Kevin Spence | Software Developer

About

After earning my B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, I accepted a position at Honeywell Intelligrated as a Strategic Sourcing Engineer where I had the chance to impact real world projects at the edge of warehouse automation. More recently, I've been pursuing a career more in line with my creative and technical nature. I’m a multifaceted, naturally curious person that is addicted to learning new things. I approach everything I do as an Engineer with continuous improvement in mind, and thrive in environments that demand creative problem solving and careful analysis.

For Developer Positions:

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For Other Positions:

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Education

The Ohio State University

B.S. Mechanical Engineering

Graduated Fall 2017

Work Experience

Honeywell Intelligrated

Strategic Sourcing Engineer

January 2018 - January 2020

Helped secure major warehouse automation contracts by implementing sourcing strategies and driving “pre-sale” cost avoidance on a wide variety of buyout systems and equipment.
Was 1 of 4 strategic sourcing engineers negotiating/estimating buyout costs for project proposals; held personal responsibility for accurately estimating buyout costs for every project assigned by the Director of Sourcing. Worked on estimating projects in house at Intelligrated HQ and remotely with teams in field offices around the country.
Worked with concepting engineers and project managers to understand proposed automation systems and develop the technical specifications necessary to secure accurate and comparable quotations for every purchased item. Worked with equipment category managers to facilitate a fair and competitive bidding process for approved vendors and helped seek out and approve new vendors when necessary.
Developed strong working relationships with suppliers and supported them throughout the bidding process and early project execution phase. Preliminarily selected suppliers after confirming viability of equipment quoted and considering a multitude of other factors.
Practiced continuous improvement principles and developed a spreadsheet to help manage multiple complex projects at once. Used quantitative analysis skills to produce quick estimates based on historical pricing data when prompted.
Completed Red Bear Negotiating Levels 1 and 2 while employed at Honeywell Intelligrated. Gained some experience using Salesforce.

Awards and Special Praise

"Kevin has performed outstanding in his first year with the company. He has been a quick learner and has been able to negotiate considerable savings from vendors to help us win multiple projects. Kevin has taken on some of the most complicated projects we have bid on this year. He is always excited to learn something new. Kevin has a passion for winning with almost $1.25M in cost avoidance on the projects he has worked on. Of particular note is the $95K savings negotiated to secure the win of the 640K Amazon Sites."

- 2018 Performance and Development Summary

Received a Bronze Award in 2019, reporting $504,000 in pipeline savings for the fiscal year. "These negotiated savings are generated as cost avoidance to major projects to help us win these projects. Kevin certainly gets things done and always delivers."

- Director of Sourcing at Honeywell Intelligrated

Self Employment / Career Redirection

Independent asset management / trading

Music production

03/2020 - 06/2021

Self-taught Front-End Development

06/2021 - Present

In early 2020, I decided to enter the world of investing / trading for the first time. I felt I had a good vantage point of the day’s technological landscape and felt confident that the pandemic would only serve as a catalyst for innovation and the continued growth of big tech, so that’s where I directed my attention. I spent my days learning as much as I could about the markets, different asset classes and financial instruments. I studied the movements of professional fund managers, identified disruptive companies, and developed a timely fascination with blockchain technology. My good fortune afforded me the time pursue music and ultimately discover another passion of mine, WEB DEVELOPEMENT!!!
My 15 month foray into investing/trading left me with a renewed perspective of the tech shaping our world, and a profound respect for the computers and software underpinning it all. By July 2021, I resolved to stop trading, and begin preparing myself for a web development career using a variety of online resources. (Free Code Camp, The Odin Project, Youtube, Leetcode, ChatGPT)

General Skills

Strategic Sourcing | Project Estimation | Quantitative Analysis

Defining Requirements | Technical Communication | Cost Avoidance

Excel / Sheets | SolidWorks | Notion

Programming Skills / Knowlege

JavaScript | HTML5 | CSS3 | Git

React | Typescript | Redux

MUI | Jest | Node.js | Express

I was first introduced to programming my senior year of high school with Java. It peaked my interest, but not enough to pursue a computer science degree at the time. However, my programming journey continued as a mechanical engineering undergrad, where I co-programmed PLCs using C++ in robotics competitions, controlled CNC milling machines with G-code in machine shops, and conducted data analysis/visualizations with MATLAB in labs. Once I decided to investigate the possibility of programming as a career, I spent a few months learning Python and a few popular data science libraries before shifting my focus towards JavaScript and relevant front-end technologies, which I immediately found captivating. Ever since, I've been working towards honing my skills a web developer.

Project Portfolio

Links to the code for these projects:

This Portfolio Site / TicTacToe / Animal Cards / The Book Cave / Calculator Simon Game Papa Johns Clone Weather App (React.js) Sooper Shop Ecomm Site (React.js)

Please note that the projects showcased only capture a snapshot of my journey in web development and do not encompass the full breadth of my skills. To streamline my learning process, I’ve meticulously compiled a comprehensive database using Notion. This “second brain” of mine is a well-organized repository of notes, examples, and resources I’ve accumulated over time. It covers a wide array of topics including data structures, algorithms, design patterns, best practices, rendering patterns, SEO, CSS tricks, TypeScript, Node.js, and Express to list a few. This systematic approach to learning has been instrumental in my growth as a developer.

Get In Touch

I’m currenlty looking for either a junior front-end developer position, an engineering position, or a position related to sourcing, purchasing, estimating, or data analysis. I'm aware of the current state of the tech jobs market, so I'm also actively seeking positions relevant to my entire skill set beyond just programming. I'm willing and able to learn just about anything. I have the ability to commute in the Columbus, OH area and or can work remotely, and I can start at any time. Whether you're part of an established business, a startup, or just passing through, I'd love to hear from you.