Open to opportunities

Ian Chen

@ianchen1

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Aspiring software engineer building full-stack, systems, and automation solutions.

Zimbabwe

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What I'm looking for

I’m looking for a role where I can build reliable software end-to-end—full-stack or backend—while also contributing to automation and data-driven insights in a team that values clear structure and ownership.

I’m an aspiring software engineer with hands-on experience building full-stack apps, backend services, and low-level systems components. I enjoy turning complex requirements into reliable implementations, from real-time solvers to privilege-separated packet capture.

In my projects, I built a packet capture engine in C that parses IPv4 TCP/UDP headers without libpcap, and I designed a privilege-separated architecture using libcap alongside a WebSocket server for streamed JSON. I also created a React Native Word Hunt trainer with a trie-based DFS solver, plus a split backend service using JWT access/refresh tokens, bcrypt hashing, and a Redis cache.

I’ve also supported practical automation and data work through campus roles, building an email-to-Jira automation pipeline with the Jira REST API and Azure Functions, and producing workforce planning reports with clear trend insights. I’m motivated by engineering that’s dependable, well-structured, and grounded in real user needs.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

IT & Automation Assistant

University of Waterloo

Jan 2026 - Apr 2026 (3 months)

Built an automation pipeline in Python to parse inbound emails into Jira tickets using the Jira REST API and Azure Functions. Resolved technical and account-based issues for campus clients and supported XML-based HR reporting tasks.

Python Email Parsing Jira Automation Azure Functions Troubleshooting XML

HR Assistant - Workforce Planning

University of Waterloo

May 2025 - Aug 2025 (3 months)

Supported workforce planning projects and clients, focusing on restructuring organizational talent across faculties. Prepared workforce reports highlighting key data trends and maintained workforce planning and data documentation.

Workforce Planning Data Analytics Reporting Data Documentation Trend Analysis

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

University of Waterloo

Bachelor of Computer Science, Computer Science

2024 - 2029

Activities and societies: Relevant coursework includes Assemblers and Compilers, Object-Oriented Programming, and Data Structures and Algorithms. Projects include a C packet capture engine (no libpcap) and a React Native Word Hunt trainer app.

Bachelor of Computer Science student at the University of Waterloo (Sep 2024 to Apr 2029). Completed coursework in areas including Assemblers and Compilers, Object-Oriented Programming, and Data Structures and Algorithms.