James Hawkins

(760) 333-0473 · james@jameshawkins.com

Previously @Uber on the Fraud & Risk product team. Recently turned Full-stack engineer using technologies like React, Javascript, Ruby, and Rails. 6 years of experience in tech on fast-moving, rapidly-growing teams. Various side-projects include a fully-functional messaging app, a typing speed testing game, a finance-focused data visualization tool, and an original concept in-browser game.

Projects

Hype Chat

A Messaging App | LIVE | GITHUB

React/Redux, Ruby on Rails, PostgreSQL, Action Cable

  • Pixel-perfect rendition of Slack
  • User-to-user chat using websockets
  • Real-time unread notifications
  • Chatrooms, group threads, direct message conversations
Hype
View Live

Sliver

An original concept game | LIVE | GITHUB

Javascript, HTML5, Canvas

  • Use your cursor to look around
  • Usable items, including flashlights, lanterns and batteries
  • Sound effects, multiple levels, and enemies -- oh my!
Sliver
View Live

Rocket Typer

A Typing-Speed Tracker | LIVE | GITHUB

MongoDB, ExpressJS, React/Redux, NodeJS, Socket.IO

  • Multiplayer functionality -- race alone or with friends
  • Global leaderboard and recent races
  • User account creation and authentication
  • User profiles with personal stats
Rocket Typer
View Live

Experience

Senior Manager, Product Operations: Risk & Fraud

Uber
  • Drove quarterly product planning cycles for six Product teams within the Risk organization.
  • Helped grow the Risk team from 5 to 100+ while dropping loss rates >80% in the same timeframe.
  • Built a global network of operations managers to monitor fraud at the regional level.
  • Wrote fraud rules in Python and SQL queries to debug, scope, and block attack vectors.
February 2015 – September 2018

Senior Manager, Community Operations

Uber
  • Piloted and trained the first team of dedicated support representatives at Uber, laying the foundation for a 20,000+ person support organization.
  • Defined hundreds of support policies for riders and driver-partners around the world.
  • Managed a team of seven employees responsible for writing support policies and managing individual sub-teams
  • Maintained a support SLA of < 12 hours for all support tickets in the West Coast region.
December 2012 - February 2015

Second Assistant to Ashton Kutcher

Katalyst Films
  • Researched startups for possible investments and assemble dossiers based on findings.
  • Documented ideas and produced presentation decks for potential investors and business partners.
August 2011 - December 2012

Education

App Academy

Full-Stack Web Development Program
January 2019 - April 2019

University of Southern California

B.A. Economics
August 2006 - May 2010

Skills

Programming Languages & Tools

  • JavaScript

  • Ruby

  • React

  • HTML5

  • CSS3

  • AngularJS

  • NodeJS

  • SASS

  • Canvas

  • Redux

  • AWS

Interests

In my personal life, I'm a bit of a gym rat and love to ski. I've completed a handful of marathons and it's not uncommon to find me at the gym or out running. When I'm indoors, I spend a lot of time on Hacker News & Reddit and, when I find the time, love to play video games (anything from PC to consoles to VR).

My current bucket list includes:

  • Finishing a marathon in under 3 hours
  • Skiing on all seven continents
  • Completing an IRONMAN triathlon
  • Become SCUBA certified
  • Complete a solo parachute jump
  • Join a safari in Tanzania

I've recently caught the travel bug and am looking for new places to check out (open to suggestions -- easily accessible skiing is major plus).

A few of the places on my list:

  • North Dakota (It's the only US state I'm missing!)
  • Vietnam
  • Great Barrier Reef
  • Croatia
  • Tanzania