Rich Kadel

Bio

As a Software Engineer with a breadth of experience in distributed systems, full-stack web and database solutions, operating systems, and compilers, I'm most passionate about driving impact at scale through both innovation and team collaboration.

I've designed and implemented large-scale software solutions at Meta and Google, founded startups Polexis and Appeligo, and led the system architecture and integration of cross-organizational products, as an independent consultant to the US Navy. Whether as a chief architect, technical leader, or team contributor, I'm focused on identifying the objective with the best outcome, and delivering the right solution.

Meta

I'm excited to be a part of Meta Reality Labs, and to work on the Mixed Reality Operating System (MROS) for Quest devices!

Google

Over the past 4 years, I worked on Google's Fuchsia operating system, focusing on developing new operating system capabilities—primarily in C++, Rust, and Dart—as a member of the Component Framework team. I developed APIs and tools for developers building interoperable components in Fuchsia. Most recently, I delivered a new Fuchsia feature called Subpackages that allows developers to organize Fuchsia package dependencies into hermetic, hierarchical bundles to reduce complexity and export capabilities to improve third-party test development.

During my time on Fuchsia, I volunteered to address an outstanding Fuchsia need for test coverage support in the Rust compiler. In a few months, I learned how to analyze Rust's internal control flow graph, inject LLVM counters, and export an LLVM-encoded coverage map as part of the final Rust binary (as documented in the rustc dev guide). I completed and delivered a fully-functional source-based code coverage solution for Rust, now used by Rust programmers worldwide, and actively used at Google on Fuchsia, Android, and ChromeOS.

I also designed and developed Fuchsia's fidl-lint, to help developers produce FIDL specifications that comply with Fuchsia standards; and developed open source tools under Google's GitHub project, for Fuchsia development, including json5format (in Rust) and FuchsiAware (in TypeScript).

I joined Google in 2015, and prior to joining Fuchsia in 2019, I was one of the initial Customer Solutions Engineers for Google's DoubleClick Bid Manager (DBM) (now called DV360, under the Google Marketing Platform). As a CSE, I expanded on the base reporting and analysis features of Google's Ad products using a combination of product APIs, direct access to underlying ad targeting and performance data, and APIs and tools from Google Cloud, BigQuery, Google Compute Engine, and Data Studio (now Looker Studio). Using these tools, I was able to directly translate the needs and opportunities of Google's largest advertisers and ad agencies into new capabilities delivered directly to customers, for immediate positive impact.

I also contributed changes to Google's mainstream products as required, including contributing a low level C++ fix to Data Studio's BigQuery SQL generation, which not only greatly improved performance, but also saved customers 10's of thousands of dollars in query fees.

Harmonia

I launched the San Diego office for Harmonia Holdings Group, LLC, and ran several Big Data, data analytics, and visualization projects for Harmonia as the "Practice Lead for Enterprise Architecture".  I led the software design and development of several R&D efforts, applying emerging technologies such as:

I developed and published new Open Source solutions through these projects, including the original Java API for Cesium 3D modeling and geospatial API: Cesium-GWT, a GWT wrapper for OZONE Widget Framework (OWF) developers creating GWT widgets (OWF-GWT), and a complete GWT Java API for passing Java methods to JavaScript when a JavaScript function is required (JsFunction-GWT).

US Navy Consultant

I was the "Chief Architect for Navy Future C2 systems", as an independent consultant to the U.S. Navy's Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communication, Computers, and Intelligence (PEO C4I), within the SPAWAR Systems Command.  I brought subject matter expertise on net-centric solutions, software standards, human factors, application interoperability, data mediation, and domain knowledge of IT use by Navy, DoD, and Intelligence Community (IC) users, for projects at SPAWAR, the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), and Navy operational commands. 

As a founding member and chief architect of the Command and Control Rapid Prototyping Consortium (C2RPC), I spent time at Navy operational command centers around the world, working directly with Navy personnel, conducting workshops, and observing real-world operations, to understand how to improve Navy C2 through better information systems and interoperability solutions.  

Of note, I designed and led the development of the C2RPC "Halo COP", which was the focal point for geo-centric information presentation and cross-program user interface interoperability; and was adopted by several programs across the Navy for Command and Control (C2), Intelligence, Weather (METOC), NETOPS/Cyber situational awareness, and Surveillance Systems management.

I was engaged in the Navy's efforts to adopt Cloud technologies, particularly through the use of open cloud computing standards and technologies for Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Data as a Service (DaaS). I supported ongoing activities across Navy organizations and programs to design a new Navy-wide C4I Enterprise architecture, leveraging Big Data technologies like Hadoop, Accumulo, and Storm, information assurance solutions such as secure data tagging and cross-domain security (CDS) infrastructure, and environmentally-tolerant connectivity approaches to "Cloud" technologies, to support disconnected operations for tactical users, Navy ships and battle groups.

Within PEO C4I, I effectively spearheaded a number of enterprise process improvement efforts to reduce overall program costs, reduce delivery timelines, and provide IT enhancements to Navy warfighters more rapidly, with significant and relevant improvements.  I drafted initial concepts for an emerging PEO C4I "Common Services Governance" Integrated Product Team (IPT) to facilitate delivery of shared solutions across multiple Navy programs, and the ultimate transition of those services to the Navy's Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) and Agile Core Services (ACS).  I participated in PEO C4I working groups to develop a PEO C4I Cloud Reference Architecture.  And I participated in a PEO C4I strategic objective to develop new contracts strategies to better support the adoption of Agile development methodologies.  

I represented Navy interests in the DISA Joint Command and Control Common User Interface (JC2CUI) initiative and was a backup representative for Navy to the Ozone Widget Framework (OWF) Government Open Source Software (GOSS) board.  Both initiatives supported the goal to create a common environment for web-browser based "Widget Desktops" for Software as a Service (SaaS) delivery of DoD and IC applications.  I also participated in the JC2CUI "Common Map API" working group developing a lightweight product-agnostic interface to geospatial maps.

Appeligo Flip.TV

I founded the Media/Internet startup Appeligo, Inc, and led a team to implement the concept of Web Search for Broadcast Television, by extracting and indexing TV dialog (closed captions) and electronic program guide information. Mr. Kadel was accepted into San Diego’s CONNECT Springboard program for entrepreneurs, graduated with high marks, and was also asked to sit on Springboard panels to help other entrepreneurs with their market and technical strategies. 

Polexis (sold to SYS)

I co-founded and was CTO of Polexis, a software engineering company based in San Diego and the Washington, DC area, with over 50 software engineers and over $10M in annual revenues in both services and product licensing. I was later unanimously elected CEO of Polexis, and led the company through its acquisition by SYS Technologies, where I continued leading the organization, as Sr. Vice President of a division of SYS.

As Chief Architect of the company's primary product line, XIS (Extensible Information Systems), I oversaw XIS R&D efforts and the application of XIS to numerous projects and products for Polexis customers.

I received a Java Technology Achievement Award from Sun Microsystems, presented during their JavaOne conference, for my application of Java technologies to products like XIS, and for my feedback to improve the Java language and ecosystem. I also published numerous articles on Java and web technologies, and gave presentations at JavaOne and INetscape Developers Conference, in addition to regular speaking opportunities within the DoD.

I also conceived, designed, and led development of a new international software standard for geospatial applications, Geographic Objects (GO-1).  I led Polexis and SYS efforts to develop the GO-1 standard, as a member of the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC), and negotiated Navy and DISA membership and sponsorship of the standard. I led a cross-organizational team to analyze and document emerging Web Services Standards and their applicability to C2 user requirements for DISA, and later directed the development of one of the first Navy Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) frameworks, implementing discovery, mediation, and interoperability capabilities (under the eXtensible Tactical C4I Framework, XTCF).