Curriculum Vitae
Victoria Scales
Linked In: Victoria Scales
E-mail: Decipher the following: victoria *at* v-s-f *dot* co *dot* uk
Qualifications
Sun Certified Java Programmer (SCJP) – Exam 310-055 – 2008
Career History
BGL Group
Position(s) Held
July 2019 to Present: Technical Lead (DevOps)
May 2019 to July 2019: Senior Engineer (DevOps)
September 2017 to May 2019: Software Engineer *
* Although I have put my title as Software Engineer, my official title at BGL was still SDET. The department decided to not have SDETs in July 2017 but the process of changing my title was complicated took until 2019 to be completed.
January 2017 to September 2017: Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET)
June 2012 to January 2017: Senior Java Developer
April 2011 to June 2012: Java Analyst Programmer
October 2010 to April 2011: Junior Java Applications Developer
Overview (BGL DevOps Team)
Working within the Operations team, testing out Docker Swarm failures, writing and testing health check scripts on the Mulesoft applications the dev team are writing, modifying and testing keepalived configs to maximise successful requests, configuring NGINX context path based reverse proxy.
Managing a Nexus 3 repository. Configuring NGINX to redirect traffic from the various domain names to the correct repositories and configuring self-signed SSL certs for the relevant repositories. Bash scripts for running and maintaining the Nexus 3 repository + NGINX Docker containers and client setup to use the Docker repositories.
Improving the Mule application CI flow by using Docker containers for isolation and improved reliability.
Bash scripting application installations, creating Splunk dashboards and application plus a small bit of Java development to integrate with APIs during the CI and CD pipelines.
Building CD pipelines for non-technical users to be able to publish their website amendments.
Under my role as the Technical Lead within the DevOps team, teaching the team TDD, to write clean code and improve their programming skills as well as providing technical knowledge to the Architecture team when required.
Overview (BGL Software Development Engineer in Test [SDET] Team)
I joined the newly formed group of SDETs within IDO. The department is going through a review of Quality and requires more technical testers who can not only write tests, but also write frameworks that aid developers to test their code.
The role involves helping define Acceptance Tests once the story has entered the sprint, helping write functional tests, test framework and also reading through code and providing advice on ways to improve quality and check that the appropriate level of test coverage has been added.
Since becoming an SDET I have written a functional test framework for the API team to test services and a functional test framework for testing of the website components.
The API test framework is a custom build Java application which uses REST Assured to call the services with a DSL over the top. Service responses are compared to templates merged with the results of database queries. The framework should be simple enough for any developer or tester to add tests.
The website components framework, written in C# .net uses Selenium and HTTP requests to check various aspects of the functionality in a component and how it’s configured on a web page.
The last three months of my time as an SDET was spent on non-SDET related activities. I was working on a project to deploy the Mulesoft API applications in Docker containers.
Overview (BGL Java Integrations Team)
I worked in the Integration team within BGL, providing services for various clients to use to interact with the internal systems within BGL and external third parties.
The work I do is varied and I been lucky enough to work on several big department projects in the last year including O2 Car insurance, “The Rocks” and Tech Enablement.
Recent work on Tech Enablement has included redesigning and writing a new way for the Integration team to interact with the IBMi PCML based program calls, drastically reducing the time required to integrate with a new program.
While working on all my projects, I have provided help and support to my colleagues both on and off the Java team. I have assisted colleagues who cross train into Java to learn the language and become better programmers, supported new colleague to get up to speed and learn the processes we use and helped with interviews.
Technologies and packages used include:
Java, JUnit, Maven, CXF, & JAX-WS, JAXB, Spring Core + MVC, Mule 2.X & 3.X, Selenium, Eclipse, Checkstyle, Bamboo, Crucible, JIRA, Bitbucket, SVN, HTTP/S, FTP, SMTP, VM, MQ
Intrinsica Networks Ltd
Position(s) Held
June 2009 to June 2010: Junior Java Programmer
September 2007 to June 2009: Graduate Java Programmer
Overview
Programming web applications for clients including a large examinations group and for internal company use.
I have been involved in all parts of the development lifecycle, from talking with the client, gathering their requirements and estimating to implementing a solution and providing support after deployment.
I worked to ISO 9001 Quality System and Procedures by using SVN, Continuous Integration, Change Management System, Design + Code Reviews and Release Management.
The web applications I have worked on have been built in Java, using Hibernate and Spring, connecting to a range of databases including Oracle and HSQLDB.
Technologies and packages used include:
Java, JUnit, HSQLDB, Oracle & PL/SQL, Eclipse, JIRA, REST web services, Hibernate, Spring Core + MVC, Javascript & ExtJS, SVN, SQL Developer
Self Employed
May 2006 to September 2007
Overview
Providing computer consultancy to local villagers.
Working for the Ministry of Ideas creating dynamic visual dashboards to promote sales for companies which include: Heineken, Aral, Pfizer and Friesland Foods
John Lewis Partnership – Welwyn
Position(s) Held
August 2005 to July 2006: Audio and TV department sales assistant
June 2005 to August 2005: Linen department sales assistant
Overview
Selling items on the shop floor to the general public. Started in the Linen department while a vacancy became available in the Audio and TV department. When in the Audio and TV department, offered advice and sold Computers and related peripherals to customers.
Education
University of Hertfordshire
2004 to 2007: 1st BSc (Hons) Computing
Interests
Travelling, Green Technology, Gardening, Cycling and Cooking
Charity
July 2012 – Organised and ran a Masquerade Ball for local charities raising over £1800
July 2010 – Participated in the London to Cambridge Bike Ride raising £230
Organisations
Village Hall Management Committee
Chairman, April 2013 to April 2015
Secretary, April 2012 to April 2013
Committee Member, January 2011 to April 2012
Hinxworth & Edworth WI
Committee Member, January 2010 to September 2013
Other
Clean driving licence
BGL Awards Finalist 2012/2014 – Just Be Creative – Nominated by my bosses for work within the Java Team
BGL Awards Finalist 2011/2012 – Just Be United – Part of the Self Service Centre (SSC) delivery team