Iman Kahssay · Software Engineer + Human-Centered Systems

Introduction

About

I'm a Software Engineer who recently graduated with an M.S. in Computer Science from UC Davis, building on my strong foundation in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from UC Berkeley. I'm currently seeking job opportunities in software engineering, where I can apply my technical expertise and interdisciplinary experience to develop innovative, meaningful solutions that address real-world challenges.

My experience spans system-level problem-solving, software development, data structures, and algorithms, with an emphasis on building well-structured, reliable software. My interdisciplinary background also includes human-computer interaction (HCI), applied AI, and computer graphics, complemented by hands-on research at the intersection of healthcare, wearable technology, software engineering, and user-centered design. I primarily work with Python, C++, Java, and Kotlin, with additional experience developing user-facing components using HTML, XML, and JavaScript.

While my focus is software engineering, I value clarity, correctness, and user awareness as part of designing systems that behave predictably and scale thoughtfully. I enjoy tackling complex technical challenges, debugging intricate logic, reasoning through tradeoffs, and refining implementations through testing, iteration, and collaboration. Whether developing application logic, integrating hardware and software, or designing intuitive user interactions, I'm driven by curiosity, collaboration, and the opportunity to build software that is technically sound, purposeful, and capable of making a real-world impact.

Skills

Languages

Python C/C++ Java Kotlin Go SQL HTML XML JavaScript Processing Scheme

Tools & Technologies

Git React Node.js Express MongoDB Flask NumPy PyTorch Postman Android Studio Figma

What I have done so far

Work Experience

Sep 2024 - Jun 2026

Researcher · Interactive Organisms Lab, UC Davis

Wearable biosensing, Android development, and human-centered research

Collaborated across disciplines to create a microfluidic wearable device (using Fusion 360 & FormLabs) with embedded colorimetric biosensors to detect biomarker levels in bodily fluids
Developed a companion Android app usuing Kotlin, XML, Android Studio, and Figma, integrating real-time color sensor measurements to estimate biomarker levels (80% accuracy) and deliver personalized health insights and recommended actions
Tested biosensor performance, device reliability, and Android app integration, validating sensor-to-app data processing and refining measurement workflows
Led an IRB-approved, women-centered user study with 21 participants, handling every stage from protocol development and recruitment to study execution and data analysis; applied findings to refine app features and improve device usability by 20%
Published research findings as a co-first author in a peer-reviewed paper at ACM DIS 2026
Documented fabrication and app integration workflows to improve research reproducibility, while supervising undergraduate researchers and coordinating lab equipment, inventory, purchases, and out-of-state shipments

Sep 2024 – Jun 2026

Teaching Assistant · UC Davis

Programming instruction, technical debugging, and embedded systems

Supported 150+ students across 6 courses in Python, Processing, MakeCode, Arduino, and Circuit Playground; developed lecture slides, coding exercises, and quizzes; coordinated 3D printing, vinyl/laser cutting, soldering, and embedded systems labs
Resolved 95% of software and hardware issues involving debugging, environment setup, program logic, and embedded systems workflows while training students and grading 1,000+ technical assignments, exams, and projects
Maintained lab inventory, distributed materials, and provided one-on-one support to students during class, labs, and office hours to enhance student learning and project success

Jan 2022 – Sep 2024

Technical Account Analyst · Zain Psychological & Behavioral Health Services

Backend API development, integration, and software testing

Built scalable RESTful APIs using Flask, Python, and MongoDB to support internal accounting workflows, enabling reliable data retrieval, CRUD operations, and integration with the accounting user interface
Executed end-to-end testing in Postman, improving user flow by 23% & page speed by 19%

My work

Projects

FitBot

A personalized fitness analytics web app that computes and visualizes calories burned and goal progress

Engineered a scalable MERN architecture for real-time updates, backend computation, and interactive visualizations
Implemented multi-feature calorie-burn algorithms using 6+ variables across 10K+ activity records, increasing personalization and accuracy of health insights by 35%
Leveraged research to improve clarity by 45% and user engagement by 52%

#mongodb #express #react #node.js #python

BugSwarm

Python pipeline that turns CI failure artifacts into structured, human-readable bug reports

Embedded BugSwarm + Travis CI via REST APIs to ingest and process CI failure artifacts; added log sanitization and diff summarization
Integrated an LLM (Google Gemini) to generate bug reports that contains root-cause analyses and fix suggestions; generated 100/100 reports with 0 runtime errors
Reduced manual bug documentation effort by ~70%

#python #ci #rest-api #llm

Cloth Simulation with Realistic Rendering

Interactive cloth simulation with physics constraints and shader-based rendering.

Implemented point-mass + spring system with collision handling to accurately model cloth movement; reduced cloth clipping by 90%
Wrote GLSL shaders to improve visual & texture quality by 85%
Developed two new shaders through research on new/improved shading models for textile materials; optimized cloth's visual quality by 80%

#cpp #opengl #glsl #graphics

Grammys Winner Prediction

Android app for selecting, sharing, and discussing Grammy winner predictions.

Led a 4-person team to build an Android app; implemented core app logic and UI components
Identified and resolved performance and workflow issues through unit testing and manual validation, improving user flow by 51% and page speed by 43%
Conducted user interviews and usability testing, incorporating feedback to refine features and improve overall usability

#java #xml #figma #android-studio

Get in touch

Contact

The best way to reach me is via email

Email LinkedIn

Recruiter notes

Currently based in Orange, CA. Recent M.S. graduate (June 2026).

Open to new-grad Software Engineering or UX/UI Engineering roles nationwide, with a preference for Southern California, the Bay Area, or Seattle, WA.

Hi, I'm Iman Kahssay

A Software Engineer focused on building reliable, innovative, and human-centered systems