# Benjamin Michael Waters

> Software Engineer & Systems Architect specializing in Applied AI, Android Architecture, Distributed Systems, and Zero Trust Infrastructure.

## Overview
- **Name:** Benjamin Michael Waters (Ben Waters)
- **Role:** Software Engineer & Systems Architect
- **Location:** Vermont, United States
- **Status:** Available immediately for Senior Software Engineering, Android Architecture, and Systems Architecture roles
- **Website:** https://waters.im/
- **Contact:** ben@waters.im
- **GitHub:** https://github.com/BenStearman
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/in/BenStearman/
- **Handshake:** https://app.joinhandshake.com/profiles/benstearman
- **Disambiguating Bio:** Software Engineer and Systems Architect based in Vermont, creator of SearchWith.app and Contribs.app, specializing in Android IPC isolation, Zero Trust infrastructure, and distributed database systems.

## Core Architecture & Key Projects

### 1. SearchWith.app (Jan 2026 – Present)
- **URL:** https://searchwith.app/
- **Repository:** https://github.com/benstearman/SearchWith.app
- **Description:** Privacy-preserving Android search engine orchestration suite.
- **Architecture:** "The Pentagon + 7 Sidecars" — an 8-APK modular architecture ensuring absolute process isolation. The core engine is strictly air-gapped without internet permissions; IPC is coordinated via AIDL with cryptographic signature verification; sync uses zero-knowledge AES-256-GCM encryption.
- **Applied AI:** Intent synthesis and proxy routing orchestrated through Google Gemini.

### 2. Proxmox Homelab Linux Virtualization Server (Jun 2018 – Present)
- **Description:** High-availability self-hosted homelab environment powering virtualized staging and services.
- **Stack & Architecture:** Proxmox VE hypervisor, Debian Linux, KVM/QEMU VMs, LXC containers, Docker, Caddy reverse proxy, Syncthing synchronization, automated ZFS snapshots, and Cloudflare Zero Trust Tunnels.

### 3. Contribs.app (Sep 2025 – May 2026)
- **URL:** https://contribs.app/
- **Repository:** https://github.com/benstearman/contribs
- **Description:** Open-source platform mapping federal political campaign contributions.
- **Stack:** Django REST Framework, PostgreSQL with GIN Trigram indexing over millions of FEC contribution records, Kotlin / Jetpack Compose frontend.
- **Infrastructure:** Self-hosted on Hetzner Cloud VPS running Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, containerized via Docker Compose, routed through Zero Trust Cloudflare Tunnels (no public inbound ports).

### 4. Resistance.chat (Jan 2026 – May 2026)
- **Description:** Free, open-source secure coordination engine designed to empower civic and community organizing.
- **Stack:** Cross-platform Flutter client, native Android SDK, PostgreSQL backend, real-time messaging pipelines, end-to-end encryption.

### 5. Allergy Assistant (Sep 2016 – Jan 2017)
- **Description:** Location-aware dining safety app developed at University of Vermont helping users find restaurants catering to specific food allergies.
- **Stack:** Python, Django REST Framework, PostGIS spatial indexing, PostgreSQL, RESTful APIs.

### 6. Springfield Food Co-op Website Redesign (Jan 2012 – Aug 2013)
- **Description:** Complete responsive redesign, CMS migration, and systems administration for Springfield Food Co-op.
- **Stack:** Drupal CMS, PHP, MySQL, HTML5/CSS3, POS inventory integration, SEO optimization.

### 7. GIS Mapping Resource Library Database (Sep 1999 – Jan 2002)
- **Description:** Enterprise catalog and search retrieval engine developed for Geographic Data Technology Inc. (now TomTom) to manage 60,000 cartographic maps.
- **Stack:** Microsoft SQL Server, stored procedure optimization (<0.2s queries), barcode scanner checkout automation, Microsoft Access, Visual Basic.

### 8. ConTrack (Sep 1998 – Sep 1999)
- **Description:** GIS editing task tracking and workflow assignment management system for Geographic Data Technology Inc.
- **Stack:** Microsoft Access, relational database architecture, production task allocation queues, reporting automation.

## Academic Education & Credentials
- **Vermont State University (VTSU):** B.S. in Computer Software Engineering (Class of 2026). Core focus: Database Systems (A+), Data Science I (A+), Advanced Web Development (A+), Object Oriented Design (A+), Software Engineering Project (A), Network Programming (A), Advanced System Administration (A), Software QA & Testing (A), Programming Languages (A), Systems Analysis & Design (A-).
- **University of Vermont (UVM):** Selected Courses in Computer Science & Mathematics (2013-2017). Core coursework: Discrete Structures (A), Mobile Apps & Embedded Devices (B+), Software Engineering (B), Pre-Calculus Mathematics (B), Computer Programming I: Python (B-), Data Structures & Algorithms (B-), Basic Statistical Methods (B-).
- **Community College of Vermont (CCV):** A.S. in Computer Systems Management (Class of 2011). Core focus: Desktop Operating Systems (A+), Concepts of PC Hardware (A), Local Area Networks (B+), Computer Security (B), Microcomputer Applications (A).

## Technical Competencies
- **Languages:** Kotlin, Python, Java, Rust, TypeScript, JavaScript, SQL, PHP, Bash/PowerShell.
- **Frameworks & Platforms:** Android SDK, Jetpack Compose, AIDL, Django, FastAPI, React, Tailwind CSS, Vercel Edge.
- **Databases:** PostgreSQL, GIN Trigrams, Microsoft SQL Server, SQLite, Room DB, Redis.
- **Infrastructure & DevOps:** Linux (Debian/Ubuntu), Proxmox VE, LXC, KVM/QEMU, Docker Compose, Cloudflare Zero Trust Tunnels, ZFS, Git.