Simon Mischenko
Software Engineer & Problem Solver
simon.mischenko@gmail.com +1 (224) 425-6565 LinkedIn GitHub
Relevant Experience
Co-Manager & Chief Technologist
2017–Present
Chicago Metro Area, IL
  • Work directly with small-to-medium-sized businesses to assess IT needs, formalize technical requirements, and develop tailored technology solutions
  • Design and deploy full-stack solutions, including offsite technical support, self-hosted cloud storage, and automated backup systems
  • Ensure warranty management for office IT contracts, ensuring timely replacement of desktop computers and other critical hardware when failures occur
  • Provide remote and onsite IT support, including server maintenance, network troubleshooting, and system optimizations under ongoing service contracts
  • Perform hardware modifications such as replacing micro-USB ports with USB-C on devices, general diagnosis and repair, and assembling custom-built desktop computers

Consultant, Technical Writer (Contractor)
Outsource Solutions Group
2015–2017
Naperville, IL
  • Remotely operated servers and configured services for dozens of diverse businesses in the Chicago metropolitan area
  • Supported IT workflow of Glenview Public Library and Des Plaines Public Library including event setups, troubleshooting computers, printer maintenance, and rollouts of technical projects
  • Ran after-school youth workshops at libraries, covering 3D printing, VR, and other emerging technologies
Projects
Vigilant Vault
Illinois Institute of Technology
2023
Chicago, IL
  • Led a cross-disciplinary team of engineers, designers, and business students to address real-world cybersecurity challenges in IIT's IPRO Cyber & Tech Entrepreneurship program
  • Built a prototype white-hat hacking device managing passwords and identifying local network security threats
Independent Drone Research Project
Illinois Institute of Technology
2024
Chicago, IL
  • Designed and assembled a custom quadcopter drone from the ground up, including component selection, soldering, and software/firmware configuration
  • Programmed flight control algorithms in C++/Python for sound continuous source tracking using ODAS Studio Server
Self-Hosted AI Chatbot
Personal Project
2024–Present
Evanston, IL
  • Deployed the Ollama AI platform alongside Paperless-NGX, leveraging large language models (LLMs) hosted on a private server for secure, localized inference
  • Identified an ideal inferencing framework and tuned it to work efficiently with available RAM/VRAM hardware
Additional Experience
Food Process Specialist
Saint Andrew's Kitchen
2013–2020
Bloomingdale, IL
  • Operated a small industrial kitchen weekly
  • Led teams of ~20 senior volunteers to fold handmade pierogies from scratch
  • Enthusiastic bearer of multigenerational secret dough pierogie recipe
  • Participated in all aspects of non-profit kitchen workflow including dough prep, customer support, and sales

Certified Reflex Flow Martial Arts Instructor
Des Plaines Martial Arts
2018–2020
Des Plaines, IL
  • Trained students aged 21+ in a mixed art of Reflex Flow
  • Developed and delivered personal feedback notes and exercises to a class of ~10 students

On-Call Banquet Staff Manager
Saint Andrew's Banquet Hall
2012–2015
Bloomingdale, IL
  • Organized and coordinated setup and teardowns of events
  • Supervised and participated in food prep, meal service, and cleanup
  • Served as a point of contact for clients during events to ensure a positive customer experience

Food Service Associate
Lutheran Home & Life Services
2010–2012
Arlington Heights, IL
  • Organized, prepared, and delivered meals to residents in assisted living community
  • Managed meal selection for individuals with complex, disparate dietary restrictions and guidelines
  • Coordinated care and support with clinicians, healthcare staff, and management with proactive communication