James Liu

James Liu is an entrepreneur, solution architect, software developer, rocker and father of two beautiful boys. James is passionate about IoT and cloud technologies, and is motivated by the joy of creating solutions that people love and value.

I love technologies, especially the ones I built that people enjoy using everyday! 

Specialties

Strategic Planning

Define visions, identify the critical path, and lead the execution with both Fortune 500 and startup organization experiences.

Solution Development

Experienced full stack and mobile app developer following DevOps and best practices to consistently deliver quality solutions.

Architecture Design

Design the on-premises/cloud architecture that is scalable, extensible, and cost-efficient following the micro-service approach.

Product Design

Analyze the business needs with strong technical background, effectively collaborate with different parties, and deliver the products that go above and beyond.

Achievements

Cloud Experiences

Firebase

Firebase

Authentication, Hosting, Function, Realtime DB, Firestore

Google Cloud

Google Cloud

App Engine, Compute Engine, Cloud Storage, BigTable, Memorystore/Redis, SQL, Cloud Tasks, Pub/Sub, BigQuery, Data Studio

Digital Ocean

Digital Ocean

Kubernetes, Databases, Networking, Space storage

Azure

Azure

App Service, VMs, SQL, Cosmos DB, Data Factory, Azure AD, Service Bus, Logic Apps, IoT Hub, Event Hub, Machine Learning

AWS

AWS

S3, CloudFront, EC2, AWS IoT Core

Skills

Certifications

Experience

2022 - Present
AeriCast

Solution Architect & Cusomer Success (Co-founder)

AeriCast offers a streamlined conference room & digital signage solution that enables an easier and more engaging collaboration experience. Users can wireless present and connect to the conferencing audio and video peripherals with video conferencing platform, and display cusotm signage content when the screens are not in use.

  • Architected a microservice-based cloud platform across GCP, AWS, Azure and Digital Ocean to power the digital signage and conference room solutions with optimal operational efficiency, scalability and cost-effectiveness
  • Directed the offshore engineering teams in developing wireless conference room solutions using WebRTC and various digital signage integrations
  • Steered the product roadmap with visionary leadership, guiding long-term strategies and innovation
  • Collaborated with customers, crafting tailored technical solutions to ensure customer success
  • Aligned with leadership across Product Development, Marketing, and Sales to formulate strategies that drive growth and market expansion

https://aericast.com

https://present.aericast.com

2018 - 2022
SharpTools

Solution Architect & Product Owner (Co-founder)

SharpTools provides a simple but powerful visualization and automation solution to smart homes. Create beautiful custom dashboards to view and control smart devices and use the visual rule builder to create automations that make smart homes smarter.

  • Engineered a scalable, real-time smart home solution on Google Cloud, integrating with several leading smart home platforms (SmartThings, Hubitat, Home Assistant, and Homey)
  • Designed and implemented a drag-and-drop automation rule building interface and the Rule Engine backend
  • Strategically planned the long-term product roadmap and innovation
  • Engaged actively in forums, providing customer support, gathering feedback and identifying feature requests to enhance satisfaction and product development
  • Executed key marketing strategies, driving targeted initiatives and achieving business goals
  • Cultivated the top-rated cross-platform smart home dashboard and rule engine solution, known for its advanced functionality and ease of use

https://sharptools.io

https://community.sharptools.io

2016 - 2017
L2 Services

Sales Solution Architect (Partner)

L2 Services offers industrial IoT system integration, software development and consulting service that unlocks hidden business values.

  • Led business development initiatives for the Smart Industry practice
  • Engaged with clients as a Sales Solution Architect and PM to assess needs, ensuring clear communication across all levels
  • Developed and presented comprehensive solution frameworks, data piping and custom ERP integrations, ensuring alignment with client objectives
  • Provided expert guidance and technical insights to support informed decision-making by clients
  • Directed the engineering teams to implement, test, migrate, and deliver high-quality solutions on schedule

https://l2services.com

2015-2016
Flowserve

IT Manager

Flowserve is the global leading pump, valve and seal manufacturer in the power, oil & gas and chemical industries.

  • Managed and mentored the IoT RedRaven engineering team in delivering IIoT asset monitoring and management solutions
  • Oversaw the planning, execution, and timely delivery of multiple software development projects, ensuring high quality standards of code quality and system reliability
  • Oversaw the operations of IoT RedRaven platform, achieving and maintaining a 99.99% availability rate
  • Migrated the IPS Insight platform from private data center to Azure
  • Collaborated with product managers to shape product roadmaps, aligning with strategic goals
  • Engaged stakeholders through effective communication at all organizational levels
  • Managed and planned the budget, supporting optimal resource allocation, operational efficiency and team expansion

https://www.flowserve.com/en/innovation/iot

2008- 2014
Flowserve

Senior Business Analyst & Lead Developer

  • Led and mentored IoT RedRaven engineering team, conducted code reviews and guided with best coding practices
  • Developed custom SharePoint Webparts, Webflow and webservices in the ISG Technology Advantage platform using C# and JavaScript following the MVVM/MVW framework
  • Developed custom solutions to integrate the enterprise data with the IoT data from OSIsoft PI/AF system using PI/AF SDK
  • Developed IPS Beacon web app allowing enterprise users to upload, track, and analyze the various IoT sensor data
  • Managed the SDLC and release controls for various ISG projects
  • Led all IPS BI implementations including automated SSIS ETL processes and SSRS reports and dashboards

Projects

2022 - 2023
AeriCast

Wireless Conference Room & Digital Signage Solution Platform

  • Developed and launched AeriCast Meet, a wireless conference room solution based on WebRTC, enabling users to wirelessly present and connect to the conference's audio/video peripherals for video calls
  • Architected a digital signage platform that facilitates easy integration with third-party applications, leveraging a microservices architecture
  • Designed the front-end presentation, device /signage asset management web apps using Angular and React
  • Designed the Windows & Mac client apps for virtual camera and audio looping using ElectronJS
2018 - 2022
SharpTools

Smart Home Dashboard & Rule Engine

  • Developed a highly scalable and efficient eventing system using App Engine (NodeJS), MemoryStore(Redis), Firestore, Pub/Sub, Task Queue, and various Firesbase/GCP services for smart device REST API and Socket event channels
  • Developed the visual automation rule builder (Rule Engine), including UI/UX, data modeling, backend engine, APIs and the timer system, using Vue.JS and NodeJS with various GCP services.
  • Developed the payment and promotion system using Stripe APIs
  • Developed the SmartThings, Hubitat and Home Assistant platform integrations, including data modeling, addon app, and APIs
  • Developed the performance report in Data Studio aggregating data from BigQuery , Google Analytics, and other CRM/marketing systems
2017
L2 Services

Mobius to Hadoop Migration

  • Managed the migration project for a leading utility company in Houston
  • Managed project timeline, budget, deliverables and customer training
  • Collaborated with partner developers & client architects for the solution design
  • Migrated historical reports from Mainframe to Hadoop Hive
  • Automated Mobius going forward reports to Hadoop and SAP, and implement the Report Center using C# and AngularJS with Kerberos auth integration to meet the client's security requirements
2017
L2 Services

Custom Decoking Pump Asset Monitoring Solution

  • Developed IPS Insight performance reports in SSRS
  • Developed asset monitoring portal using SharePoint 2010 and OSIsoft components
  • Implemented the custom asset monitoring algorithms developed by Flowserve pump engineers
2016
Flowserve

IPS Insight Platform Azure Migration

  • Architected and managed the on-promises IoT Asset Monitoring platform migration project – the first customer facing system in Azure in Flowserve
  • Conducted all security design and verification initiatives
  • Integrated Predictive Analysis service into the cloud platform
2015
Flowserve

Intelligent Engineering Asset Analysis System

  • Collaborated with the project managers and asset engineers to conduct engineering requirements gathering and solution architecture design.
  • Delivered 46 custom pump analysis algorithms in the IPS asset monitoring application
  • Managed the product's life cycle and ensured customer onboarding success
2014
Flowserve

IPS TAM 103 Portal

  • Developed a web application for IPS Beacon that facilitated cloud data management for the IPS TAM 103 and supported its various configuration options
  • Collaborated with the project managers for software requirements/specifications gathering
  • Managed proejct using agile methodology and R&D forecasting and expenses
2014
Flowserve

IPS Beacon Portal

  • Developed the web app solution on the Technology Advantage™ platform, enabling IPS Beacon customers to upload and analyze the collected Beacon data, manage the asset structure, configure alarm thresholds, generate on-demand alarm reports
  • Collaborated with the project managers for software requirements/specifications gathering
  • Managed projects using Agile methodologies and assisted in developing the pricing model and business plans
  • Managed the UAT tests and the release process
  • The solution includes custom SharePoint WebParts/applications built by using WCF Web Service (REST), AngularJS(client-side MVC model), JSON, and jQuery
2013
Flowserve

Master Alarm BI Solution

  • Developed the Master Alarm Data solution on the Technology Advantage™ platform, enabling a faster, more accurate, and interactive asset alarm management and analysis for the customers
  • Developed SSIS aggregations, on-demand alarm reports (SSRS) and alarm dashboards (SharePoint Charts and PI Tables)
  • Enhanced the SSIS alarm data aggregation performance by 36%, reduced the SQL server workload by 64% (avg. CPU load), and greatly improved the alarm BI’s infrastructure’s scalability
2012
Flowserve

8X Vibration Analysis System

  • Developed the 8 peaks vibration analysis web application, including Waterfall FFT, using PI Graphic and Nevron Vision, and a on-demand reports (SSRS) for the IPS TAM 103 FFT sensors
  • Developed the test plans and managed UAT tests
  • Integrated with OSISoft PI/AF system via PI/AF SDK for the data archiving and structure management

Tech Skills

Cloud Services/Environments:

  • Google Cloud Platform
    App Engine, Compute Engine, Cloud Storage, BigTable, Memorystore/Redis, SQL, Cloud Tasks, Pub/Sub, BigQuery, Data Studio
  • Firebase
    Authentication, Hosting, Function, Realtime DB, Firestore
  • Azure
    App Service, VMs, SQL, Cosmos DB, Data Factory, Azure AD, Service Bus, Logic Apps, IoT Hub, Event Hub, Machine Learning
  • AWS
    S3, CloudFront, EC2, AWS IoT Core
  • Digital Ocean
    Kubernetes, Databases, Networking, Space storage

Languages/Frameworks:

  • NodeJS, Vue, React, Python, C#, Xamarin

DB/BI:

  • NoSQL, MongoDB, Redis, PostgreSQL, MS SQL, T-SQL
  • BigQuery, Data Studio, SSRS, SSIS, PowerBI

 

Certifications

Certified Scrum Master

AWS Cloud Practitioner

AWS Solutions Architect Associate

MS Specialist: Developing Microsoft Azure Solutions

MS Certified Solutions Associate: Cloud Platform

MS SharePoint Professional Developer

MS SharePoint IT Professional

 

Awards

The Spirit of Flowserve (2015)

The Spirit of Flowserve – Commitment (2013)

The Spirit of Flowserve – Competence (2011)

Education

2006 - 2008
Texas A&M University

MS in Computer Science

Research area: Computer Architecture, Energy Efficient System, Embedded System and Wireless Sensor Network

Portfolio

Portfolio
AeriCast

AeriCast

Mobile App, Web App
SharpTools

SharpTools

Web App
SharpTools Custom Tile Demos

SharpTools Custom Tile Demos

Web App
Flowserve IIoT Asset Monitoring Platform

Flowserve IIoT Asset Monitoring Platform

Mobile App, Web App
DVR Hub for Xbox

DVR Hub for Xbox

Mobile App
SparkPal

SparkPal

Others
Smart Blind Control Hack

Smart Blind Control Hack

Others

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