail Internet Technologies LLC - Shrewsbury, MA
 
Developed Real-World Business Solutions / products designed to aid the average user / company in the creation, maintenance, and schedule deployment of Website Content (News, Events, Pictures, Marketing Documents, etc.) in a secure, automated, and completely audited process. (DovetailWRP)
 
 
Setup Technician (2004-2005)
 
Whalley Computer Associates - Southwick, MA
 
Whalley Computer is a full service system integrator with over 150 full-time computer professionals and 28 network engineers located in Southwick, MA and Milford, MA. Whalley Computer services the area's largest corporations.
 
 

Patents
 
US Patent 2024/0411670 A1: "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATING TEST AND VALIDITY" - Issue Date: December 12, 2024 [View Patent PDF]
 
Codeless automation solution for automating test case generation and validity verification. Patented approach enables non-technical users to create robust test coverage through declarative specifications rather than imperative code. Co-inventors: Robert S. Mason & Leonardo Covarrubias. Foundation for later AI-assisted automation work at Applause Labs.
 

Publications & Thought Leadership
 
Build Fast, Then Build Right: Lessons From the Trenches of Vibe Coding Techstrong.ai (2025)
Exploring the realities of AI-assisted development and why maintainability matters more than ever. Key insight: vibe coding's speed is undeniable, but architecting for AI so outputs don't collapse under their own weight requires discipline, structure, and engineering fundamentals.
 
From Prototype to Production: How AI Is Transforming Software Development The AI Journal (2025)
Examining how AI is reshaping the journey from idea to implementation. Argues that speed alone isn't enough without thoughtful architecture, real engineering discipline, and human oversight. Framework for balancing rapid experimentation with production-grade delivery.
 
2026 Predictions: Development Culture Shift from Velocity to Veracity DEVOPSdigest (2025)
Commentary on the next wave of AI-driven autonomy requiring clearer intent, adaptive architectures, responsibility, and composability at every layer. Predictions on how development culture must evolve as AI systems become more autonomous.
 
How to Write Nonfunctional Requirements for AI Agents InfoWorld (2025)
Addressing new complexity around reliability, transparency, and control in AI-driven systems. Framework for defining standards around safety, explainability, and auditability thoughtfully and practically as agents become more capable.
 
Additional speaking engagements on AI in eCommerce, The Future of Automation, and Engineering Leadership at Applause, HappyFunCorp, and industry conferences (2019-2026).
 

Personal / Open-Source Projects
 
ai-tools (2025 - Current)
 
Local LLM infrastructure and utilities for running AI workloads with llama.cpp (llama-server). Supports multi-model architecture, specialized agent roles (Architect, Implement, Scribe), and both local/server modes. Features automated bootstrap system, Docker Compose for Open WebUI, and optimized configurations for GPU-accelerated inference.
 
home-dir (2012 - Current)
 
Cross-platform dot-files and development utilities with bootstrap system supporting CentOS/RedHat, Debian/Ubuntu, OSX, Cygwin & Git Bash. Includes Docker containerization for consistent environments, Vim/Emacs configurations, shell customizations, and 900+ commits of continuous refinement.
 
homebrew-jzaleski (2022 - Current)
 
Tap of Homebrew formulae maintained by @jzaleski. Provides curated package formulas for development tools and utilities.
 
secrets (2025 - Current)
 
A simple CLI toolset for managing encrypted secrets using GPG. Includes tools for initializing, encrypting, decrypting, and verifying secrets directories with automatic version tracking.
 
splunk-otel-js-web (2023 - Current)
 
Simple app to keep track of the time-since an event / activity.
 
time-since (2023 - Current)
 
Simple app to keep track of the time-since an event / activity.
 
docent (2023 - Current)
 
Modern React, React-Native, FastAPI and Appium demo application.
 
sidekiq-max-jobs (2020 - Current)
 
A simple plugin used to control the maximum number of jobs, or maximum runtime, for a Sidekiq worker before terminating.
 
Appium (2019 - Current)
 
Mobile App Automation Made Awesome.
 
list-cli (2019 - Current)
 
List Management Application (CLI).
 
python-ostruct (2019 - Current)
 
OpenStruct for Python.
 
pymssql (2017 - Current)
 
DB-API interface to Microsoft SQL Server for Python.
 
funktoolz (2017 - Current)
 
Gap bridging function[al] backports for PY2 / PY3 compatibility.
 
formulaic (2017 - Current)
 
Simple [declarative] forms for Python.
 
php-open_struct (2015 - Current)
 
A very flexible PHP data-structure (inspired by Ruby's `ostruct` library).
 
better_attrs (2015 - Current)
 
A gem that enhances `attr_accessor` and `attr_writer` to allow the specification of a callback to be invoked when an attribute value is changed.
 
resque-retry (2014 - Current)
 
A gem provides retry, delay and exponential backoff support for Resque jobs.
 
foundry (2014 - Current)
 
A gem that aims to keep hierarchical application configuration simple.
 
purview (2014 - Current)
 
A gem / framework designed to simplify data warehousing (supports: MSSQL, Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL).
 
multipluck (2014 - Current)
 
A gem for Rails (< 4.0) that enhances the `pluck` function to select multiple columns.
 
attribute_doppelganger (2014 - Current)
 
A gem that adds convenience methods for defining relationships between attributes.
 
safe_i18n (2013 - Current)
 
An `i18n` wrapper gem intended to simplify and expedite internationalization.
 
resque-concurrent-restriction (2013 - Current)
 
A plugin for Resque that allows one to specify how many of the given job can run concurrently.
 
TODO (2012 - Current)
 
Web-Application & pseudo iPhone / Android Application for storing & retrieving TODOs.
 
hijack (Multi-User-Dungeon Client) (2011 - Current)
 
Command-line client built to interface with Simutronics Gemstone IV & Dragonrealms (and more).
 
MUD (Multi-User-Dungeon Server) (1995 - Current)
 
Text-based MMORPG-like game, written originally in Q-basic, later in Visual Basic (3.0), Java (1.4), C# (1.14 / 2.0), Java (1.5 / 1.6), C# (3.5), Ruby and currently Python.
 
Outliner (2006 - 2011)
 
An online "[Book] Outliner" developed using Javascript / AJAX / jQuery / PHP / Apache and Basic HTTP Authentication.
 
File Uploader (2011)
 
The initial prototype of a flash-free Javascript / HTML5 file uploader using Javascript / AJAX / jQuery / PHP.
 
GSAuctionPlace & TrueWack (2006)
 
Cross-browser compatible, social networking-esque micro-site(s), written in ASP.NET 2.0.
 
The Room Online (2005)
 
Cross-browser compatible, promotional band website, written in Classic ASP.
 

Education
 
Westfield State College (now Westfield State University) - Westfield, MA
BA (Liberal Arts), 2004 - Focused in Computer Science, Environmental Science and Math
 
University of New England - Biddeford, ME
Transferred in 2002 - Laboratory Research and course-work in Marine Biology, Environmental Science and History
 

References
 
Professional / Personal References provided upon request