Skip to content
Brandon Ward

Experience

Platform + delivery leadership

From StackHawk integrations to Schwab starter kits, I build resilient services, integrations, and CI/CD systems—while mentoring teams to ship with confidence.

Senior Software Engineer · StackHawk

Denver, CO

Jan 2022 – Present
  • • Shipped Kotlin/Spring Boot services exposing REST + gRPC for security scanning workflows.
  • • Delivered GitHub, Snyk, and Azure DevOps integrations via Argo Workflows/Jobs with hardened rollout paths.
  • • Modernized React SPA state (redux → nanostores) and performance tuning to cut bundle weight.
  • • Built custom Gradle plugins; migrated CI/CD to GitHub Actions with richer reports and guardrails.
  • • Mentored engineers across Kotlin, Gradle, Spring Boot, Kubernetes, and iterative delivery.
KotlinSpring BootgRPCRESTGradleGitHub ActionsArgoReactNanostoresKubernetes

Senior Software Engineer · Promontory MortgagePath

Remote

Feb 2021 – Dec 2021
  • • Lightkeeper Award (Q1 2021) for delivery and mentoring.
  • • Ran architecture reviews to align services with platform standards and reliability targets.
  • • Uplifted Kubernetes development clusters; CI/CD + release cadence accelerated from 3 months to 1 week.
  • • Led Maven → Gradle (Kotlin DSL) migrations and team mentoring across Spring/Kotlin/Java.
Lightkeeper Award (Q1 2021)
KotlinJavaSpring BootGradleKubernetesCI/CDArchitecture

Software Engineer · Promontory MortgagePath

Remote

May 2019 – Feb 2021
  • • Built event-sourced Spring Boot services (Axon) in Kotlin/Java.
  • • Evolved REST + GraphQL APIs with backward compatibility and consumer safety.
  • • Delivered Angular/TypeScript web app enhancements with UX partners.
  • • Mentored teams on Spring, Java, and Kotlin best practices.
KotlinJavaSpring BootAxonGraphQLRESTAngularTypeScript

Software Engineer · Zen Planner

Highlands Ranch, CO

Nov 2018 – May 2019
  • • Migrated applications to AWS-hosted Kubernetes with observability in place.
  • • Improved CI/CD with custom git hooks and Jenkins pipelines for faster feedback.
  • • Mentored teams on Spring Boot and Java patterns.
JavaSpring BootKubernetesAWSJenkinsCI/CD

Staff Software Applications Engineer · Charles Schwab

Lone Tree, CO

Aug 2017 – Nov 2018
  • • Awards: Key Contributor (2017), Tech Services Champion (Q4 2017), Mad Skillz (Q4 2017).
  • • Led cloud service integrations: Eureka, Spring Cloud Config, Spring Cloud Gateway.
  • • Architected distributed microservices and an event-driven integration automation framework.
  • • Placed 2nd in company code-a-thon with Spring Boot starters.
Key Contributor (2017)Tech Services Champion (Q4 2017)Mad Skillz (Q4 2017)
JavaSpring BootSpring CloudMicroservicesGatewayAutomation

Associate Software Applications Engineer · Charles Schwab

Lone Tree, CO

Jun 2015 – Aug 2017
  • • Key Contributor Award (2016).
  • • Improved TDD with Mockito and expanded Bitbucket + Git Flow adoption.
  • • Led legacy → Spring Boot microservice migrations on PCF.
  • • Enhanced full-stack financial planning apps (Java, Struts, Spring, JS) consuming REST/SOAP.
Key Contributor (2016)
JavaSpring BootStrutsPCFRESTSOAPTDD

Tech Track Intern · Charles Schwab

Lone Tree, CO

Jun 2014 – Aug 2014
  • • Built SQL stored procedures and SSIS packages for automated weekly business reports.
  • • Presented mobile app concepts targeting millennial investors to leadership.
SQLSSISData Automation

Founder / Engineer · Brilliance Animation Studios

Denver, CO

May 2013 – Jun 2015
  • • Published Android apps (Binary2Hex, SimpleBAC, RecipeOrganizr) using Java/Gradle and SQLite.
  • • Implemented Dagger-powered modules with AdMob monetization and analytics.
  • • Ran full product lifecycle from concept to release.
AndroidJavaGradleSQLiteDaggerAdMob

Student Tutor · Regis University

Denver, CO

Aug 2011 – May 2015
  • • Math and CS tutoring with launch of online CS tutoring for non-traditional students.
  • • Supported learners with structured problem-solving and fundamentals practice.
MentoringAlgorithmsDiscrete Math

Tooling lane

CI/CD migrations, Gradle plugins, Argo/GitHub Actions workflows, Kubernetes rollouts, and platform integrations shipped with traceable guardrails.

GitHub ActionsGradle pluginsArgo WorkflowsKubernetesQuality gatesRollout choreography

Let's collaborate

If you need delivery acceleration, integrations, or steady mentorship for teams, reach out on LinkedIn.

Connect on LinkedIn