Gabe Fernandez
Principal iOS + Full-Stack Engineer
I build native iOS apps and full-stack web applications—from concept to shipped product.
About
Building products that matter
I'm a product-minded engineer with over a decade of experience building iOS apps, backend systems, and modern web applications. I specialize in taking ideas from concept to shipped product.
My background includes Fortune 500 enterprise development and indie app creation. I focus on clean architecture, observability, and delivering real value to users.
Portfolio
Featured Projects
Real projects with real outcomes. From native iOS apps to full-stack web platforms.
BookMatcher
Founder & Full-Stack Engineer
AI-powered book recommendation platform that matches readers with their next favorite book.
- AI-driven recommendation engine
- Personalized reading lists
- Powerful book tracking and management features
- Integration with major book APIs and databases
Other Work
Experience
Work History
A track record of delivering impactful software at scale.
Founder / Principal Software Engineer
- Designed, developed, and launched Recall Beacon iOS App for timely food and product recall notifications using SwiftUI, Swift 6, Firebase, and Node.js
- Leveraging AI coding tools and prompt engineering practices including Cursor, Claude Code, and Codex for accelerating development
- Built and deployed BookMatcher.app using OpenAI API for book recommendations with Next.js, React, Tailwind CSS frontend and Node.js/Hono backend on Vercel
- Designed and deployed custom enterprise-grade web application for local Septic Company to automate field and back-office operations
Lead Software Engineer
- Served as solution architect / systems engineer / program tech lead for Join USAA Eligibility, designing technical solutions and providing sizing estimates
- Worked closely with business and product owners to design technical solutions, provide estimates, and system/architectural recommendations
- Back-end API development with Java/Spring, front-end with React, CI/CD pipelines, event pipelines with Kafka, SQL/UDB database
- Implemented SLOs and guided SRE journey; code reviews, complex defect resolution, on-call rotation
Senior Software Engineer
- Developed back-end APIs on modern infrastructure using OpenShift, Docker, JBoss, Spring, REST, CyberArk, JWT, GitLab CI/CD
- Worked with specialty testing teams on defect resolution, root cause analysis, addressing security and performance findings
- Collaborated with IT architecture and business teams to design complex technical solutions and influence requirements
- Served as Pulse Champ, provided mentorship and coaching to junior developers
Research Engineer (IT Security / Fraud)
- Led development of Adaptive DDoS Mitigation library for USAA iOS Mobile App (patent granted), coordinating with Akamai team
- Led Cybersecurity research team of FTEs and contractors; evaluated vendor ML technologies and conducted executive innovation briefs
- Developed driver license and selfie capture technology on iOS using Machine Learning Vision APIs
- Designed and executed Production Pilot of Behavioral Profiling technology on USAA.com infrastructure
- Evaluated Intel IPT for Member Desktop QuickLogon and Employee VPN Logon
Graduate Assistant, ELITE Graduate Program
- Developed web-based application for intake, registration, and tracking of graduate students within grant-funded program
- Coordinated Web 2.0 technologies, produced workshop videos, enhanced integrations between website and social media
- Managed IT and departmental web site, implemented e-mail marketing system, developed customized reporting and analytics
Web Design & IT Services
- Designed and developed web sites for small businesses including Albermarle-Texas.com and ElectricTanCC.com
- Unisys Technical Services Helpdesk Technician: provided IT troubleshooting and support for Government employees
President / CEO
- Founded internet marketing and e-commerce startup; created, developed, and maintained WatchKings.com
- Established supplier relationships, implemented PPC campaigns and SEO strategies achieving top five rankings
Education
Academic Background
Master of Science in Computer Science
University of Texas at San Antonio
Concentration: Cybersecurity
Deep Learning Approaches for Network Intrusion Detection
Laboratory for Cybersecurity Dynamics (LCD)
Bachelor of Science in Construction Science
Texas A&M University
Research
Patents & Publications
Intellectual property and academic contributions to the field.
70
Patents Granted
26
Patent Families
1,184
Citations
15
h-index
Featured Patents
Authentication for application downloads
US 12,432,202 (2025)
Distributed ledger for network security management
US 12,184,664 (2024)
Audio tokens for multi-factor authentication
US 12,170,660 (2024)
Authenticating mobile traffic
US 11,095,630 (2021)
Behavioral profiling method and system to authenticate a user
US 10,091,180 (2018)
Selective passive voice authentication
US 11,676,150 (2023)
Publications
Deep Learning Approaches for Network Intrusion Detection
M.S. Thesis, University of Texas at San Antonio (2019)
A Case Study on Using Deep Learning for Network Intrusion Detection
IEEE Military Communications Conference (MILCOM) (2019)
Addressing the Vulnerabilities of Pass-Thoughts
SPIE Defense and Commercial Sensing (DCS) (2016)
My Brain is My Passport. Verify Me.
IEEE International Conference on Consumer Electronics (ICCE) (2016)
Credentials
Professional Development
Continuous learning across AI, machine learning, and cybersecurity.
AI & Tools
Anthropic - Oct 2025
Machine Learning
Convolutional Neural Networks
Coursera (deeplearning.ai) - Dec 2017
Structuring Machine Learning Projects
Coursera (deeplearning.ai) - Oct 2017
Improving Deep Neural Networks
Coursera (deeplearning.ai) - Sep 2017
Neural Networks and Deep Learning
Coursera (deeplearning.ai) - Sep 2017
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity: Technology, Application and Policy
MIT CSAIL - Spring 2016
Software Defined Radio and Digital Signal Processing
BlackHat - Aug 2014
Designing Secure Protocols and Intercepting Secure Communication
BlackHat - Aug 2013
Innovation
Innovator Certification
UT Austin IC2 Institute - Fall 2014
Expertise
Skills & Technologies
A decade of experience across mobile, backend, and web development.
Mobile
Core ExpertiseBackend
Core ExpertiseWeb
Core ExpertiseData & Cloud
DevOps & Quality
Contact
Let's Work Together
Have a project in mind? Let's discuss how I can help you build something great.
Get In Touch
I'm currently available for contract work and interesting projects. If you need help building production-quality apps, feel free to reach out.