Darren O'Connor
(303)669-5314
odarren@yahoo.com
Objective:
To work on projects in which my skills are constantly growing. Preferable
projects involve embedded systems, including microprocessor, logic and
analog circuit design.
Education:
Masters degree in Electrical Engineering from University of Colorado at
Boulder's Electromagnetics department. Graduated with a 3.65 GPA in
1998
Bachelor of Science in Electronic Engineering Technology from the
Oregon Institute of Technology, Klamath Falls, Oregon. Graduated Summa
Cum Laude, with a 4.00 GPA, in 1994.
Associate of Applied Science in Electronic Engineering Technology from
Mt. Hood Community College, Gresham, Oregon. I was the Valedictorian
of the class of 1992.
Skills:
1. System level design.
2. Low noise, high frequency amplifier and filter design.
3. Theory and application of digital signal processing (FIR and IIR filters,
FFT, Fourier Series, PID controllers).
4. Digital logic design using Verilog.
5. Programming in C and Visual Basic, as well as assembly language on the
Intel XX86; and Motorola's DSP 560xx, DSP563xx and 68xxx families;
and Analog Devices DSP219X family. Specialize in embedded systems
and user interfaces.
6. High speed, low noise printed circuit board design.
7. RF analysis using network and spectrum analyzers.
8. Circuit analysis and design using SPICE, Orcad, Pads, Xilinx, and
Modelsim tools.
9. Antenna design, analysis and testing, including network analyzers and
anechoic chambers.
10. Simulation and modeling using Matlab.
Experience:
SPEC, Inc.
Senior Systems Engineer, 9/01 to Present
I was hired to take over the maintenance and design of the electronics
portions of SPEC’s cloud physics measurement instrumentation. I worked
on proposals doing design and simulation for projects that were
successfully funded through a Navy SBIR grant program. Two such
designs were the 2DS, which focused on high frequency photodiode
amplification, and an in-situ LIDAR, balancing signal to noise versus
bandwidth to achieve the necessary requirements. I also completely
redesigned, doing the schematic capture and all the logic design using the
Verilog language for the logic design and PADS Powerlogic for the
schematic capture, the company’s flagship instrument: the Cloud Particle
Imager. As the sole EE, I oversaw all parts purchasing and the assembly
and fabrication of the electronics boards, and worked closely with the
mechanical engineer at the system level. I managed multiple software and
hardware contractors. I took the lead role in managing and performing
successful engineering design projects for commercial customers.
ZIGHT CORPORATION
Systems Engineer, 9/00 to 9/01.
I worked for a miniature liquid crystal on silicon display manufacturer
designing test collateral and analyzing manufacturing processes. My
designs largely involved buffering and routing signals of up to 60 MHz,
making use of my background in RF circuit and high frequency
operational amplifier design. I also supported many other designers in the
area of transmission line analysis and impedance matching for high-speed
circuits, often using SPICE and Matlab to model the desired systems.
DROPLET MEASUREMENT TECHNOLOGIES, Inc.
Electrical Engineer, 7/97 to 9/00
I was hired to design the full suite of electronics for the company's
premiere particle measurement instrument: the Cloud Aerosol and
Precipitation Spectrometer. Logic and embedded system design centered
around Motorola's DSP56309 processor and Xilinx FPGAs and CPLDs.
The analog systems were designed to meet very high frequency and low
noise requirements, while fitting into the smallest possible space. Optical
detection was performed using photodiode arrays and temperature
controlled (using PID algorithm) avalanche photodiodes and
photomultiplier tubes. I implemented a real time image compression
routine in assembly language to achieve high information rates and
minimal storage size. The design has been a success, with sales to
Tasmania, Israel, Japan, and the U.S. military.
LABORATORY FOR ATMOSPHERIC SPACE PHYSICS (LASP)
Professional and Graduate Research Assistant, 1/95 to 7/97.
I worked on the Student Nitric Oxide Explorer, a small satellite largely
designed by students at the University of Colorado at Boulder. I was the
lead hardware engineer for the command and data handling system,
designing a board to interface the on board computer with various
subsystems. The board consisted of Field Programmable Gate Arrays,
designed on Viewlogic, First In First Out memory devices, discrete logic,
and amplifiers. The design included NRZM to NRZL converters, Bi Phase
L converters, and cyclic redundancy code error detection circuits. Because
of my background in electromagnetics, I also helped design the magnetic
torque rods used to perform satellite attitude correction.
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT BOULDER
Research Assistant 10/96 to 2/97
I worked with Dr. Edward Kuester to design a 24-element dipole antenna
to meet design requirements for the cellular industry.
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT BOULDER
Teaching Assistant, 8/94 to 12/94
I worked with Doctor Dolores Etter to teach ECEN 4632, Introduction to
Digital Filtering.
OREGON INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Outdoor Program Director, 9/93 to 6/94
I was elected to this position in which I managed a $15,000 budget and
provided outdoor sporting equipment for students. I led outdoor trips, the
favorite of which was rock climbing, and supervised a staff of 10.
INTEL CORPORATION
Summer Hire Student Engineer, 6/93 to 9/93
I designed and tested a high frequency data transmission circuit to
determine the feasibility of using a specific type of driver for chassis to
chassis links with the Peripheral Components Interface (PCI) architecture.
My performance review was outstanding.
Special Skills, Fly tyer.
and activities. Ski and binding technician.
Avid rock climber and kayaker.
Past member of OIT's student senate.
Past member of OIT's chapter of the IEEE club.
1992 member of "Who's Who In American Junior Colleges."
Winner of the "1990 Outstanding Novice Boxer of Oregon" title.
Publications: Baumgardner, D., H. Jonsson, W. Dawson, D. O’Connor and R. Newton,
2001: The cloud, aerosol and precipitation spectrometer: a new instrument
for cloud investigations. Atmos. Res., 59-60, 251-264.
Evans, K. F., R. P. Lawson, P. Zmarzly, D. O'Connor, and W. J.
Wiscombe, 2003: In situ cloud sensing with multiple scattering lidar:
simulations and demonstration. J. of Atmos. Oceanic Technol., 20, 15051522.
Lawson, R. P., B. A. Baker, P. Zmarzly, D. O’Connor, Q. Mo, J.-F. Gayet,
and V. Shcherbakov, 2005: Microphysical and optical properties of ice
crystals at South Pole Station. Submitted to J. Appl. Meteor., March 2005.
Lawson, R. P., D. O’Connor, P. Zmarzly, K. Weaver, B. A. Baker, Q. Mo,
and H. Jonsson, 2005: The 2D-S(Stereo)Probe: Design and Preliminary
Tests of a New Airborne, High Speed, High-Resolution Particle Imaging
Probe. Submitted to J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., May 2005.
O’Connor, D. C., 2005: Servo Circuit Controls Sine-Wave Amplitude:
Electronics Design, 53, 86.
Evans, K. F., D. O'Connor, P. Zmarzly, and R. P. Lawson, 2006: In situ
cloud sensing with multiple scattering lidar: Design and validation of an
airborne sensor. J. Atmos. Ocean Tech., Vol. 23, 1068-1081.
O’Connor, D., B. Baker and R. P. Lawson, 2008: Upgrades to the FSSP100 Electronics. International Conference on Clouds and Precipitation.
Cancun, July 7 – 11. Available at: http://conventioncenter.net/iccp2008/abstracts/Program_on_line/Poster_13/OConnor_extended_final.pdf