Rich Lafferty

526-200 Clearview Ave
Ottawa, ON
K1Z 8M2
+1 613 722 0940

I am not currently looking for work, and I do not wish to receive information from recruitment agencies. This résumé is not up to date.

Objective

A challenging intermediate to advanced systems administration position offering the opportunity to put my diverse skill set to work while encouraging the acquisition of new skills and technologies, with a dynamic and fast-moving technology firm.

Features

Fluent in Perl, PHP, shell programming, especially in process automation and Web application contexts (including HTML)
Possesses working knowledge of C, SQL, TeX, LaTeX
Familiar with defensive programming techniques and network security concepts
Capable at Unix (Linux/x86 and /PPC, FreeBSD, Tru64, Solaris) systems administration
Accustomed to solo, team, and open-source programming efforts, including change control
Possesses well-developed verbal and written communication skills; capable of producing documentation, training materials, and academic writing for technical and lay audiences
Familiar with Mac OS, OpenVMS, Windows 98 and NT
Conversant with Apache, qmail, djbdns, BIND, OpenSSH, PostgreSQL, MySQL, INN, Netatalk (and more!)
Understands IP and Appletalk-based networking, and common Internet application protocols

Recent Projects

As venue coordinator, brought Yet Another Perl Conference 2001 to Montreal, QC, and wrote venue requirements documentation for future YAPC sites;
Member of ad-hoc committee serving as temporary board of directors for Yet Another Society, a non-profit corporation "for the advancement of collaborative efforts in computer and information sciences" -- including the Yet Another Perl Conferences;
Core contributor and FAQ maintainer in the Horde Project, producers of open-source webmail application IMP and other Web-based applications
Contributed code and documentation patches to several open-source projects

Work History

June 1999 -- present

Systems Administrator/Programmer
Concordia University, Montreal, QC.

As the most senior programmer and sole system administrator of Concordia's Web Development Group, I managed several high-profile Linux systems and designed and implemented numerous Web-based applications of varying scope, primarily using Perl and PHP.

Highlights have included a migration from proprietary and unreliable MacOS-based tools to dependable open-source tools based in Linux, using scavenged Macintosh desktop hardware, while remaining within the group's small server software and hardware budget; arranging seamless interoperability between Unix servers and nontechnical users' Mac OS desktops; modifying and deploying IMP to provide a campus-wide Web-based email application (and later joining the core IMP team); automating publication workflows with Perl-generated LaTeX, reducing in one example a two-week manual effort performed yearly to a weekly 30-second automated process; and providing technical leadership for the group alongside our manager, a graphic designer by trade.

February 1998 -- June 1999

Computer Support Representative
Concordia University, Montreal, QCe

Working part-time while attending nearby McGill University, I rapidly grokked their diverse computing, network, and organizational environment (Windows, Mac OS, Unix, and OpenVMS systems on permanent and dialup connections running IP, DECnet and Appletalk) in order to provide first-level support to 25,000 students, staff and faculty of diverse backgrounds and technical expertise, resolving more problems at first level than any other support representative. When not resolving users' problems, I wrote and maintained documentation and Web-based support applications.

August 1996; May 1997 -- September 1997

Automation Coordinator
Regional Sub-Headquarters
Human Resources Development Canada, Belleville, ON.

On summer contract, I maintained desktop systems, servers, local area network and WAN connectivity for 200 users, migrating desktops and servers from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95, and deploying TCP/IP to the desktop alongside existing Banyan VINES configurations. I was jointly responsible for several servers running Banyan VINES over AT&T PC UNIX and Windows NT, and coordinated support efforts with regional second-level support team.

May 1996 -- August 1996

Employment Counsellor
Human Resources Development Canada, Belleville, ON.

On summer contract, provided one-on-one employment counselling to college and high-school students. I arranged and delivered workshops, presentations, promotional events, advertisements and documentation. By mid-summer, I had unofficially become the office's backup automation coordinator, learning Banyan VINES in my spare time, and was transferred to Regional Sub-Headquarters in that role before my original contract expired.

Academic History

B.A (Hons.), Sociology, McGill University (Montreal).

1997 -- 2001 (part-time); graduated with First Class Honours.
Concentration: Organizational theory, industrial and labour market sociology, social control.
Thesis: Practical Applications of Game Theory in Sociological Research.

B.Mus (Hons.), , Computer Applications in Music, McGill University.

1994 -- 1997, INCOMPLETE.
Dean's Honour Roll, 1995 -- 1997.
Awarded Marion Magor Memorial Scholarship, 1996.

Elected Positions:

Fellow of the McGill University Senate, 1995.
Vice-President of External Affairs, (McGill) Music Undergraduate Association, 1995, 1996 (re-elected).
Councillor, Students' Society of McGill University, 1995, 1996 (re-elected).

References

Available on request.