The University of Sheffield
BScComputer Science
Relevant Courses
COM1003: Java Programming
Score: 71/100
COM2008: Systems Design and Security
Score: 73/100
COM2004: Data Driven Computing
Score: 76/100
Ruben Ward
I am an experienced programmer and team leader focused on distributed systems, systems programming, and automation. I have a strong background in Rust and Nix, with a proven track record of managing both technical projects and operational teams. I have built efficient, scalable systems while fostering independent, high-quality engineering within my teams.
Education
Work
Swift News
Co-Founder
Co-founder, operated and built software to manage a paper delivery company.
Highlights
- FastAPI (Python) CMS for 70 customers, automating invoicing via SMTP email or post and centralizing customer data.
- Automated scheduling for 5 employees, eliminating manual daily planning and improving operational reliability.
- Maintained production systems, ensuring daily schedule delivery, monthly invoicing, and regular customer data backups.
Sheffield Students' Union
Senior Stage Manager
Am responsible for a team of people running live events for gigs and night club events.
Highlights
- Manage a team of up to 7 staff during live events, ensuring tasks are completed on time.
- Coordinate sound, video, and lighting teams.
- High-pressure operational decision-making ensuring issues are resolved without attendees noticing.
Language
| English | Bilingual |
|---|---|
| German | Bilingual |
Awards
Distinction – Global Engineering Challenge
School of Computer Science, The University of Sheffield
Awarded a Distinction for cross-disciplinary teamwork on public transportation improvement.
Projects
Prime Number Miner
Wrote a distributed system written in Rust to calculate and verify large quantities of prime numbers across multiple (web) clients.
Highlights
- Implemented work validation system to prevent duplicate or malicious submissions.
- Container-based deployment using Podman/Docker.
- CI/CD verification pipelines to avoid system outages.
NixOS Infrastructure
Wrote a declarative system configuration managing multiple machines. Managing 3 devices including one cloud server, which hosts all of my personal projects.
Highlights
- Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using Nix Flakes and Home Manager.
- Automated deployment of development environments.
- Centralized and synchronized configuration and secrets across local and cloud systems to reliably deploy personal projects.
Skills
Programming Languages
Spring Boot, Java, Rust, Python, Haskell, Ruby, Nix, JavaScript
Systems & Infrastructure
NixOS, Linux/Unix, GitLab CI/CD, Docker/Podman, Infrastructure as Code, Distributed Systems
Leadership & Management
Team Leadership, Crisis Management, Operations Scheduling, Project Management