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Joshua Glassman
Lead Software Engineer

About

Lead software engineer with 16+ years spanning performance-critical systems programming and enterprise backend/web applications. Cross-platform development across macOS, Windows, and Linux, including OS-level integration, installers, telemetry, and containerized environments. Proven track record leading projects end-to-end, designing APIs and data models, mentoring engineers, and serving as a technical domain expert. Comfortable switching between languages and quickly ramping up on new technologies.

Work Experience

Vectorworks
Columbia, MD
2017 – 2025
Graphics Programmer
Software company specializing in 2D and 3D design tools for the architecture, landscape, and entertainment industries (ships on Windows and macOS).
Highlights
  • Developed backend components for a cross-platform desktop application, including file handling, interprocess communication, network communication, multithreaded data processing, and hardware interaction.
  • Drove extensive performance optimization across the application, improving responsiveness and throughput in performance-critical paths.
  • Upgraded a legacy rendering engine to modern OpenGL and later to BGFX (D3D12 on Windows, Metal on macOS), significantly improving maintainability and performance and enabling advanced features.
  • Implemented telemetry tracking help documentation usage across the cross-platform desktop application to inform product and training decisions.
  • Led significant features end-to-end within the rendering team, including pioneering a real-time laser show visualization feature solo in 6 months, expanding company capabilities into new areas.
  • Designed and built a ray traced volumetric fog system for stage lighting visualization, leading to positive customer feedback.
  • Prototyped a PBR rendering path in a few days, demonstrating adaptability to new techniques and showcasing potential value within the existing non-physical rendering system.
  • Enhanced ambient lighting by integrating environment mapped diffuse and specular, improving visual differentiation and scene coherence.
Aon Hewitt
Hunt Valley, MD
2009 – 2016
Lead R&D Engineer
Global provider of talent, retirement, and health solutions.
Highlights
  • Led the design and development of enterprise Java backend server software and web applications serving multiple business endpoints, including a secure multi-endpoint authentication system adhering to OWASP best practices that replaced outdated systems and reduced security vulnerabilities.
  • Designed and built a portal web application and accompanying WYSIWYG configuration editor in Java, supporting both static and dynamic content via database calls and web services.
  • Designed database schemas from scratch to support new features and applications, applying normalization and transaction concepts to ensure data integrity.
  • Implemented unit and integration testing at the time of feature development to ensure software quality and reduce regressions.
  • Participated in an on-call rotation, supporting production customer issues on nights and weekends as needed.
  • Mentored junior engineers and led code reviews, providing constructive feedback and helping the team adopt improved development practices.
  • Served as resident expert for several technologies and both internal and external applications including Git, Apache Wicket, our authentication and portal applications, and Atlassian Stash and Bamboo.
D2 TEAM-Sim
Somerset, NJ
2008 – 2008
Game Developer
Tailored education and simulation services for process optimization and employee training.
Highlights
  • Built and maintained InstallShield installers for software distribution.
  • Designed and built game GUIs and core functionality including data and file management, AI interactions, networked cooperative play, player-environment interactivity, and engagement-boosting features.
Legendary Studios
Baltimore, MD
2007 – 2007
Game Developer Intern
Startup game development studio developing an RC-themed racing game.
Highlights
  • Expanded functionality of design tools and built a flexibly scaled GUI system for Windows and Xbox 360 using Gamebryo.

Projects

  • Containers: Developing cross-platform software on an immutable Linux distribution using virtualization and containerized workflows. Using Containerfiles defining reproducible development and runtime environments.
  • Mobile: Developing mobile apps using Kotlin Multiplatform and native UI.

Contact

Owings Mills, Maryland US
(410) 591-8368
joshua.p.glassman@gmail.com

Education

  • 2003 2007

    University of Maryland, Baltimore County

    Bachelor of Science

    Computer Science

Skills

Languages
C++ GLSL SQL Java Kotlin Python JavaScript HTML CSS C# PHP
Systems & Cross-Platform
Cross-Platform Development (macOS / Windows / Linux) Linux Multithreaded Development Interprocess Communication Network Programming Hardware Interaction Performance Optimization Debugging Complex Systems
Containers & Tooling
Containers Containerfiles Virtualization InstallShield Version Control (Git, P4, SVN) Atlassian Stash & Bamboo (CI/CD)
Backend & Full-Stack
Backend Server Development API Design Database Schema Design Unit & Integration Testing Security & Authentication Apache Wicket Telemetry
Engineering Practices
Leading Code Reviews Mentoring Technical Documentation Issue Tracking (Jira)
Graphics
Graphics Programming (OpenGL, Vulkan, BGFX) Shader Development (GLSL)