Hi Julia community!
My name is Matt Helm, and I currently work in government. After 15 years of public service, the time has come to pursue a career in private industry where I can apply my programming and data science skills to new kinds of challenges and problems. I’m actively seeking opportunities to transition into a technical role that leverages my skills in data analytics, software development, and complex problem solving.
What I Bring to the Table
Over the years, I’ve developed a robust technical skill set, some of which I’ve honed through side projects and personal learning. Some key areas of expertise include:
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Proficiency in Julia: I have a strong command of Julia for data processing, analysis, predictive modeling, optimization, and more. I personally led the (successful) effort to have Julia added to the list of approved software for use at the U.S. Department of Labor, where it is now used daily for a wide range of high-impact work. I’ve contributed to/authored several Julia projects and some examples of those contributions are here:
- N-Queens · JuMP
- Geographical clustering · JuMP
- Optimal Meatballs
- Traveling Salesman Game
- GitHub - mthelm85/PlutoDataTable.jl: An interactive data table for Pluto.jl notebooks.
- GitHub - mthelm85/CheckMate.jl: A lightweight data validation framework for Julia, designed to help you define, run, and manage data quality checks on tabular data.
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Data Science & Analysis: As a Data Scientist working for a small agency, I’ve used my skills to help achieve many critical goals. Examples of successful projects of mine include the development of a staff allocation algorithm, the application of statistical methods for establishing agency performance measures, an algorithm for prioritizing wage surveys, methods for performing record linkage, the development of a scoring system for identifying geographic areas where illegal child labor is the most likely to occur, and a variety of predictive models that are used for planning purposes.
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Government Experience: My time in government has given me a keen understanding of large public datasets (e.g., Current Population Survey, American Community Survey, etc.), regulation-heavy environments, and the importance of clear, actionable insights, along with the ability to communicate complex methods and findings to a non-technical audience that results in the conveyance of actionable information.
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Software Development: I’ve built numerous tools and applications, some of which have been included on the Department of Labor’s list of approved software. Examples include data visualization dashboards, an automated document retrieval tool, and a tool that performs (fast) record linkage across large datasets.
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Other Languages: Alongside Julia, I regularly use JavaScript (and Node.js) and Rust. I am also proficient in Python and R. This allows me to take on multi-language projects and work within a variety of tech stacks.
More About Me
To learn more about me, visit my personal site: www.matthelm.pro.
What I’m Looking For
I’m looking for roles that will allow me to continue growing as a software developer, data scientist, or a combination of both. I’m open to contract work, full-time positions, or possibly even the right part-time role. Ideally, I’d like to work with a team that values creativity, technical problem-solving, and team members with diverse backgrounds and skillsets. I’m just as open to in-person work as I am to hybrid or remote work. I’m also open to working abroad (I’m completely fluent in Spanish) as I have experience living in Colombia (where I also worked) and the Netherlands (where I studied).
If you know of any opportunities (or even if you just have advice on making this transition), I’d love to connect. Feel free to reply here or reach out directly to me.
Best,
Matt Helm
