Karl Wise

Background

About

Computer Science graduate with active federal experience and a background in IT and Cyber Threat monitoring at the DHS. Proven ability to secure data and manage network integrity in high-pressure environments, including FEMA incident response. Currently leveraging a strong foundation in Linux (Arch) and systems-level scripting to transition into Software Engineering with an ultimate focus on Application Security and Penetration Testing.

Work Experience

Reservist, Individual Assistance Cadre, FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)
Oct, 2024 - Jan, 20261 year 3 months
- Deployed on-demand to federal disaster zones, serving as a primary technical point of contact for high-stakes incident response.
- Managed secure data collection and verification for disaster survivors, ensuring 100% compliance with federal data integrity and privacy regulations.
- Directed technical workflows, translating technical federal aid requirements for non-technical stakeholders to expedite aid delivery.
Technical Support Assistant, Wise Choice Consulting
Sep, 2015 - Present
- Engineer and troubleshoot low-voltage networking and residential-scale IT infrastructure, ensuring optimal system uptime and connectivity.
- Lead technical project communications, diagnosing and resolving hardware/software failures for diverse client installations.
IT and Cyber Threat Intern, Department of Homeland Security
May, 2018 - Aug, 20183 months
- Monitored network traffic for anomalies and potential cyber threats, contributing to the security posture of departmental assets.
- Hardened data integrity by organizing and auditing sensitive departmental records to prevent unauthorized access.
- Synthesized technical intelligence from city-wide security briefings to report directly to the Department Head on emergency preparedness.

Projects Experience

Arch Linux Custom UI (AGS)
- Present
Architecting a custom system interface using Hyprland and GJS. Successfully implemented core system-level API integration and asynchronous polling logic. Currently refining frontend presentation and workflow automation scripts.
Harvard CS50x: Introduction to Computer Science
- Present
Engineered high-complexity algorithmic solutions, including the 'Tideman' ranked-pairs election system. Currently 80% complete (Week 8/10), with a strong foundation in memory management and data structures using C and Python.

Skills

Languages
Python

Java

C

SQL (MySQL)

JavaScript

HTML/CSS
Operating Systems & DevOps
Linux System Administration (Arch, Ubuntu/Debian)

Bash & Shell Scripting (Automation & Workflow)

Windows Server & Active Directory

Unix Environments

Hyprland/Wayland
Cyber & Networking
Information Security & Assurance

Network Operations & Defense

Threat Detection & Mitigation

Vulnerability Assessment (Learning)

Ethical Hacking Fundamentals

TCP/IP
Tools & Virtualization
Git

VirtualBox

VMWare

JUnit

Microsoft 365

Education

Computer Science, Bachelor of Science, University of New Orleans
Aug, 2019 - May, 2024
Software Engineering & Logic: Analysis of Algorithms, Data Structures, Software Design I & II, Data Models & Database Systems

Security: Network Operations & Defense, Computer Forensics, Information Security & Assurance, Intro to Cyber Security

Systems & Infrastructure: Principles of Operating Systems, Systems Programming Concepts, Machine Structure & Assembly, Cloud Computing, Computer Networking

Awards

Dean's List (4x Recipient) , University of New Orleans
Awarded on: Jan 25, 2021
Awarded consecutively from Fall 2021 through Spring 2023 for maintaining a GPA between 3.2 and 3.49.
President's List (2x Recipient) , University of New Orleans
Awarded on: May 15, 2021
Awarded consecutively from Fall 2020 through Spring 2021 for maintaining a GPA above 3.5.