Engineering experience, in context.

01 / Ciena

Cryptographic modernization & assurance

Senior Software Security Engineer
Coherent optical transport platforms

The problem

Modernize a shared cryptographic foundation while preserving the behaviour of the firmware components, authentication paths, and protocol services that depend on it.

The constraints

Embedded Linux/Yocto integration, multiple product variants, cross-repository dependencies, compatibility obligations, and reproducible evidence for external evaluation.

My contribution

I own host-software security across the cryptographic stack. For the OpenSSL 1.1.1-to-3.5 migration, I mapped binary dependencies, coordinated integration changes, remediated API consumers and authentication modules, and investigated post-migration failures.

I also developed TLS testing tools, produced Common Criteria assurance evidence, supported FIPS-provider integration and self-test evidence, and resolved protocol and certificate-validation defects with pre-fix and post-fix verification.

The result

An upgraded cryptographic baseline, repaired integrations, reusable verification tools, and traceable evidence for evaluator review. These are engineering and evaluation-support outcomes; they do not assert completed product certification.

02 / Bank of Canada

Mobile security for a CBDC proof of concept

Mobile Security Architect · 2022–2024

The problem

Explore how a digital currency wallet could protect cryptographic assets and transaction flows on a user-controlled mobile device.

The constraints

Mobile platform trust assumptions, key lifecycle, protected storage, application hardening, and the boundary between endpoint and system controls.

My contribution

I assessed mobile platform security, defined security and key-management principles, contributed to threat modeling, and implemented a non-custodial wallet proof of concept with secure storage, transaction signing, and runtime security posture monitoring.

The result

A working proof of concept and concrete security principles to support architecture assessment. The work described is research and prototyping, not a claim of a deployed digital currency.

03 / Ciena · Engineering enablement

AI-assisted work with an auditable decision trail

Retrieval / MCP tooling & engineering practice

The problem

Make large source trees, standards, and product documentation useful to engineering agents while keeping decisions, execution, and correctness under engineering control.

My contribution

I built a local-first retrieval platform with portable indexes, content-aware chunking, symbol extraction, hybrid search, and MCP access. A document-conversion toolchain makes standards and design material available as source-grounded context.

I established explicit agent operating constraints, persistent design context, and traceable requirements-to-backlog workflows. Agents assist with options, implementation, and triage; engineers retain architectural decisions, shared-host build execution, and verification verdicts.

The result

Reusable internal tooling and a governed delivery practice applied from onboarding and requirements through design, implementation, and review. A security-feature workstream progressed through design and a code-complete implementation with recorded decisions; this summary does not imply a production release.