Rob Chambers

Experienced ML, software, and data generalist.

rdchambers@gmail.com · (610) 984-4299 · Seattle, WA · www.rdchambers.net

Education

Stanford University, M.S. in Mechanical Engineering. 2006-2010

Numerical methods, computational modeling/simulation, experimental methods.
Emphasis on microfluidics and fluid mechanics. PhD-track research assistant for 3+ years.
Funded by Stanford Graduate Fellowship ('06-'08) and Kodak Graduate Fellowship ('08-'10).

Harvey Mudd College, B.S. in Engineering. 2002-2006

Experience

Senior ML Engineer Motional Remote Feb 2023-Sep 2024

ML generalist working on autonomous vehicles (Multi-object tracking team / Perception org).
Worked across the stack in a mix of IC and TL roles.
Data pipelines: Led efforts to modernize the team's data stack. [PySpark]

Reduced training DB generation cost (by 97%), time (by 90%), and data transfer (by >99%).

Model improvement: [Pytorch, PySpark, C++]

Improved tracker's overall state estimation by +18% (+40% for VRUs) with data augmentation.
Improved the track refinement model's size (-75%) and training cost (-65%).
Led efforts to solve a critical tracking issue (reversing agents).

Model evaluation (TL role): [Ray, Pytorch, LogSim, Applied Intuition tools]

Led development of a distributed ML evaluation framework with full multi-object tracking metrics.
Led creation of the team's first automated resim test suite for impact and regression measurement.

Monitoring: [PySpark, DataBricks]

Implemented dashboard for on-road performance, backed by incremental data pipelines.

Principal ML Engineer Yoodli (AI2 Incubator) Seattle, WA Nov 2021-Feb 2023

2nd FTE in web startup building an AI coach for interviews, presentations, and public speaking.
Head of AI; responsible for AI roadmap and for communicating it to the Board.
Led AI-related data labeling, modeling, and deployment efforts. [PyTorch, GPT3, GCP Vertex]
Developed and deployed transformer-based NLP model for critiquing public speaking. [Huggingface]

Implemented complete DE and analytics system from scratch. [Airflow/DBT/Bigquery]
Led overhaul of codebase: JS to Typescript; tests; DB redesign; CI/CD, monorepo, NX build system.

ML Engineer Facebook Seattle, WA Jun 2020-Nov 2021

Senior Machine Learning Generalist / SWE working with text- and image-based ML models.
Trained, deployed, and monitored ML models on FB's highest-volume surfaces.
Led and launched projects that prevent >100 M Views / day of harmful content, reducing total prevalence of those harms on FB by several percent.
Built data pipelines processing >300B events/day to characterize project impacts.
Recognized by org leads for engineering excellence.

Lead Data Scientist Whistle Labs San Francisco (remote) May 2018-Jun 2020

Technical lead on Pet Insight Project (petinsight.com).

Led re-design for production-level reliability and long-term evolvability (deployed in 2019).
Managed integration of project components - internal (frontend, backend, DB, processing cluster, CI/CD, etc) and external (Whistle APIs, infras) [ECS, Docker, Terraform].
Planned technical roadmap.

Primary contributor to core deep learning algorithms.
Implemented custom data solutions for challenging time series [Postgres+S3/Parquet/PySpark].
Direct reports: 2 FT and 3-5 contractors. Hiring manager for PI technical positions.
Pet Insight-powered health monitoring was released as a flagship Whistle feature in 2019.

ML Publication: R. D. Chambers et. al., "Deep learning classification of canine behavior using a single collar-mounted accelerometer: Real-world validation," Animals, 2021. Open access.

ML Publication: R. D. Chambers and N. C. Yoder, "FilterNet: A Many-to-Many Deep Learning Architecture for Time Series Classification," Sensors, 2020. Open access.

Senior Data Scientist Whistle Labs San Francisco (remote) Jul 2017-May 2018

Developed core deep learning algorithms for classifying sensor time series [Tensorflow, PyTorch].
Led acquisition, labeling, cleaning, and validation of unique training dataset
(10,000+ labeled videos, 70k manual labels, and ~100 behavior types, from 2k+ pets.)
Developed project datastore [PostgreSQL, AWS RDS, S3] and web admin interface [Flask, Heroku].

Independent Consultant (remote) Jul 2015-Jul 2017

Alternated consulting stints with long-distance bicycle touring, meditation retreats, and travel.
Smart Focus, Inc: Deployed a GPU-enabled CNN for disease diagnosis via retinal images [Tensorflow].
Truly Wireless: Developed voice analysis algorithms, deployed as scalable API [Flask, Docker, ECS].

Engineer Creare Engineering R&D Hanover, NH Jul 2010-Jun 2015

Architect/Lead Developer for successful software which generated $6M+ of follow-on work:

D.A.S.S.P.: Real-time physics-based algorithms synthesizing 5 TB+ of GIS data. [Python/JS].
TabSINT: Mobile platform for flexible, calibrated audiometric studies [Cordova/AngularJS].
Hearing Assessment: Desktop application for audiometry and data analysis [Python/Qt].

Substantial work in biomedical image segmentation, 3D viz, and signal processing,.
Work in algorithm development and machine learning [SVMs; classifiers; sklearn]
Established/maintained corporate compute cloud [AWS] and source code repo [Gitlab].

Grad Research Assistant Stanford Microfluidics Laboratory 2006-2010

Experiments, data analysis, and physics-based modeling [MATLAB/Python]; Lab automation [Labview].
Supervised masters students, taught guest lectures and review sessions, ran experimental labs.

Skills

Machine Learning PyTorch, TensorFlow, Transformers, Scikit-learn, OpenCV. CNNs, LSTMs, etc.
Scientific Python Pandas, Scipy, Numpy, Jupyter Notebooks, plotting, Cython.
Data Analysis Stats, filtering, regression, image processing, ODEs/PDEs. SQL, NoSQL, Spark.
Web/Mobile Typescript, HTML/CSS/JS, NodeJS. React, Flask, Firebase. API design.
Cloud GCP, AWS. Terraform. Serverless, Docker containers, GitOps, monitoring.
Software Dev Python, C++. Scrum, agile. OO, functional, procedural, and mixed paradigms.

Personal Projects / Portfolio Work

FilterNet github.com/WhistleLabs/FilterNet
Reproducible source code for FilterNet publication - primary author.
Motorshed github.com/robchambers/motorshed
Open-source project to visualize road networks using beautiful, stylized maps.

Other Experience

Course Assistant Stanford Mechanical Engineering 2008-2010

Taught review sessions, gave guest lectures, supervised experimental labs.

Research Assistant Harvey Mudd College 2005-2006

Undergraduate research position. Studied creep deformation in polycrystalline metals for Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Summer Research Intern (REU) University of Minnesota Mech. E. 2004

Selected Honors

Kodak Graduate Fellowship The Eastman Kodak Company, 2008

Graduate Fellowship Stanford Univ. School of Engineering, 2006

Harvey S. Mudd Merit Scholarship Harvey Mudd College, 2002

Patents

"System, method, and apparatus for pet condition detection." International patent application PCT/US2022/025368, filed 2022 Apr 19.
“System and method for wellness assessment of a pet.” United States patent application US 17/621,670. 2022 Nov 17.
“System and method for data analysis,” U.S. Provisional Pat. Ser. No. 62/970,575, filed February 5, 2020.
“Isotachophoresis having interacting anionic and cationic shock waves,” U.S. Patent 8,968,529 (2015).
“Isotachophoretic Focusing of Nucleic Acids,” U.S. Patent 8,846,314 (2014).
“Non-Focusing Tracers for Indirect Detection in Electrophoretic Displacement Techniques,” U.S. Patent 8,721,858 (2014).
“Fluorescent Finger Prints for Indirect Detection is Isotachophoresis,” US Patent 8,562,804 (2013).

Publications

R. D. Chambers, N.C. Yoder, A.B. Carson, C. Junge, D. E. Allen, L. M. Prescott, S. Bradley, G. Wymore, K. Lloyd, S. Lyle, "Deep Learning Classification of Canine Behavior Using a Single Collar-Mounted Accelerometer: Real-World Validation," Animals, 2021. Open access.
R. D. Chambers and N. C. Yoder, "FilterNet: A Many-to-Many Deep Learning Architecture for Time Series Classification," Sensors, 2020. Open access.
I. I. Maro, A. M. Fellows, O. H. Clavier, J. Gui, C. C Rieke, J. C. Wilbur, R. D. Chambers, B. G. Jastrzembski, J. E. Mascari, M. Bakari, M. Matee, F. E. Musiek, R. D. Waddell, C. F. von Reyn, P. E. Palumbo, N. Moshi, J. C. Buckey, “Auditory Impairments in HIV-Infected Children,” Ear and hearing, 2016.
I. I. Maro, N. Moshi, O. C. Clavier, T. MacKenzie, R. J. Kline-Schoder, J. C. Wilbur, R. D. Chambers, A. M. Fellows, B. G. Jastrzembski, J. E. Mascari, M. Bakari, M. Matee, F. E. Musiek, R. D. Waddell, C. F. von Reyn, J. C. Buckey, “Auditory impairments in HIV-infected individuals in Tanzania”, Ear and Hearing, 2014.
D. Milanova, R. D. Chambers, S. S. Bahga, J. G. Santiago, “Effect of PVP on the electroosmotic mobility of wet-etched glass microchannels,” Electrophoresis, 2012.
S. Bahga, R. D. Chambers, and J. G. Santiago, “Interaction of Ion-Concentration Shock Waves in Microfluidics,” Bulletin of the American Physical Society, 2011.
D. Milanova, R. D. Chambers, and J. G. Santiago, “Electrophoretic mobility measurements of fluorescent dyes via on-chip capillary electrophoresis,” Electrophoresis, 2011.
S. Bahga, R. D. Chambers, and J. G. Santiago, “Coupled isotachophoretic preconcentration and electrophoretic separation using bidirectional isotachophoresis,” Analytical Chemistry, 2011.
A. Persat, R. D. Chambers, and J. G. Santiago, “Basic principles of electrolyte chemistry for microfluidic electrokinetics. Part I: Acid-base equilibria and pH buffers,” Lab on a Chip, 2009.
R. D. Chambers and J. G. Santiago, “Imaging and quantification of isotachophoresis zones using nonfocusing fluorescent tracers,” Analytical Chemistry, 2009.
F. Lin, F. Baldessari, C. C. Gyenge , T. Sato, R. D. Chambers, J. G. Santiago, and E. C. Butcher, “Lymphocyte electrotaxis in vitro and in vivo,” Journal of Immunology, 2008.

Selected Presentations, Proceedings, and Posters

Chambers M, Chambers R. D., Daily D, Wanner S, Andre AT, Merk JA, Williamson AK. Resident Attitudes Towards Autopsy Education and TheAutopsyBook.com. Poster presented at the Association of Pathology Chairs Annual Meeting. 2024 July 21-23; Chicago, IL.
J. Bieszczad, M. P. Ueckermann, C. A. Brooks, W. E. Audette, J. D. Walthour, and R. D. Chambers, “Using Python in the Cloud to Generate Hydrometeorological Data Products in Real-Time from Terabytes of Geospatial Data.” 96th Meeting of the American Meterological Society, New Orleans, LA, January 12-16 2016.
J. Bieszczad, and M. P. Ueckermann, C. A. Brooks, R. D. Chambers, W. E. Audette, and J. D. Walthour. “DASSP: A System for High-Resolution, Global Prediction of Soil Moisture Content and Soil Strength.” 96th Meeting of the American Meterological Society, New Orleans, LA, January 12-16 2016.
M. P. Uckermann, R. D. Chambers, C. A. Brooks, W. E. Audette, J. Y. Bieszczad. “PyDEM: Global Digital Elevation Model Analysis,” SciPy Conference, Austin, TX, USA, July 6-12 2015.
Pal, R., Galloway, G. P., Clavier, O., Chambers, R. D., Friets, E., Garrison, K., and Mendelson, J., “Adherence Monitoring for Substance Abuse Clinical Trials,” presented at the 76th Annual Meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence, San Juan, Puerto Rico, June 14-19, 2014.
Fogg, D., Chen, W., and Chambers, R. D., "Thermal Stabilization of Variable Loading, Multi-Evaporator Refrigeration Loops via Liquid Recirculation," SAE Technical Paper 2013-01-2240, 2013.
Chambers, R. D., Finger, W.H., Norris, J.A., and Clavier, O.H.. “Hearing Assessment: Lessons learned developing a modular solution for audiometric testing,” SciPy Conference, Austin, TX, USA, June 24-29 2013.
Davis, B. J., Kaszeta, R.W., Chambers, R. D., Pilvelait, B.R., Magari, P.J., Withers, M., and Rossi, D., “Machine vision tracking of carrier-deck assets for improved launch safety,” presented at the SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing Conference, Apr 2013, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Friets, E. M., Bieszczad, J., Kynor, D. B., Norris, J. A., Davis, B. J., Allen, L. V., Chambers, R. D., Wolf, J., Glisson, C., Herrell, S. D. and Galloway, R. L., Jr., “Endoscopic Laser Range Scanner for Minimally Invasive, Image Guided Kidney Surgery,” Presented at: SPIE Medical Imaging Conference, Lake Buena Vista, FL, 9–14 Feb 2013. Manuscript.
Maro I, Moshi N, Neke N, Clavier O, Kline-Schoder R, Wilbur J, Chambers R. D., Jastrzembski B, Fellows A, Mascari J, MacKenzie T, Bakari M, Waddell R, vonReyn C, Buckey J, “Hearing impairment in HIV-infected individuals in Tanzania,” presented at the AIDS 2012 Conference, July 2012, Washington DC, USA.
Norris, J. A., Chambers, R. D., Kattamis, N. T., Davis, B. J. and Bieszczad, J., “Effects of Custom Earplug Design Parameters on Achieved Attenuation,” Presented at: National Hearing Conservation Association 2012 Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, 23–25 Feb 2012. Poster.
Bahga, S. S., Chambers, R. D. and Santiago, J. G., “Interaction of ion-concentration in shock waves in microfluidics," 64th Annual Meeting of the American Physical Society/Division of Fluid Dynamics (APS/DFD), Baltimore, MD, November 20-22, 2011.
Kaigala G.V., Bercovici M., Chambers R. D., Behnam M., Elliott D., Santiago J.G., and Backhouse C.J., ”Portable instrument for label-Free toxin detection,” Gordon Research Conference on Physics and Chemistry of Microfluidics, Lucca, Italy, June 28-July 3, 2009.
Kaigala G.V., Bercovici M., Chambers R. D., Backhouse C.J, and Santiago J.G., “Portable instrument for label-free toxin detection,” DARPA N/MEMS S&T Fundamentals meeting, Sun River, OR, USA, July 8,2009.
Chambers, R. D. and J. G. Santiago, “Visualization of complex, miniaturized electrophoretic systems with a fluorescent tracer.” The Thermal and Fluid Sciences Affiliates and Sponsors Conference (TFSA 2008), Stanford, CA, February 2008.
Chambers, R. D., T. Khurana and J.G. Santiago, “Novel isotachophoresis assays for rapid detection of unlabeled, untreated toxins,” DARPA-MF3 Center Meeting MEMs/NEMs All Center Review Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, June 24, 2008.