Jacob Blankenship

Cloud Engineer & U.S. Army Veteran

⚡ This portfolio is a live, automated serverless application architected on AWS.

Security Clearance: Secret (Inactive)

📍 Houston, TX 77084 | 📧 jacobblank111592@gmail.com
🔗 LinkedIn | 💻 Website
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Professional Summary

Innovative Cloud Engineer, Enterprise Software Developer, and U.S. Army Veteran with a B.S. in Computer Science. Proven experience bridging the gap between legacy enterprise systems and modern cloud-native environments through security-first infrastructure automation.

  • Cloud Architecture: Experienced in building high-availability, cost-optimized serverless backends using AWS, Python, and NoSQL databases.
  • DevOps & Security: Skilled in streamlining deployments via end-to-end CI/CD automation pipelines and securing network workloads using AWS WAF and strict IAM principles.
  • Operational Discipline: Possess a rigorous military background in crisis management, system redundancy, and mission-critical reliability applied directly to systems engineering.

Certifications

Technical Projects (AWS & DevOps)

Full-Stack Serverless Portfolio (The Cloud Resume Challenge)

  • Developed a cloud-native portfolio site using S3 for static hosting and CloudFront for global content delivery (HTTPS).
  • Built a serverless backend with Lambda (Python) and DynamoDB to track and display visitor counts.
  • Security & Monitoring: Implemented AWS WAF to enforce geo-blocking and mitigate malicious traffic; integrated SNS and SES for real-time visitor alerts.
  • CI/CD: Automated the entire deployment pipeline using GitHub Actions for seamless frontend/backend updates.

Cloud Operations & Event-Driven Automation

  • Designed event-driven workflows using Amazon EventBridge to trigger scheduled tasks and automate resource management.
  • Optimized serverless development by implementing Lambda Layers for shared library management across multiple functions.
  • Enhanced operational visibility by creating custom CloudWatch Dashboards and proactive CloudWatch Alarms (SNS notifications) for resource performance and billing.
  • Utilized S3 Select to optimize data retrieval costs and performance by querying specific subsets of large datasets.

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) & Hybrid Compute

  • Deployed and configured heterogeneous compute environments (EC2 Linux & Windows) with Elastic IPs and User Data scripts for automated bootstrapping.

Professional Experience

Shaw Systems | Software Developer

Dec 2022 – Present
  • Developed and maintained mainframe and enterprise software solutions using COBOL, CICS, and DB2, resolving production issues and improving system performance.
  • Analyzed and debugged complex application defects using root cause analysis, collaborating with cross-functional teams to implement system enhancements.
  • Designed and implemented software changes based on business requirements, ensuring compliance with internal standards and improving operational workflows.
  • Provided technical support and customer-facing solutions, troubleshooting application issues, and recommending procedural improvements.
  • Created and maintained detailed software documentation, ensuring code quality and audit readiness while supporting onboarding and knowledge transfer efforts.

Reynolds and Reynolds | Software Developer

Feb 2021 – Dec 2022
  • Designed, developed, and tested software applications across client-server and web-based environments, delivering scalable solutions that met business requirements.
  • Collaborated with development teams to review specifications and implement technical designs, ensuring code quality and consistency.
  • Participated in full software development lifecycle activities, including design, build, test, and release phases.
  • Enhanced existing applications by modifying system features and resolving technical issues, improving user experience, and reducing system downtime.
  • Demonstrated strong attention to detail and problem-solving capabilities, ensuring accuracy in coding and testing processes.

Ellington Joint Reserve Base | Rescue Specialist

2016 – Feb 2021
  • Coordinated emergency response operations, directing firefighting and rescue activities while ensuring safety compliance.
  • Operated and managed emergency communication systems, including E911 dispatch and alarm monitoring platforms.
  • Maintained certifications in hazardous materials response, confined space rescue, and emergency medical response.
  • Supervised firefighting personnel and equipment operations, performing duties as vehicle crew chief.
  • Executed fire prevention and safety protocols, conducting inspections and training exercises that reduced risk.

Technical Skills

Cloud Services (AWS): Lambda, API Gateway, S3, SNS, SES, IAM, CloudFront, EC2, WAF, EventBridge, CloudWatch, Route 53
DevOps & Tools: GitHub Actions (CI/CD), Git, Terraform, CloudFormation, Jira, Confluence
Languages: Python, Java, COBOL, HTML, CSS, JavaScript
AI-Assisted Dev: Claude Code CLI, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI
Operating Systems: Windows, Mac, Linux (Foundational)
Databases: PostgreSQL, MySQL, DynamoDB, NoSQL
Monitoring: CloudWatch Dashboards, Alarms, Logs

Education

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

Western Governors University (2023)

Associate of Science

Lone Star College Cy-Fair (2021)

Awards & Recognition

  • Army Achievement Medal
  • National Defense Service Medal
  • Global War on Terrorism Service Medal