Brendan Rodriguez Email
Charlotte, NC

Computer Engineer Embedded Systems, Cybersecurity, Software, Infrastructure.

Technical work across software, cybersecurity, embedded systems, and infrastructure, supported by industry internships, research, and applied project experience.

ABOUT ME View projects
01B.S. Computer EngineeringUniversity of Central Florida · 2026
02Enterprise Software and InfrastructureApplication development, cloud platforms, and systems administration
03Embedded Security and Cryptography ResearchPower analysis, hardware security, and embedded target evaluation
04Autonomous SystemsMulti-drone coordination, telemetry, and edge-compute integration

Experience / 01

01Lockheed Martin-sponsored senior designAug 2025 — May 2026

Project lead · VITALS search and rescue

Multi-drone search-and-rescue system

Led a six-person cross-functional team building a distributed search-and-rescue system across UAVs, ground-control software, telemetry radios, flight controllers, and an NVIDIA Jetson Nano.

  • Built Python MAVLink UDP/TCP tooling between aircraft, ground control, and edge compute on Ubuntu Linux.
  • Standardized RFD900+ and RFD900x telemetry firmware and cabling for Pixhawk controllers.
  • Validated authorization, command integrity, and end-to-end behavior through hardware-in-the-loop testing.
02Duke Energy · Charlotte, NCMay 2024 — Aug 2024

Cybersecurity Architect Intern

Cybersecurity architecture

Evaluated on-premises, AWS, and Azure environments to map data flows, controls, and cross-business-unit workflows across a critical-infrastructure enterprise.

  • Identified a 32.6% process bottleneck in a backlog review pipeline.
  • Presented post-quantum cryptography implications to executive stakeholders.
  • Supported security architecture reviews through on-site data center and infrastructure discovery.
03The DRACO Lab · UCFAug 2024 — May 2026

Undergraduate Researcher

Hardware security research

Investigated security-relevant behavior in embedded and compute systems using physical measurement, automated experimentation, and data-driven analysis.

  • Used ChipWhisperer to capture power traces and extract cryptographic keys from embedded targets.
  • Built Python pipelines with perf, NumPy, and Pandas for feature extraction and anomaly detection.
  • Applied ML techniques to classify signals from hardware performance counters.
04Duke Energy · Charlotte, NCMay 2023 — Aug 2023

Software Engineer Intern

Software engineering

Developed an internal application and its supporting AWS infrastructure.

  • Supported RESTful integrations between internal applications.
  • Provisioned AWS resources with Terraform-based infrastructure as code.
  • Built Git-based CI/CD workflows with automated testing.
05PGA National Resort & SpaJan 2017 — Dec 2021

Systems Engineering Administrator

IT and building systems

Supported the resort’s Windows servers, Active Directory, VOIP, PMS/POS platforms, endpoints, and network-connected building systems.

  • Provisioned users, security groups, and role-based access across operational systems and data.
  • Restored the INNCOM room-management system and reintegrated sensors, controllers, and network devices.
  • Diagnosed HVAC controls, guest-room devices, lighting, hardware, software, and network incidents.
2021 — 2022

Ingest Technician · Catapult

Operated professional ingest workflows, verified data integrity, applied metadata, and maintained auditable SAN records for live and tape-based media.

2024 — Present

Cast Member · Walt Disney World

Directs high-volume guest and vehicle flow and supports accurate, welcoming main-entrance operations.

Skills / 02

Discipline matrix

Technical skills

Select focus area · [01 Cyber]

Engineering tools across cybersecurity, enterprise infrastructure, embedded systems, and software. Select a domain to explore technologies and applied experience.

Spec 01 // Cyber

Security architecture & research

Security-minded systems work, hybrid-cloud analysis, and hands-on experimentation.

Applied context

The DRACO Lab · UCF

Used ChipWhisperer to capture power traces and extract cryptographic keys from embedded targets.

Duke Energy

Presented post-quantum cryptography implications to executive stakeholders.

FeaturedAES-128 side-channel assessment

1. Hardware security and analysis

  • ChipWhisperer
  • Hardware security
  • Side-channel analysis
  • CPA

2. Architecture and controls

  • Data-flow analysis
  • Hybrid-cloud controls
  • IAM
  • NIST RMF
  • Post-quantum cryptography

3. Analysis tooling

  • Python
  • perf
  • NumPy
  • Pandas

Use ← / → arrow keys or select a domain above

01 Cyber · 02 IT · 03 OT · 04 Software

Education / 03

Education

May 2026

University of Central Florida

B.S. Computer Engineering

Hispanic Heritage Foundation Scholar · Coursework across software engineering, networking, operating systems, data structures, and IoT systems design.

Certifications / 04

Certifications

AWS Skill Builder2026
Terraform on AWS2023
Hacking for Defense2023
Principal Investigators & Research2022

U.S. citizen · Eligible for Secret clearance

Projects / 05

Selected projects

View all projects
Editorial visualization of drones connected to a ground control node over a search grid
Mission system2025 — 2026

VITALS

Multi-drone search-and-rescue command, telemetry, and edge-compute integration.
Editorial visualization of an embedded target, measurement instrument, and power traces
Security research2026

AES-128 side-channel assessment

Trace capture, resynchronization, and correlation power analysis against embedded hardware.
Repello app icon with a green geometric training mark on a dark background
Mobile product2026

Repello

A React Native app for logging strength training, viewing progress, and calculating readiness and recovery guidance.

RESUMES / 06

Four role-focused RESUMES

Each version uses the same work history and changes the order and detail for the selected area.

01

Cybersecurity

Cloud, controls, hardware security

PDF · One page
 02

Information technology

Systems, identity, enterprise operations

PDF · One page
 03

OT / Embedded

Firmware, telemetry, field systems

PDF · One page
 04

Software engineering

Applications, APIs, cloud delivery

PDF · One page

Contact / 07

Contact

brendan.thomas.rodriguez@gmail.com
GitHub ↗LinkedIn ↗Charlotte, NC