Steven Wells
Home Phone 408-365-7700
job@wizardtechlab.com
3454 Woodyend Court, San Jose, California 95121-2557
Summary
Technical Writer / Editor with 20 years of experience writing and applying advanced technologies with computers, software, hardware, lasers, engineering, science, and CAD.
Skills
Technical Writing | Editing | Creative Writing | Instructional Design | Microsoft Office | Adobe Creative Suite | Acrobat | Photoshop | ON1 Photo RAW MAX | FrameMaker | Google Workspace | Markdown | HTML/CSS | Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) | Visio | APIs | i18n / L10n | GitHub | SDLC | UX | AutoCAD | AutoLISP | Lasers | Engineering | Project Management | Computer Technical Support
Education
Stevens Institute of Technology | Hoboken, NJ
Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, MA
ME Master of Engineering – Electrical
SB Bachelor of Science – Physics
Thesis title: Gas Breakdown Induced by Cyclotron Resonance Absorption of Submillimeter Laser Radiation
Employment
Wizard TechLab | San Jose, CA Senior Technical Writer
Sole-proprietorship performing contract assignments in technical writing, engineering, and computer applications. Work includes: documenting and developing operations methodology, software, APIs, help modules, and structured document courseware. For the semiconductor industry, created layout, prototyping, and analysis software.
HCLTech | Santa Clara, CA Senior Technical Consultant
Performing technical writing as a contract assignment for the leading information and search technology developer. Documenting secure software internals.
Microsoft (via AMS DataSerfs) | San Jose, CA Senior Technical Writer
Documented software for detailed analysis, control, and assignment of network resources, job tasks, quotas, priorities, process flow, and timing. The command-line and graphical display system scales from simple hosts to entire networks, correlating information and device errors for efficient throughput and service problem prediction.
Applied Materials (via Perint Sarimba) | Santa Clara, CA Technical Writer
Created and adapted process documentation of a semiconductor wafer fabrication system manufacturer.
Google (via InfoObjects) | Mountain View, CA Technical Writer
Edited developer documentation and APIs at the leading search engine corporation. Organized and edited documentation for the Silk and Expressive UIKit teams, who develop search software that supports platform/OS agnosticism.
PayPal (via Populus Group) | San Jose, CA Technical Writer
Created developer documentation at the leading e-commerce client in the Risk Data Acquisition group. Created API documentation for three major products. These gather real-time transaction data from mobile devices, browser sessions, and context sets for major PayPal clients. The gathered data and JSON libraries enable risk adjudication, preventing hundreds of millions of dollars per year in fraudulent transactions.
eBay, PayPal, Adobe (via Expert Support) | San Jose, CA Senior Technical Writer
Created developer API documentation at contracting agent’s client companies. Work at PayPal included API documentation for payments, subscriptions, remittance transfer regulations. Work at eBay included API documentation for CommerceOS and developer guidance for OAuth flow, two-factor authentication, and use of the Postman application for testing RESTful API calls. For Adobe, assembled a programming language guide for new Lua programmers.
CodeObjects | Milpitas, CA Technical Writer
Created user manuals and training documentation supporting programming architecture at a developer of service-oriented cloud-based software solutions for the insurance industry. Defined corporate styles and formats, edited source content for best-in-class documentation and courseware, and verified conformance with actual software behavior.
Quantum3D | San Jose, CA Senior Technical Writer
Created user, site-preparation, operations & maintenance, and developer manuals for a manufacturer of visualization hardware and software. Manuals included multiple solutions for advanced visual simulations and training using man-wearable 3D rendering systems. Created and implemented the corporate manual of style.
Steinberg Architects | San Jose, CA CAD Manager
Managed, troubleshot, and customized architectural design software. Programmed AutoLISP productivity enhancements and task automation routines. Documented and influenced all programming, CAD standards, and user processes. Wrote implementation plans, methodology, and instructional guides.
California Department of Health Services | Richmond, CA Technical Writer
Created the administrator manual and disaster recovery plan for the Genetic Disease Branch’s Screening Information System, a WAN/SAN based healthcare software application for pre and post-natal medical coordination. Gathered, wrote, formatted, and edited information and procedures for use by system administrators and healthcare managers.
Santa Clara Valley Water District | San Jose, CA CAD Specialist
Created extensive documentation, programming, and customization to update Right of Way CAD standards, and to create standardized plat and survey templates. Designed automation software and interfaces for enhanced usability.
Cisco Systems (via Echo Design) | San Jose, CA Training Program Manager
Responsible for the development and presentation of course materials for facilitated training. Created courseware covering the Cisco solutions process, highlighting six selected solutions, hardware and software components, business motivation, and deployment. A second curriculum covered key technologies: wireless, optical networking, ATM and TCP/IP, VoIP, tag switching, and VPN.
think3 | Santa Clara, CA UI Wizard
Wide role at the developer of thinkdesign 3D parametric solid and surface modeling software. Specified and developed native and AutoCAD-compliant user interface elements. Created, developed, and enhanced major elements of a unique award-winning game-based CAD learning environment. Created training exercise concepts, procedures, graphics, and spoken scripts. Responsible for technical accuracy; tone, pacing, and audio recording; graphic style and diagram clarity; HTML graphics; and formatting. Reworded all thinkdesign installation procedures, eliminating most installation technical support calls.
Autodesk | San Rafael, CA Technical Instructor
Trained AutoCAD dealers, Authorized Training Specialists, and Authorized Training Center educators in the features and use of AutoCAD Release 14 and Mechanical Desktop. Developed instructor training guide chapters and training example drawings. Responsible for training implementation project plans for the AutoCAD Mechanical product.
Digital Optronics | Herndon, VA Senior Engineer
Designed and built prototype diode-based coherent laser radar for non-contact precision metrology. Performed system design, component specification, configuration, breadboarding, precision alignment, performance measurement, safety analysis, documentation, and federal regulatory compliance.
Publications
- Publications Director 2002, 2017, and 2020 for Santa Clara Corvettes, publishing the First Class Glass newsmagazine.
- Technical Editor of AutoCAD Power User; Author for ten years of the popular Technical (getcorner) articles.
- Technical Editor of the book Mastering AutoCAD 14 for Mechanical Engineers.
- Author published in CADalyst Magazine and the AutoCAD Tech Journal.
National
Candidate for the 2008 U.S. House of Representatives in the 16th California Congressional District