Rob Steilberg

I am currently developing new capabilities to improve access to navigational data for ForeFlight customers. My primary involvement has been building the backend for JeppLink, a new distribution manager for updating Jeppesen navigational databases on Garmin GPS avionics via iOS devices. I bring a unique combination of engineering expertise and aviation experience, both as a software engineer and pilot. I love building tools that make flying easier, safer, and more accessible — and I take pride in being my own user. I’ve also represented ForeFlight at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, SUN ‘n FUN, and various aircraft owner conventions, providing in-person support, product expertise, and sales guidance. I designed and built the backend for Reported Turbulence, a real-time pipeline of turbulence data powered by ForeFlight’s Sentry ADS-B receivers. I later extended this pipeline to cache live airport weather camera images from external sources like the FAA and NavCanada, supporting the release of the Weather Cameras feature in ForeFlight Mobile. Earlier in my senior role, I shipped the backend for Insights, a major rework of ForeFlight’s Airport and Business Comments feature. I designed the API and completed a Postgres migration that preserved backwards compatibility for legacy ForeFlight Mobile builds. I also contributed to the iOS codebase, fixing bugs that unblocked mobile feature development.

Shipped a complete frontend redesign (Laravel to React) and backend rewrite (PHP to Spring) of ForeFlight's retail and contract aviation fuel pricing features with zero downtime and minimal user disruption. Triaged complex, user-specific issues related to contract fuel pricing, typically deploying fixes within a day. Mentored an intern who was later hired as a full-time employee.

I provide FAA-certified primary, instrument, and commercial flight instruction in single-engine airplanes, in addition to flight reviews, instrument proficiency checks, and aircraft checkouts. I specialize in the Piper Cherokee and Beechcraft Bonanza family of airplanes.

I fly a PA-12 Piper Super Cruiser on air tours over Austin, Texas.

Rejoined the Esri R&D Center full-time and worked across the entire stack, contributing to UI/UX planning and feedback, frontend work with Ember.js, and backend work with Express.js, Elasticsearch, and Postgres. Contributed to Esri’s open source, cross-team TypeScript libraries, plus several popular Ember.js libraries. Rebuilt ArcGIS Hub’s antiquated domain resolution service as a scalable microservice with Express.js and Kubernetes, all with zero downtime or user impact. Leveraged horizontal pod autoscaling to make more efficient use of cloud resources, ultimately reducing annual server costs by approximately $100k. Represented the team at the Esri User Conference and the Esri Developer Summit, engaging directly with customers. Mentored several interns and new hires.

Led a team of six in the UI/UX design, architecture, and implementation of mVax, an Android app for recording immunizations and generating standardized vaccination reports. Completed onsite deployment in July 2018 at Cliníca Esperanza in Sandy Bay, Roatán.

Served as a Teaching Assistant for Software Design and Implementation (CS308) and Web Development (CS290) under Prof. Robert C. Duvall, co-designing the pilot curriculum for CS290. Provided one-on-one coursework support to students and led large-group review sessions.

Provided technical support to medical students and faculty while managing infrastructure for labs, classrooms, and administrative offices.

Joined the Esri R&D Center in Washington, D.C., working with the frontend development team. Prototyped an Ember.js that templatizes ArcGIS Online mapping applications, making them compatible with any Esri-hosted dataset and improving app buildout time by over by over 85%.

Maintained and repaired dormitory media systems (televisions, video game consoles, desktop computers, etc.).

Assisted physical therapists with pediatric special needs rehabilitation programs. Helped care for the facility's horses. Rebuilt the center's website with a custom Drupal stack and jQuery.