Patrick Talaska
Automation & Development — Waukesha, Wisconsin
Results-driven software developer and systems administrator with a decade-plus of experience across Linux infrastructure, DevOps automation, and blockchain validator operations. Comfortable owning a project end to end — from provisioning and security to the application layer — in Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, and Node.js. Available for remote work, or local work in the Waukesha, WI area.
Skills
Experience
Datum Consulting
Software Engineer
- Building custom internal computing systems with role-based access, using Linux, Ansible, Semaphore, OneDev, and Guacamole to deploy a large-scale TV display system for a major corporation.
NW Natural
Linux Systems Administrator
- Managed 200+ Linux VMs across on-prem VMware and Azure, holding 99.9% uptime.
- Administered Red Hat Satellite with 3 capsule servers across 4 enterprise domains.
- Automated provisioning and configuration with Puppet and Bash, cutting manual workload.
- Maintained security and compliance: firewalls, SELinux policies, and regular audits.
Findora Foundation
Validator Support Moderator
- Supported and onboarded new blockchain validators onto the Findora network.
- Diagnosed node installation, sync, and operation issues, improving validator retention and network stability.
- Built documentation, FAQs, and guides; ran a feedback loop between validators and developers.
PMT Services
Founder, Full-Stack Developer & Consultant
- Ran validator node operations on Harmony and Findora (now Fractal), managing pools that at times secured over $2M in delegated crypto assets.
- Built Python toolkits for validator install/config, the Easy Node API (Express.js), and a Next.js/Markdown docs platform.
- Mentored junior developers and validators across the ecosystem.
Wisconsin Department of Corrections
Systems Administrator I, II & III
- Administered Windows and Linux servers across all DOC-managed networks and domains.
- Core member of the DevSecOps initiative that streamlined server provisioning and security statewide.
- Maintained Kubernetes/Rancher environments and SaaS services (GitLab, Jira).
Datum Consulting
Lead Systems Administrator
- Provided daily helpdesk and infrastructure support to 50+ local SMBs.
- VoIP specialist (Fonality, Nextiva, Cytracom, Asterisk/FreePBX) and Office 365 migration lead.
- Built disaster recovery via hourly snapshot-to-cloud for instant virtualization.
CompuCom (at Rockwell Automation)
Field Support Technician II
- Level II desktop support during a 3-month IT provider transition at Rockwell Automation HQ.
Self-Employed
Freelance Consultant
- Break/fix IT support, hardware builds, and domain/web management for small businesses.
Dedicated Computing
Production Engineering Technician → Hardware Technician → Manufacturing Engineering Specialist
- Maintained proprietary testing software and OS images; edited test scripts in XML and Python.
- Built a VB.NET cataloging tool for 1,000+ customer images and drivers.
- Level 2 hardware/OS support for 60+ production employees.
Education
Waukesha County Technical College — Associate's, IT (Programmer/Analyst), 2006–2010
Milwaukee Area Technical College — supplemental coursework, Computer Programming, 2008–2010