Rachel Ratner
Senior Software Engineer | + years | Seattle, WA
Profile
Senior Full Stack Software Engineer with + years of experience building tools for scientific research and data-intensive applications. Skilled across the full stack: TypeScript/React front ends, Flask/Python APIs, database design, and infrastructure. Experienced training and fine-tuning ML models and building tools that enable researchers to label data, visualize results, and scale scientific workflows.
Experience
OlmoEarth: Built a full-stack application enabling researchers to label geospatial data and train machine learning models. Developed the TypeScript/React front end, Flask/Python REST APIs, and database schemas. Trained and fine-tuned ML models and evaluated results. Collected requirements from ML researchers and identified opportunities for new tooling to simplify and scale their workflows.
MolmoSpaces: Built the demo website for MolmoSpaces, which renders MuJoCo physics simulations in the browser. Integrated MuJoCo with Three.js to create navigable 3D environments for virtual robots.
Skylight: Was the primary UI developer on the Skylight project following its transition from Vulcan to AI2. Built UI tools for annotating and visualizing ML training data.
Senior Software Engineer, Vulcan
Seattle, WA — 2017-2021
Architected and developed end-to-end applications for the Skylight team, a platform for tracking illegal fishing activity. Built a REST-based OpenAPI and a GraphQL API from the ground up. Developed a real-time React web app for vessel tracking, a back-end notification service for alerting users to illegal fishing events in their area, and managed metrics via Prometheus and Google Analytics. Collaborated closely with conservation stakeholders and cross-functional teams. Note: The Skylight project transitioned from Vulcan to AI2 in 2021.
Design Technologist / Web Development Engineer II:
Amazon
Seattle, 2013-2017
Developed custom landing pages for Fortune 500 companies, and built a reusable “Landing Page Builder” in React that streamlined the creation and scalability of these pages. Collaborated extensively with QA and designers within the Amazon Marketing Group.
Junior Front End Web Developer: BKWLD
Seattle, 2012-2013
Worked with UX and design teams to build pixel perfect responsive custom web pages for marketing clients.
Front End Web Developer: Freelance
Seattle, 2010-2013
Worked with a variety of agencies and clients to create custom built, responsive online solutions including a website for Pokémon (via Plexi-Pixel) and a Facebook App for Chateau St. Michelle (Cole & Webber).
Marketing Manager / DJ,
KEXP
Seattle, 2004-2010
Managed KEXP’s marketing team, overseeing website updates, managing internships, and hosting on-air segments.
Education
- Seattle Central Community College, Web Design Certificate (2010)
- University of Washington, Masters in Social Work (2008)
- University of Puget Sound, B.A. in Creative Writing (2001)
Skills
- TypeScript
- JavaScript
- Python
- React
- Flask
- NumPy
- Pandas
- Three.js
- GraphQL
- SQL
- MongoDB
- Docker
- Kubernetes
- GitHub Actions
- CSS
- SASS
- Webpack
- ElasticSearch
- Mapbox
- Prometheus
- Redis
- Node.js
- GCP
- AWS
Projects & Interests
- Satellite Image Explorer — A Python pipeline for processing and visualizing Sentinel-2 satellite imagery using numpy, pandas, scipy, xarray, and dask, with a React/TypeScript frontend and Flask API.
- Founded The Seattle Band Map, an interactive website showcasing the interconnectivity of NW musicians. Featured on Wired.com
- Member of the band Wimps.
- Passionate about nature conservation, music, and a lifelong love of science.