Meet the Instructor
Scott Baker
Senior Software Engineer — Ruby on Rails · Cloud Infrastructure · Data Engineering · AI Systems
This course exists because the resource I needed didn't. Most Rails tutorials stop at scaffolding. This one doesn't. Every module is written to the depth a working engineer actually needs — production architecture patterns, real deployment workflows, SQL that senior devs use, and AI features built on pgvector and RAG pipelines, not toy demos.
I came to Ruby and Rails with 14 years of SQL experience, a Databricks Certified Spark/Scala background, an AWS Solutions Architect certification, and years of cloud infrastructure work across GCP, AWS, and Azure. I built SmartRails Email — a production collaborative email platform on Rails 8 with ActionMailbox, ActionCable, pgvector RAG, and GCP Cloud Run — as the capstone proof that every concept in this course works in production.
I'm going mastery deep into Rails the same way I went deep into DuckDB, Spark, and distributed systems — building real things, measuring what works, and documenting every step. That's exactly what this course is.
Background
Professional Summary
Senior software engineer with 14 years of SQL experience — from MySQL and MariaDB in web hosting and healthcare compliance through Apache Spark at scale and into modern Rails 8 development with PostgreSQL, pgvector, and ActiveRecord at depth.
Specialized in full-stack engineering and data-intensive systems: Rails 8 application architecture, Hotwire/Turbo real-time interfaces, REST and GraphQL API design, cloud infrastructure on GCP and AWS, and AI-powered features built on pgvector embeddings and retrieval-augmented generation pipelines.
Databricks Certified Developer (Apache Spark, Scala) and AWS Certified Solutions Architect. Available for Rails consulting, code review, and mentoring engagements.
Skills
Core Competencies
Ruby & Rails
Rails 8 · Ruby 3.x · Hotwire · Turbo Streams · Stimulus · ActionCable · ActionMailbox · Kamal
Data & SQL
PostgreSQL · ActiveRecord · pgvector · Window Functions · CTEs · EXPLAIN ANALYZE · DuckDB · Apache Spark
Cloud & Infrastructure
GCP Cloud Run · AWS S3 · Azure Blob · Kamal 2 · Docker · NVMe bare-metal · Multi-cloud pipelines
AI & ML Systems
pgvector embeddings · RAG pipelines · SSE streaming · Vertex AI · llama.cpp · LangChain.rb · Anthropic API
Testing & Quality
RSpec · FactoryBot · Capybara · SimpleCov · Shoulda-Matchers · Request specs · System specs
Languages & Tools
Ruby · SQL · Python · Scala · Rust · Bash · Nix · Terraform · Git
Experience
Professional Experience
Senior Software Engineer — Rails & Data Systems
Independent · December 2022 — Present · Remote
- Built SmartRails Email: a production Rails 8 collaborative email platform with ActionMailbox, ActionCable real-time presence, pgvector RAG reply suggestions, DuckDB natural-language analytics, and GCP Cloud Run deployment via Kamal
- Engineered pgvector embedding pipelines and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems directly within Rails using the neighbor and raix-rails gems alongside llama.cpp local inference
- Designed and benchmarked DuckDB-backed analytics layers: 172 million rows/second on a single workstation — 167M NYC Yellow Cab records, 48 Parquet files, 5 queries, 971ms wall time — no cluster, no JVM
- Engineered Spark/Databricks → DuckDB migrations with verified before/after benchmarks; documented 5–25× performance gains and 80%+ cost reduction for clients
- Authored a DuckDB C++ extension implementing post-quantum cryptography (ML-KEM-768, ML-DSA-65) callable from SQL via liboqs 0.15.0
- Built HazyNet: multi-node Apache Spark 3.5 cluster in Scala (pure functional patterns) for rigorous DuckDB vs. Spark benchmarking with reproducible methodology
- Earned Databricks Certified Associate Developer for Apache Spark (Scala) and AWS Certified Solutions Architect (Associate) — both backed by production code
IT Analyst
Ultra Clean Technologies · June 2019 — August 2022 · On-Site
- Automated enterprise hardware deployments via MS SCCM image creation and push
- Administered Active Directory and Office 365 / Teams for a global user base
- Managed CrowdStrike endpoint protection and CyberArk privileged access management
- Governed VMware Horizon VMs and CCURE physical access control systems
- Wrote SQL queries against SCCM and asset management databases for hardware inventory reporting and deployment status tracking
Desktop & Systems Support
Cognizant (TJX / TJMAXX) · April 2018 — June 2019 · On-Site
- Restored mission-critical Store Down scenarios under pressure to ensure business continuity across retail infrastructure
- Supported virtual servers and in-store systems via VNC and Hyper-V remote control
- Queried store and infrastructure databases with SQL to diagnose system state, validate configurations, and support incident resolution
Jr. Information Security Analyst
CIOX Health, Inc. (now Datavant) · April 2014 — October 2017 · On-Site
- Engineered a HIPAA-compliant on-site medical records retrieval system with secure client portals
- Led HITRUST certification audit remediation and HIPAA compliance initiatives firm-wide
- Analyzed security posture using Qualys; led intrusion detection audits and firewall security configuration
- Wrote SQL queries against audit log and compliance databases to extract evidence for HITRUST remediation and HIPAA reporting
Level 3 Linux Support
Endurance International Group (now Newfold Digital) · July 2012 — February 2014 · On-Site
- Advanced to Level 3 Linux support; configured VPS environments on PLESK and managed high-traffic Linux servers for 120+ client accounts
- Managed WordPress architecture, security hardening, and VPS configuration at scale
- Heavy daily SQL across MySQL and MariaDB — diagnosing application failures, repairing corrupted tables, and resolving data integrity issues across 120+ hosted accounts
Credentials
Certifications
Databricks Certified Associate Developer for Apache Spark
Databricks · Scala track
View credential →Education
Education
Western Governors University
Information Technology · 2008–2011 · Attended