Katie Schilling

Engineering Lead, Tools and Automation, Tempus Labs

Chicago

I got my start with computers working on improving the tech in Chicago Public Schools computer labs. I rebuilt computers from spare parts and administered their local server, but quickly became a sort of tech therapist, listening to teachers' problems and finding technical solutions. Technology has always been a tool to help people. My role is to fearlessly explore for the best solution to a problem and get it solved, leveraging tech to improve process.

I've worked on a wide variety of projects: genetic engineering, mathematical modeling in neurophysics, FPGA programming for high energy physics, teaching kids' electronics classes, lighting and sound tech for theaters, mobile UX design, rapid prototyping on locomotive IoT data, quite a few Ruby on Rails projects, and now devops and distributed systems engineering. I drop into a foreign domain, become proficient, identify pain by listening and building relationships, then drive solutions.

I'm happiest when I move freely within an organization, identifying the most painful processes and improving them with automation. Most of the systems I build are written in Golang and run on container orchestration platforms in AWS and GCP.

Outside of work, I love baking and cooking and am always inventing new recipes. I also backpack every summer and have hiked long sections of the PCT, AT, and JMT. I'm always down to troubleshoot your recipe or analyze your pack weight; feel free to email me your questions.