Joel Thiessen

Portland, OR, USA https://joelt.me

Education

2003 - 2008 — Southern Oregon University (Ashland, OR)

Certificates: Bachelors, Computer Science (GPA: 3.66), Certified Scrum Master (2015)

Awards: Outstanding Computer Science Student (2007), Rank of Eagle Scout (2002)

Coursework: Web Technologies, Advanced Databases, UNIX Sys Admin, Data Structures, C++/Java

Work Experience

2020 - 2025 Automattic (WooCommerce)-Senior Software Engineer & Project Lead

  • Architected and led development of an AI-powered feedback analysis system utilizing embeddings & clustering to derive actionable insights from large-scale user data; selected for the dedicated AI team (Singularity), also developed core AI features including product description/name generation.
  • Led UI development for the new WooCommerce Analytics platform, building key features within a novel SPA-like hosted architecture on WPCOM and spearheading data analysis efforts.
  • Engineered core extensibility patterns (Slot/Fill) for the modern block-based product editor, contributed significantly to its development (25+ PRs), and presented technical progress at company town halls.
  • Acted as Project Lead on multiple initiatives (AI, Feedback Systems, CES improvements), mentored engineers, fostered collaboration, and actively contributed to technical documentation and cross-team communication (P2, Slack).

Leveraged Technologies: AI (LLMs, Embeddings, Clustering), Cursor, Claude Code, React, Node.js, TypeScript, Python, PHP, WordPress Blocks, Git, Data Analysis, Docker, D3, Webpack

2017 - 2019 PostPerk-Technical Cofounder

  • Fully designed & developed Node+React+Firebase product, dashboard, testing & all related tooling for full automation of partnership platform for small-medium sized eCommerce companies.
  • Constructed recommendation engine to customize offers based on key demographics & characteristics for all brand -> brand partnerships.
  • Built APIs and integrations for 6+ eCommerce platforms, including Shopify, WooCommerce and Cratejoy.
  • Implemented continuous deployment with robust automated testing utilizing Jest + CircleCI.
  • Deployed & managed a small 3-node ELK stack using Docker for advanced analytics, data analysis, dashboarding & testing.

Leveraged Technologies: Node.js, React, Mobx, Google Cloud, Firebase + Firestore, Git, CircleCI, Docker, Elastic, Webpack

2014 - 2016 Nike-Senior Technical Lead

  • Operated in a leadership role for a small team of JavaScript engineers, managing tasks, designing architecture and fostering collaboration.
  • Developed series of self-contained javascript modules communicating via native discrete events, to translate and deliver, from various sources, data into a real-time data pipeline.
  • Engineered build pipeline with Jenkins/Docker to automate testing & processes for continuous deployment of several scripts/microservices in line with Agile methodologies.
  • Constructed a series of APIs utilizing Node.js in an AWS cloud architecture, deploying lambda functions for data collection/translation, and exposing with API Gateway.
  • Replaced 1,000s of lines of obsolete SiteCatalyst javascript code with ~400 lines of DRY, modular, readable code, vastly increasing reliability, maintainability and data integrity.
  • Utilized Elastic Search stack with Kibana to create on-demand dashboarding reflecting data gathered via pipeline.

Leveraged Technologies: Node.js, JS, AWS Lambda, Git, API Gateway, React, Jenkins, Docker, Elastic, D3, Webpack

For complete work experience & references please see my Linkedin profile

Projects

Indiegamer VR: Created a mobile app for fun using just emerging technologies, supporting and launching simultaneously on iPhone and Android devices. Includes community features, real-time gaming data, push notifications, time zone sync, Steam Login and QR Code scanning to promote a gaming session.

Leveraged Technologies: React Native, JS, Redux, GraphQL, Node.js

Automated Andrew Yang: Built a light-weight web app, paired with mobile app, as a Halloween experiment. This enabled those that navigated to my small web app to trigger audio that would play instantly from my mobile phone located in my costume pocket. **Automated

Leveraged Technologies: React Native, React, JS, Firebase, Realtime DB

Skills: (ninja): AI-driven dev (Cursor, Claude Code), TypeScript, JavaScript, Node.js, React, React Native, AI (LLMs, Embeddings), Firebase, Firestore, Git, Linux, HTML5/Sass, Jest (proficient): Next.js, Python, Webpack, Docker, Elastic, AWS, GCP, GraphQL, MySQL (familiar): Java, C++, FastAI, D3