AI & Computer Vision Engineering Leader — Available 2026

Valarie
Adams

Hands-on engineering leader with 9+ years shipping production software at the intersection of computer vision, LLM/ML systems, extended reality, and scalable backend architecture — known for strong execution, cross-functional alignment, and high-quality delivery at scale.

9+
Years Shipping
3+
Teams Led
37$
CPU Reduction Driven
105+
Downstream Integrations
10+
Production CV Deployments
GitHub deviantdear vala-badvr vadams-illumix Lehi, UT • (928) 707-1218

AI & Computer Vision
Engineering Capabilities

Spanning model deployment, runtime optimization, SDK architecture, and edge-first inference — with production deployments serving millions of users at Disney, MGM, Carowinds, Universal, and Snapchat.

Targeting: AI / CV Engineering & Engineering Manager Roles

With a deep background in real-time computer vision at scale, ML pipeline engineering on GCP Vertex AI, edge-first SDK architecture, and cross-functional engineering leadership, I bring the exact combination of technical depth and product delivery experience that drives creative AI tooling forward. I am passionate about building the infrastructure that allows creatives to harness intelligent vision systems.

CV Model Integration & Deployment

Production deployment of computer vision models (YOLO, custom ML) onto mobile edge devices via TFLite/LiteRT and PyTorch Mobile. Optimization for MIPS, K-means spatial data, and real-time inference at device-level constraints.

ML Pipeline Engineering (GCP Vertex AI)

Architected and operated cloud ML pipelines on GCP Vertex AI for LLM-driven spatial data processing, model training workflows, and cloud-vs-on-device compute tradeoffs. Experience with AWS Device Farm for automated model validation.

SDK Architecture & Platform Portability

Led architecture of a platform-agnostic, mobile-first Computer Vision SDK supporting iOS, Android (Kotlin/Flutter), Unity, and Snap Lens Studio. Managed SDK versioning, licensing, obfuscation, and downstream client integration.

LLM Integration & Tooling

Hands-on with DeepSeek R1-Lite, GCP Vertex AI LLM endpoints, and PyTorch / TensorFlow model pipelines. Experienced in prompt engineering, inference optimization, and integrating LLM outputs into production service workflows.

Edge Compute & XR Systems

Specialist in edge-first ML inference on iOS, Android, HoloLens, and Oculus Quest. Delivered Visual Positioning Systems, virtual try-on, AR wayfinding (MGM Vegas), and live activation experiences with sub-100ms latency requirements.

Engineering Leadership & Team Scaling

Built and led multi-disciplinary engineering teams (up to 10 engineers) across CV, XR, and backend domains. Defined technical roadmaps, ran code reviews, set growth goals, and partnered closely with product and design to ship on time.

Engineering Career

Feb 2023 — Apr 2026
Illumix
Remote
AI/ML
CV
Manager
Software Engineering Manager

Led the Core Technologies team delivering a platform-agnostic, mobile-first Computer Vision SDK for game engines and native mobile apps. Managed 5 engineers across CV integration and downstream client experiences, serving Disney, Carowinds, Six Flags, Universal, Snapchat, and MGM as production clients. Drove technical direction across runtime architecture, SDK portability, and inference performance.

GCP Vertex AI pipelines PyTorch + TFLite on-device YOLO12 + DeepSeek R1-Lite AWS Device Farm CI Kotlin + Flutter SDK
  • Architected and operated GCP Vertex AI pipelines for LLM-assisted spatial data processing, optimizing MIPS and K-means model outputs in the cloud rather than on-device, significantly reducing latency and battery impact.
  • Active code contributor across C#, C++, Python, Kotlin, and TypeScript; drove model training workflows, Git automation, and AWS/GCP Device Farm test pipelines ensuring SDK stability across every platform release.
  • Delivered MGM Grand Vegas indoor navigation using a custom-built Visual Positioning System (VPS) with CV-driven localization and AWS metric tracking.
  • Shipped Carowinds Snoopy Live Activations and Hogwarts Saudi Arabia Harry Potter experience using custom-trained machine learning models with real-time CV inference on mobile devices.
  • Delivered Disney Maleficent AR prototype, Six Flags activation with build size optimization, and maintained/tested all Snap Lens Studio SDK releases for downstream client stability.
  • Drove the 3D Virtual Try-On web engine for rings, necklaces, and sunglasses powered by 2D image and 3D model input pipelines.
  • Built SDK licensing, obfuscation, and build customization/automation tooling to protect proprietary IP and streamline client onboarding.
C#C++Python PyTorchTensorFlowLiteGCP Vertex AI TypeScriptKotlinUnity Snap Lens StudioAWSYOLO12 DeepSeek R1-Lite
Apr 2022 — Nov 2022
Carvana
Remote / Phoenix, AZ
Team Lead
Backend
Software Engineering Team Lead

Led a team of 5 engineers (Eng II through Senior II) building high-value internal underwriting and verification platform tooling. Owned all production code validating customer vehicle purchase eligibility, integrating with 105+ downstream endpoints across predictive modeling, finance, and transactions.

$22 CPU reduction — Pay At Order $15 CPU reduction — MARTA 10-25% buyer access increase — Cosigner
  • Pay At Order: Technical Lead for Verifications group. Architected the cross-team integration diagram and enabled fund withdrawal at time of purchase rather than delivery — $22 cost-per-unit reduction.
  • MARTA (MA RTA Form Automation): Automated a state-mandated, multi-field Massachusetts RTA form down to a few clicks — $15 cost-per-unit reduction.
  • Cosigner Support: Led cross-team initiative to expand buyer eligibility by 10-25% depending on state, requiring deep integration across Underwriting Platform services.
  • Led re-architecture of a C# monolith into modular reusable wizard workflows enabling rapid delivery of complex customer-advocate requests.
  • Packaged verification data into a React-based CSM tooling interface, submitting validated service bus messages for downstream vehicle delivery teams.
C#SQLAzure DevOps Cosmos DBKafkaAWS LambdasReact
Sep 2021 — Apr 2022
BadVR
Remote
XR
Team Lead
XR Software Engineering Team Lead

Led a cross-disciplinary team of 10 engineers and designers across 3 simultaneous VR/AR products for HoloLens, Oculus Quest, and mobile. Developed shared multiplayer libraries, platform-specific rendering solutions, and real-time data pipeline visualizations for interactive XR experiences.

  • Built internal cross-product multiplayer libraries and custom HLSL rendering pipelines for HoloLens and Oculus Quest hardware.
  • Created intuitive real-time data visualization UI, normalizing live device data streams into interactive XR displays.
  • Coached engineers through PR reviews and individual growth plans; set team OKRs and executed on delivery commitments across 3 product lines simultaneously.
C#UnityHLSL HoloLensOculus QuestGit
Sep 2020 — Sep 2021
Apriva
Scottsdale, AZ
Software Engineer

Built and maintained payment processing APIs and services across C# and Java repositories. Designed SQL schemas and stored procedures; debugged production issues across multi-database and service layers.

.NET CoreC#Java SQLAzureJavaScript
Jan 2017 — Feb 2023
Man On The Moon Studios
Independent / Remote
Founder
Founder / Software Engineer & Designer

Co-founded an independent studio delivering VR medical simulations, Unity games, web apps, data visualization, and IoT prototypes across a wide range of clients and domains.

  • Barrow Neurosurgery VR Spine Surgery Simulation — medical-grade VR training application in Unity.
  • Trained and deployed a custom ML image classification model identifying volcano images, hosted on AWS for an independent research team.
  • Projects include: Clean Cart, Memory Spaces, Wayward Explorers, Twitchy/Clampy IoT streaming robot.
  • Built VR medical simulations, multiplayer mobile games, VTuber Unity environments, and AR memory retrieval prototypes.
C#C++Python PyTorchPandasUnity JavaScriptAWSIoT
Earlier Experience (Visual Live, ASU Lab, Expotech, Xplore/Augvu)
Jan 2020 — Mar 2020
Visual Live
Software Developer

Integrated Azure Spatial Anchors + Cosmos DB for cross-device AR object persistence (Android, HoloLens, iOS). Feature contributed to Visual Live's valuation at acquisition by Unity (merged into Reflect).

Aug 2019 — Jan 2020
ASU Acoustic Ecology Lab
VR Developer

Led team developing Oculus Quest VR app with custom audio filters simulating hearing loss experiences and immersive global location audio environments.

Jan 2019 — Aug 2019
Xplore / Augvu
AR Software Developer

Built an AR geolocation MVP for a social scavenger hunt startup using Unity (C#), Java, and Google APIs for user location-based object populating.

Feb 2018 — Dec 2018
Expotech Inc
Software Developer

Developed Unity AR apps with Leap Motion + OpenCV, D3.js data visualization websites, Vue.js/Feathers.js LMS platforms, and led client SCRUM meetings. Designed original art assets in Adobe CC suite.

Full Stack of
Engineering Capabilities

Languages
  • Python
  • TypeScript / JavaScript
  • C# / .NET
  • C++ / C
  • Kotlin
  • Java
  • HLSL
AI / ML Development
  • PyTorch
  • TensorFlow / TFLite (LiteRT)
  • GCP Vertex AI
  • YOLO12
  • DeepSeek R1-Lite
  • Pandas / NumPy
  • OpenCV
Platforms & Engines
  • Unity Engine
  • Unreal Engine
  • Snap Lens Studio
  • iOS / Android
  • HoloLens / Quest
  • .NET Core
  • Vue.js / Node.js
Cloud / DevOps
  • GCP (Vertex AI, GKE)
  • AWS (S3, Lambda, CloudFront)
  • Azure DevOps
  • Kubernetes
  • Kafka
  • Datadog / Splunk
  • Git / SVN
Data & Storage
  • PostgreSQL / SQLite / SQL
  • Cosmos DB
  • AWS CloudFront / S3
  • AWS Lambda
  • MongoDB
  • Service Bus / Kafka
3D / Creative Tools
  • 3DS Max / Mudbox
  • MotionBuilder
  • Adobe CC Suite
  • Autodesk Suite
  • Sprite Studio
  • Arduino / Raspberry Pi IoT

Featured Work

Live demos, feature highlights, and technical showcases. Video embeds below — add your YouTube URLs directly to the src attributes.

Carvana Cosigner Feature
Underwriting Platform • 2022 • 10-25% buyer access increase
Video Coming Soon
MGM Vegas Indoor Navigation
Visual Positioning System • Illumix • 2023
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Carowinds Snoopy Live Activation
Custom ML Model • Illumix • 2024
Hogwarts Experience — Saudi Arabia
CV Live Activation • Illumix • 2024
Video Coming Soon
3D Virtual Try-On Engine
AR / CV SDK • Illumix • 2023
Video Coming Soon
Game Portfolio & Shader Dev
HLSL Shaders • Unity • Global Game Jams
AR / Game
Gun Club AR Training App
Shot Detection • Unity • CV
VR Medical
Barrow Neurosurgery Sim
VR Spine Surgery • Unity
Shader Dev
HLSL Shaders from Scratch
MonoGame / XNA + Unity
Game Jam
The Great Catsby & More
GGJ 2020 • Ludum Dare • NASA
ML / AWS
Volcano Image Classifier
PyTorch • AWS Hosted
IoT
Twitchy / Clampy Robot
IoT Streaming Robot • Raspberry Pi

Academic Background

B.S. Computer Science & Engineering
+ Game Engine Development Certification
Arizona State University • Aug 2017 — May 2020
GPA 3.23
B.S. Computer Science & Engineering
Northern Arizona University • Aug 2016 — May 2017
GPA 3.75
B.A. Economics
University of Arizona • Aug 2009 — May 2012
GPA 3.50