Matt Rideout

• Clearance: Cleared for TOP SECRET information and granted access to Sensitive Compartmented Information based on Single Scope Background Investigation.
• Leadership: Leading the team that heads up configuration management, operating systems, Cloud environment evaluations, and Kubernetes container orchestration for the command. The service team also provides containerization (Kubernetes), operating systems, and cloud orchestration services to the command.
• Software Development: Developed an application that facilitates incremental data transfers of software repositories between air-gapped networks via multiple transport mechanisms while providing required security controls. The application allows more rapid, reliable, and granular updates to classified networks than previously possible.
• Configuration Management: Initiated investigation into Ansible as a unified CM (configuration management) tool to replace fragmented Linux, Windows, and network device tooling. Now leading my team through concurrent migrations to Ansible Automation Platform (AAP) and Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).
• Analytical Applications: Adapted and deployed analytic applications to execute JWAC's mission and support the warfighter.
• Streamlined DevSecOps: Promoting a culture of testing, code reviews, automation, and documentation. Created a positive feedback loop as the team spent less time on ops and more on development. Contributed to a 90%+ reduction in support backlog.
• Networking: Leading the Linux and Kubernetes sides of an organizational IPv6 rollout.

Teaching graduate-level AI and ML at the College of Computing:

• CS7646: Machine Learning for Trading: Teaching graduate students how to develop AI agents that analyze stocks and execute machine learning-based trading strategies (2024 - Present).
• CS7637: Knowledge-Based AI: Taught students how to build cognitive agents that mimic human reasoning. In the final project, students built agents that pass human IQ tests (2021 - 2022).

I headed up the systems administration and information security teams for this email software company:

• Set up and maintained the systems required to extend the company's on-premises email software into a SaaS Cloud offering. This included configuring KVM hosts, establishing backup and restoration procedures, and automating service provisioning.
• Developed the company's high availability cluster offering, which utilizes a combination of DRBD, PostgreSQL streaming replication, and in-house software to provide an active/passive cluster running email, web, and database services.
• Wrote most of the company's customer-facing technical documentation and a number of the company's blog posts.
• Built and tuned Linux email servers that can send millions of emails per hour.
• InfoSec Team Lead: responsibilities included advising the CEO on the company security policy, implementing the security policy, training employees, and performing periodic vulnerability assessments.

I ran this technology consulting business that works with Linux systems administration, web development, and related technologies:

• Developed DNS Check - a Ruby on Rails application that monitors DNS records for changes, provides troubleshooting and change management tools, and integrates with third-party notification systems, such as Slack and PagerDuty.
• Technical lead on a Linux, Solaris, and FreeBSD server migration project for the world’s largest automotive wholesaler.
• Implemented disaster recovery and capacity overflow solutions for customers’ Linux servers using Amazon Web Services (AWS).
• Web development is primarily in Ruby on Rails and also includes work with the LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP/Python/Perl) stack.
• Wireless ISP from 2002 to 2003. Designed and constructed a wireless mesh network using off-the-shelf 802.11 and proprietary 900MHz hardware. Phased out to focus on consulting.

Worked on USF's Beowulf Linux cluster (SOFTICE):

• Configured the cluster to generate networking labs of virtualized Linux routers, switches, and servers used to teach students about computer networking.
• Wrote a patch for MLN (Manage Large Networks) software that reduced the disk usage of each virtual host by approximately 97%.
• Collaborated with IT Program Director to maintain the cluster.

• Sole IT employee for most of this period. Managed a heterogeneous network of Linux, Windows, FreeBSD, and macOS systems.
• Worked with IT staff following a merger to integrate the voice and data networks across sites. Became the company-wide Linux systems administrator following the merger.

• Assisted systems administrator in the day-to-day operations of the campus network.
• Assisted electronics teacher with repairing and building PCs and building a classroom LAN.