Catherine Jarocki

Software & Web Developer

About Me ++

Hello! My name is Catherine. I'm a software engineer in Minnesota, and I work mainly with JavaScript and PHP.

I am always excited about jobs and workplaces where my talents can not only be put to work, but can soar.

I have been successful working on teams that provide support, peer programming opportunities, and self-governing independence. I appreciate being able to ask my coworkers for help or advice when I'm out of ideas, but I strongly value the skills I gain when I am forced or driven to hunt down solutions to my own tasks, problems, and questions. As a self-taught programmer with some formal education, I have been able to benefit from both guided problem solving and independence.

I’ve had the opportunity to work in four different workplaces in the last two years of my professional career. While this certainly has been less stable than crunching away at the same job for the last two years, it has afforded me a wealth of experiences that I believe would have taken much longer to garner had I stayed in one place. I’ve gotten to work at agencies, as an in-house developer, and freelancing/contracting, and as such, I have an incredibly clear picture of what works for me and what doesn’t. I know the kind of work environment where I can do my best work, and even though this has come at the cost of painful realizations, soul searching, and trial-and-errors aplenty, I’ve grown through the hard times and losses, learned invaluable lessons about both this industry and myself, and I bring the honesty and truth with which those struggles and successes have equipped me to every interview, work day, and task at hand.

headshot

Work Experience

API Developer

AerisWeather

June 2019 - Present

I craft and support our APIs that other developers love to build upon, working as part of a highly collaborative team to maintain existing and assist in the implementation of new APIs. Pulling on my knowledge and experience with Understanding of Web APIs / HTTP / REST / JSONevelop interfaces to communicate with data processing platforms which serve a multitude of data sets, which I can process & combine to build innovative new products. In this endeavor, I draw upon my experience with Node.js, TypeScript, Python, MongoDB, and Bash for the design, development, deployment, versioning and maintenance of secure RESTful APIsand my comfort with server-side languages like PHP and related frameworks & platforms, as well as SQL/NoSQL databases. We also use Docker & Kubernetes and AWS for container & cluster management, and microservice architecture.

Of course, to have even found Aeris on my radar (pun intended), my interest in weather and weather-related technologies drew me forward into this position, fueling my passion and curiosity for weather patterns and its effects on such a wide array of industries.

Software Engineer

Clockwork

January 2019 - May 2019

I developed applications and software solutions, collaborating with my team to provide smart and strategic recommendations to clients and work on multiple projects using many different technologies in a deadline-driven environment. This also entailed being able to communicate complex concepts to technical and non-technical audiences, and align with clients on their objectives and execute with a team to make it happen.

I leveraged my experience with JavaScript, TypeScript, Vue.js, WordPress, web development tools like NPM, Webpack, Gulp/Grunt, and Less/Sass, and version control systems like Git. I’m driven by excitement for (and understanding of) web and accessibility standards, best practices, responsive design, and emerging web technologies.

Full Stack Web Developer

aimClear

October 2018 - December 2018

Reporting directly to the CTO, I was responsible for developing and maintaining web applications, troubleshooting issues, and finding efficient ways to improve services. This entailed continuing to enhance and refine my ability to solve problems with PHP, MySQL, JavaScript, jQuery, and CSS.

I provided professional training and support directly to clients of varying sizes, demonstrating my knowledge of web development concepts, practices, and procedures including API integration, object oriented programming, and the development of extensions for 3rd party content management systems.

Other work duties included setup, configuration, and management of hosting environments, database management, functional website testing, cross-browser website testing, content loading, multi-system data ETL (extract-transform-load), project management, and customer relationship management.

I relied on my gained experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals within assigned jobs across a variety of complex web technology tasks.

I left aimClear after a month due to a concussion sustained at the end of November 2018, the recovery for which took much longer than I was expecting, leaving me off my game for months.

Front End Developer

Brandpoint

November 2017 - October 2018

I programmed user-interfaces and some full-stack solutions for our ASP.NET MVC internal software, learning C# and advancing my familiarity with SQL.

I handled all front-end & UI development tasks for our client-facing AngularJS web application, taking on more full-stack tasks as my knowledge of our code base increased.

I solely managed our custom-themed WordPress website. I implemented design updates, requested changes, formatting issues, styles, and functionalities, and performed a site code (CSS & PHP) cleanup.

I performed SEO audits on company-owned websites to ensure that they were conforming to current web development standards and SEO visibility, and made informed, confident, and knowledgeable technical SEO recommendations for client websites in order to ensure that the content that Brandpoint produces for their clients could be as performant as possible.

I left Brandpoint with mixed feelings after the preceding departures of former employees left me with little work to do and a gap between my ability to meaningfully contribute and the abilities of the other developers on the team.

Contract Web Developer

Diedrich Research Propelled Marketing

October 2017 - January 2018

On behalf of DRPM, I developed a new WordPress website for Professional Wireless Communications, a prominent radio & communications company in Burnsville, Minnesota. I received assets and mockups from their graphic designer, and met with them to go over scope, estimations, and expectations. I stayed on time and under budget, and strengthened my time management skills as well as my ability to work completely unsupervised as a contractor.

Contract Full Stack Software Engineer

LuminFire

April 2017 - October 2017

I worked on client websites, which entailed creating, updating, or migrating existing websites to current, custom-coded WordPress themes and plugins based on client specifications. I worked extensively with WordPress and become familiar with WP’s codebase, as well as WordPress architecture, themes, plugins, and design.

I assisted in the development of a React.js project that challenged my skills and learning curve, and in this endeavor, levelled up my working knowledge of vanilla JavaScript and jQuery as I wrote custom scripts and functions as needed to solve problems.

I began using Less and Sass regularly as they improved efficiency & flexibility across projects.

I used Git for version control and learned how to handle merges & conflicts with multiple developers and branches.

I left LuminFire when they ceased assigning meaningful work to me, and later, were no longer willing and able to pay me for hours submitted on my invoices.

Website Manager & Writing Tutor

College of Saint Benedict & Saint John's University

August 2015 - May 2016

Website Manager: I managed our Ingeniux webpage, which included (but was not limited to) updating tutor bio pages, making sure all information & content was accurate and current, and assisting with student signups for tutoring accounts. I also learned basics of website maintenance and some beginner web development fundamentals.

Writing Tutor: I assisted graduate & undergraduate students with a variety of writing assignments and led task teams for Writing Center website maintenance and publicity.

Technical Skills

HTML

CSS

  • Sass
  • Less
  • Bootstrap
  • Bulma

JavaScript

  • jQuery
  • Angular
  • React
  • Vue
  • Node.js
  • Express

PHP

WordPress

C#

ASP.NET

AWS

SQL

SVN & Git [Version Control]

SEO

Education

Bachelor of Arts | College of Saint Benedict

2012 - 2016

  • Majors: Biology, English Language and Literature
  • Minors: Computer Science & French Language
  • I studied at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University from August of 2012 to May of 2016, studying a variety of subjects across a liberal arts environment, included English, French, Sociology, Anthropology, Physics, Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Evolution, and my eprsonal favorite, The Biology and Natural History of Maple Syrup (yes, really). While at CSB/SJU, I participated on the cross counrty running team, the Nordic ski club, All-College Choir, All-College Orchestra, was a DJ and Business Manager at the local campus readio station KJNB, founded ad presided over the CSBSJJU Pre-Vet Club, and worked at the library in the Inter-Library Loans department, where I was able to satisfy my love of books while also learning how to balance a job and classes, a skill that would be invaluable later in my studies and life.

Full Stack Developer Certificate | Prime Digital Academy

November 2016 - April 2017

  • Solo Project: Awesome Brew Views (ABV): a craft brewery record-keeping application.
    • I built a full-stack Node.js web application to keep track of a user’s craft brewery experiences by recording a brew name, the brewery, the experience date, rating, and notes. I incorporated BreweryDB’s API to gather information about breweries, location services, beer names & descriptions, and other neat components. I used Firebase to handle authentication, SQL for my database, Express.js for middleware functions, and Bootstrap & Sass for styles.
  • Client-Based Group Project: iSongCollect
    • Working in a team of four developers, we created iSongCollect, an electronic cloud-based AngularJS web application to update pencil-and-paper song collections used in song collections for a specific, niche type of music educators. We used AngularJS, Express.js, and Node.js for our full-stack framework, Quill.js for content editing, Filestack to manage uploaded files, and Bootstrap.
    • I personally built and debugged several individual features such as redirecting after login and print styling, and I learned a great deal about the process of envisioning and constructing of real-world full-stack software projects.

    • Front-End Development Certificate | FreeCodeCamp, 2016

    October 2015 - December 2016

  • I was always interested in how mobile apps worked, and once I got to college, I got a computer of my own and had no excuse for ignorance. I began self-directed study of front-end web development & beginner back-end development through FCC’s curriculum and discovered my passion and eventual career path.

    • General Studies | University of Minnesota - Duluth

    Summer Terms 2014 & 2015

    I undertook a rigorous, accelerated path of study at UMD in my quest to become a veterinarin. I took Inorganic and Organic Chemistry to fulfill those prerequisites for entrance to veterinary medical school, as well as Probability and Statistics to add another maths course to my existing Calculus skills. The courses I took over two summer terms at UMD were challenging and exhausting as I worked two jobs to save money and studied on breaks at those jobs, but I gained a lot of tangible and intangible experience while I was learning these subjects, and I am proud of my accomplishments at UMD.

    • Inorganic Chemistry I & II
    • Organic Chemistry I & II
    • Probability & Statistics

    Activities & Interests

    The Joy Project

    April 2019 - Present

    I put my passion for web development and expertise in WordPress & PHP to work as I direct creation of and updates to internal and external websites and software programs, looping in my knowledge of Adobe services. Using my skills in writing that I've developed and honed over the years, I regularly update site content and performing regular back-ups of data. I continually seek out more effective strategies for programming and/or hardware, according to organizational needs.

    MSP Women Who WordPress

    August 2018 - Present

    As one of two MSP Women Who WordPress Co-Organizers, I helped come up with and set topics for monthly meetings, hosted and assisted with meetups, and tutored attendees in WordPress development.

    Developer Conferences:

    I enjoy attending these conferences as I get the chance to meet and speak with developers at all levels and all walks of life, senior, junior, mid, front end, back end, DevOps, CTOs, team leads, across all industries and areas of work. It's always amazing to me how many of us there are and how diverse our field really can be.

    • OpenSource North - June 2018

    • WordCamp MSP - August 2017

    • FileMaker DevCon - July 2017

    • GlitchCon - May 2017

    Mayo Clinic Center for Regenerative Medicine

    Innovative Minds Partnering to Advance Curative Therapies (IMPACT) 2016 Research Challenge
    October 2015 - March 2016
    • I performed collaborative research and analysis to write a proposal hypothesis and testing-treatment strategy to answer the question: "What is the non-genetic cause of bipolar disorder?"
    • Our hypothesis: A traumatic experience during juvenile development results in cell death, activating the inflammatory response in the brain. Following stimulation of the inflammatory process, cytokines are released, disrupting the concentration of dopamine and serotonin.
    • My partner and I placed in the top seven competition teams and were invited to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN to deliver an oral presentation of our research, where we were able to meet the nation's leading researchers, physicians, and clinicians, and tour the facilities.

    College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University Pre-Vet Club

    February 2015 - May 2016
    • President & Founder - Organized motivated members interested in veterinary medicine; liaison between members and pre-vet faculty, admissions representatives, and veterinarians.

    KJNB Radio Station

    September 2013 - May 2016
    • Vice President & Business Manager - Created yearly budget and presented at managers' meetings; worked with leaders of other media clubs to coordinate events and projects

    Volunteer Youth Coach: DuluthXC Nordic Ski Program (Kidski), Duluth, MN

    December 2008 - March 2015
    • I coached kiddos ages 5-7 in Nordic skiing. I helped them improve ski skills through games and activities, as well as lessons and exercises to demonstrate proper techniques and helpful tips and tricks. I learned to have patience with unhappy or unwilling young skiers, and was challenged to find ways to encourage participation.

    About

    I am a full stack web developer with experience developing in JavaScript, PHP, and C#. I have worked with a wide variety of technologies and have learned valuable lessons in my career as both a contractor and full-time employee. I am excited to continue learning as a developer and growing into my career wherever it takes me.

    I have found boundless success working on teams that provide support, peer programming opportunities, and self-governing independence. I appreciate being able to ask my coworkers for help or advice when I'm out of ideas, but I strongly value the skills I gain when I am forced or driven to hunt down solutions to my own tasks, problems, and questions. As a self-taught programmer with some formal education, I have been able to benefit from both guided problem solving and independence.

    I value clear expectations and boundaries of a job; I have experienced both desirable respect and great frustrations with this in the past, and I am always searching for a workplace where my career goals and desires (as they align with the expectations of my job) are respected. I can't say I love a work environment where I'm forced to sandwich myself into a job that barely fits well instead of being able to thrive as a wholesome fit, valuable in my contributions and encouraged to take on challenges that increase my worth to myself, my career, my coworkers, my employer, and my community.

    I have explored, tested, and refined my personal ability to work remotely; coming from a freelancing past, I've had both successes and failures in this endeavor as I've tested services, methods, tools, and styles to make sure I'm being as performant, effective, and communicative as possible. I have found that remote work has the potential to remove or minimize the standard distractions I've encountered in the traditional office place. I have found great value in working on-site because I've learned to come out of my shell and ask questions while interacting with coworkers away from my keyboard; it's nice to have faces associated with the people I work with, and not just emails or Slack messages.

    Overall, whether I'm working remotely or onsite, I need to be treated as an adult who can self-govern and is trusted to get her shit done.