Rob M Santos

Bachelor of Science (BS)

Computer Management and Information Systems

Business Administration (Entrepreneurship)

• Graduated Magna Cum Laude
• Phi Kappa Phi (PKP)
• Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS)
• Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization (CEO)

Entrepreneurship

Business Computer Information Systems

• Honors College

Founder

The Make-Play Company

2018 - Present

The Make-Play Company specializes in interactive media creating video games, interactive exhibits, websites, and mobile/desktop applications.

Game Developer

Google

Oct 2022 - Present

"Game Developer in Residence" with Google Arts & Culture.

Game Developer

Graphite Lab

2016 - Present

• Nintendo WiiU Console port development/optimization of Nintendo Nindie-featured "Hive Jump" (PC/Mac/Linux/WiiU)
• Lead developer for Hasbro's "Clue" on the Arcade1Up Infinity Game Table
• Lead developer for Hasbro's "Guess Who" on the Arcade1Up Infinity Game Table
• Lead developer for AppleTV port of "Tonka - Trucks Around Town"
• Lead developer for TOMY's "Doodle Bear Studio" on iOS
• Lead developer for "Gensmak" on the Arcade1Up Infinity Game Table
• Lead developer of corporate edutainment game for a major logistics company client
• Troubleshooting of graphical shaders in ShaderLab

Game Designer, UIUX Developer, Lead Game Developer

Pixel Press Technology, LLC

2013 - 2015

Adventure Time: Game Wizard (iOS/Android)

• BAFTA Children's Award 2015 Nominee
• Won KidScreen Awards 2016 Best Tablet Game
• Ranked #1 on overall App Store in 1 Country (#1 in Kids Category: 57 Countries; Kids, 9-11: 92, Games: 7)
• Featured by Apple in Best of January - Great Games
• Top Banner Featured by Apple on the iTunes homepage
• Draw your own Adventure Time video game to play and share with your friends!
• Developed in partnership with Cartoon Network and Grumpyface Studios

Pixel Press Floors: Draw Your Own Video Game (iOS)

• American Association of School Librarians - Best App for Teaching and Learning 2015
• St. Louis Business Journal - Innovation Awards 2014
• Draw your own platformer levels on graph paper, scan it with your mobile device, customize it, and share.

Bloxels: The Hands-on, Brains-on Video Game Builder (iOS/Android/PC/Mac)

• National Geographic Kids (December 2015/January 2016) - Featured in "5 Smart Toys"
• Won Best of New York Toy Fair 2015 presented by Popular Science
• Use physical blocks to build customizable video games. Create a layout on the gameboard. Scan it on camera. Customize it in the app, test it out, and then, challenge your friends to beat each other's creations.

Bloxels Builder (Kickstarter Prototype)

• Music Maker
• Stop Motion Animator
• 3D Modeler
• Fireworks Show Board

Lead Game Developer

The Rampant

2021 - 2022

"Ameren Inclusion Cruiser" for Ameren Electric Corporation

• The "Ameren Inclusion Cruiser" is a touring cooperative multiplayer touchscreen gameplay experience. Up to 6 players cooperate to restore power to their neighborhood by supporting each other’s unique minigames at each of their networked stations.

Lead Mobile Developer

Covie

2022 - Present

Covie is a Y Combinator-backed software development company that builds tools for developers and innovative business leaders that make working with the insurance industry easier.

• I lead mobile development for the App Store launch of AirJuster, which connects insurers to the best, readily available, most cost effective adjusters to assist with their claims, while helping adjusters maximize the number of claims they can close.

Lead Game Developer

Century Game Company

2021 - Present

I lead game development and perform ongoing maintenance of existing productions such as:

• Word Addiction
• RiverBoat Slide
• RiverBoat Switch
• Lead Lizard
• Screw the IRS

Curatorial Advisor

PixelPop Festival

2019

PixelPop Festival is a game conference and expo in St. Louis, Missouri, that celebrates unique games and the many people who make them possible.

Interactive Exhibit Design and Software Development

Osborn Barr

2016 - 2017

• Designed hardware implementation and sourced components for an interactive digital exhibit to debut at Farm Progress Show 2016
• Lead software development for bringing copywriter and artist visions to life in an interactive digital exhibit composed of ten kiosks, each featuring unique content on a 55-inch touch-enabled display

Senior Developer

Optaros

2016

• Developed voice interaction and natural language intent recognition for handling spoken commands in an uncontrolled environment
• Bridged gap between voice commands and responses driven by web services and databases
• Developed software for integrated hardware (BeagleBone, Arduino, Raspberry Pi) for deployment as a "Smart"-class device
• Provided expertise in a variety of languages and software-as-a-service (SaaS) cloud computing platforms including C, Python, Google App Engine, and Amazon Web Services

Lead Developer, Mobile App Developer, Web/Database/API Developer, Web Designer

Pagokids

2016

• Developed cross-platform mobile application using Xamarin
• Collaborated with company leads on user experience (UX) implications of app interface
• Developed and deployed functionality and responsive web design of company website
• Engineered application program interface (API) and database for device synchronization and online storage of app data
• Generated informative and audience-appropriate statistical summaries from database
• Maintained regular communication with company audiences through newsletters of usage summaries
• Provided ongoing web hosting and management services
• Conducted usability testing and troubleshooting during use with audience of teachers and students at a private kindergarten

Robotics Specialist in Residence

Pulitzer Arts Foundation

2015 - 2016

• Game Designer and Robotics Specialist in Residence for the week ending February 27, 2016
• Guest exhibit collaborator and presenter with The Rampant Interactive
• Collaborated on mechanically-driven data visualization exhibit and presentation on the analysis of attributes of visitor-created African Kota Reliquary figures

Founder

teamPixel

2005 - Present

teamPixel is a multimedia development company built on a long history of client services providing web, mobile, and desktop application design and development solutions.

Twitch Developer, Web Developer

Level Zero

2016 - 2017

Developed livestreaming presentation tools integrating Twitch and StreamTip

Web Developer

The Rampant

2016

Automated testing for web applications using the Selenium Tools Suite

Web Developer, Web Designer

ALIVE Magazine

2015 - 2016

Front-end web development and design implementation for #ALIVEnext rebranding

Web Development and Design

Preferred Systems Solutions

2013 - 2014

• Security Clearance and Military Contractor role
• Designed web-enabled interactive training and content management systems
• Utilized Symfony2 MVC PHP architecture
• Worked with PHP5, HTML, CSS, and Javascript (including jQuery)
• Maintained and updated public-facing government websites

Project Management, Development Lead

Inside Interactive, Inc.

2012 - 2014

• Managed project planning and deliverables based on product discussions with Founder and CEO
• Revised graphic design materials from marketing artists and converted to web-appropriate formats
• Coordinated with iOS development team to integrate programming efforts and reduce redundancy of programming tasks
• Supplied materials and training to marketing artists and iOS development team unfamiliar with web graphics and cross-platform web services
• Developed with Facebook and Stripe Payment Processor APIs
• Utilized Symfony2 MVC PHP architecture
• Worked with PHP5, HTML, CSS, and Javascript (including jQuery)

Development Lead

Esparcus LLC

2012 - 2014

• Utilized Symfony2 MVC PHP architecture
• Worked with PHP5, HTML, CSS, and Javascript (including jQuery)

Web and Mobile Applications Development

Wang Gang Asian Eats

2011 - 2012

• Mobile application planning and iOS development
• Web design
• HTML, CSS, PHP, and Objective-C
• Successfully launched company's first mobile game to cross-promote with their new beverage line

Web Developer, Web Designer

The Loud Few

2010

• Worked as an independent contractor supporting The Loud Few in graphic design, web development, and troubleshooting/QA specialties
• Utilized HTML, PHP, and Javascript
• Notable clients include Sauce Magazine and Chick Peas Co.

Account Manager, Lead Developer

Staghosting

2002 - 2006

• Responded to customers’ support queries and web hosting requests
• Managed customer account creation and maintenance
• Ensured proper server functionality during an assigned time zone
• Programmed company’s customer management and usage policy compliance system
• Programmed using HTML, PHP, and MySQL and installed various 3rd party PHP scripts
• Utilized cPanel and Ensim Web Server Control Panel for server management

Hospital Volunteer

American Red Cross

2002 - 2005

• Transferred old paper-based filing system to an entirely electronic storage system
• Managed spreadsheets and databases using Microsoft Excel, Access, and proprietary military terminal systems
• Maintained confidential medical documents in accordance with HIPAA regulations
• Input patient and referral data into computer systems
• Contacted patients to verify receipt of medical products
• Delivered documents to various departments throughout the hospital

Board of Directors

St. Louis Game Developer Co-op

2018 - Present

The St. Louis Game Developer Co-op is a non-profit that provides events, support, resources, and networking opportunities for game makers for the purpose of promoting game-creation in St. Louis, Missouri metro area.

• Co-President (2021 - Present)
• President (2019 - 2020)
• Vice Chair (2018 - 2019)

Associate Instructor

Maryville University of Saint Louis

2017 - Present

College of Arts and Sciences

• Art & Interactive Design 497 - Special Topics: Advanced Applications in Game Design
• Art & Interactive Design 425 - Applications in Game Design
• Art & Interactive Design 410 - Web Design II
• Art & Interactive Design 405 - Scripting for Games and Apps
• Art & Design: Art History 328 - History of Video Game Design

Adjunct Instructor

Washington University in St. Louis

2018 - Present

School of Engineering & Applied Science

• Computer Science and Engineering 400E - Advanced Video Game Programming (Independent Study)
• Computer Science and Engineering 451A - Video Game Programming II
• Computer Science and Engineering 450A - Video Game Programming

Adjunct Assistant Professor

Webster University

2016 - May 2019

School of Communications

• MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS 4620 - Senior Overview
• GAME THEORY 4600 - Video Game Production
• GAME THEORY 4500 - Video Game Design II
• GAME THEORY 4000 - Video Game Level Design
• GAME THEORY 3500 - History of Video Games
• GAME THEORY 3150.05 - Game Design - Custom Hardware and Alternative Controls
• GAME THEORY 3150.06 - Global Game Jam
• ANIMATION 3150.02 - Global Game Jam

Lead Instructor - Game Development and Design

GlobalHack

2017

"In this course, students will learn the basics of game development, including sprite or character design, level construction, and other tools. Then they will create their own game’s events, rules and more, teaching them computational thinking and programming along the way!"

• Youth Coding League Mentor 2017
• University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) - Summer Camp 2017

Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

2012

• Assisted in faculty-led research and writing for publication
• Developed classroom and workshop teaching materials
• Created web-based teaching tools