Steven Stanton

Principal Software Engineer | Cloud Architecture & AI-Driven Real-Time Communication Systems 20+ years designing scalable systems, leading IT transformations, and building secure communication platforms. Proven record of cutting IT costs by 65%+, improving reliability 10x, and mentoring high-performing teams.

AI Enhanced, Not AI First Link to heading

I believe in using AI to enhance my abilities, not replace them. AI plays a role in my workflow for brainstorming, high-level discussions, boilerplate code, testing, documentation, and code reviews. I still read and verify every single line of code, function, test, and document that is pushed. At the end of the day it is my responsibility to ensure I understand my code, and to ensure it does what it is supposed to do.

Resume Link to heading

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Experience Link to heading

Smart Technologies, Inc. (DailyStream.com) Link to heading

Principal Engineer | Mar 2025 – Present

Leading technical strategy and system redesign to scale operations securely and cost-effectively.

  • Architected a serverless migration from Node.js/EC2 to Go on AWS Lambda, scaling system capacity to support 100M+ monthly requests while reducing compute infrastructure costs by over 99%.
  • Engineered a custom Go-based recording engine that pipes in-memory frames directly to FFmpeg (image2pipe) with hardware acceleration (NVENC/QSV), eliminating disk I/O bottlenecks and minimizing CPU overhead.
  • Optimized the agent for resource-constrained thin clients by implementing user-space execution and adaptive throttling (allowing FPS dynamic drop to 1 frame/30s), prioritizing system responsiveness over capture fidelity during high-load events.
  • Optimized data layer efficiency by replacing managed Redis with ValKey Serverless, achieving a 98% reduction in caching operational costs without compromising latency.
  • Implemented native user activity monitoring using Windows APIs (user32.dll) to track input metrics and detect artificial activity patterns (“jiggler” detection) for compliance verification.

Tech: Go · AWS Lambda · ValKey · WebRTC · FFmpeg (NVENC/QSV) · Windows API

Senior Software Engineer — CallPotential / Storable Link to heading

12/2022 – 02/2025

Storable (formerly CallPotential) Link to heading

Senior Software Engineer | Jan 2024 - Feb 2025

Following the acquisition of CallPotential, I transitioned to the core engineering team to support backend modernization and improve developer workflows.

  • Built and optimized new Nest.js microservices while developing features within existing legacy PHP systems.
  • Built cross-platform deployment tooling to unify local development environments across Windows and Linux, reducing environment inconsistencies for the team.
  • Mentored mid-level and junior engineers through code reviews and pairing sessions to support team growth.
  • Worked with Liquibase for database migrations and schema versioning within the team’s architectural standards.

Skills: NestJS · PHP · Liquibase · Mentorship · Tooling · Windows/Linux Deployment

CallPotential Link to heading

Software Engineer | Dec 2022 - Jan 2024

Founding engineer on the AI Agent team, building a real-time, voice-driven customer interaction system.

  • Engineered a low-latency conversational agent by orchestrating Twilio Media Streams with LLM and TTS providers to enable natural, real-time voice conversations.
  • Applied Domain-Driven Design (DDD) and event storming to model complex conversational flows and architect a scalable, event-driven system.
  • Designed fault-tolerant C# services with robust fallback strategies to ensure system availability despite the non-deterministic nature of LLM responses.
  • Collaborated directly with product and engineering leadership to define the technical roadmap and feasibility for conversational AI features.

Tech: C# · Node.js · AngularJS · AWS · Twilio · Terraform

Smart Technologies, Inc. (Smart Sales & Lease) Link to heading

Staff Engineer | Nov 2016 - Dec 2022

Promoted to Lead Software Engineer to oversee total IT strategy, reporting directly to the President.

  • Invented and patented the company’s core remote workstation monitoring technology (US Pat. No. 12,282,881), developing the original recording engine and Chrome extension for real-time compliance tracking.
  • Led and mentored a 3-member engineering team while serving as the primary technical liaison for shareholders, department heads, and external partners.
  • Directed the migration from single dedicated servers to a multi-AZ AWS infrastructure, reducing IT expenditures by 65% while enhancing system reliability.
  • Spearheaded MSSQL database restructuring and query optimization, improving performance by 10x across 900K+ customer accounts.
  • Established coding standards and led DevOps operations, ensuring secure, consistent deployment processes across the engineering team.
  • Directed PCI compliance strategy and security audits for a platform processing millions in annual revenue.

Senior Software Engineer | Feb 2015 - Nov 2016

  • Designed and developed real-time communication and B2B platforms using Node.js and Socket.io.
  • Migrated legacy software systems to modern cloud architectures, ensuring seamless data sharing across interconnected servers.
  • Managed and optimized a high-volume MSSQL database supporting thousands of daily queries.
  • Collaborated with vendors to integrate third-party services and provided direct technical troubleshooting for key clients.
  • Rebuilt the legacy call center system using Twilio and Node.js, replacing hardware phones with a custom browser-based B2B communication portal.

Tech: AWS · Node.js · React · MSSQL · Redis · Twilio · Socket.io · Chrome Extensions

SAW Computing Link to heading

Software Engineer | Sep 2005 – Jan 2015

  • Delivered custom backend and full-stack solutions for clients across sales, support services, and healthcare sectors.
  • Built secure communication systems, CRM platforms, and business automation tools using PHP, JavaScript, and SQL.
  • Developed custom WordPress plugins and optimized site functionality for performance and security.
  • Designed and optimized database-driven applications and system architectures to meet specific client needs.

Tech: PHP · JavaScript · SQL · WordPress · Custom Software Development

Patents Link to heading

US 12,282,881 - Remote Capture and Viewing of Workstation Activity (April 2025)