Benjamin Roberson

Resourceful and versatile software engineer with a Master’s degree in Computer Science and a specialization in AI/ML. Experienced in full-stack web development, machine learning research, and interdisciplinary projects combining software, AI, and physics. Adept at quickly learning new technologies, improving existing systems, and supporting team goals through proactive problem-solving and clear communication. Passionate about applying AI and software engineering to solve meaningful, real-world challenges.

Education

University of Tennessee, Knoxville
  Master of Science in Computer Science, Machine Learning Concentration - Aug 2023

University of Tennessee, Knoxville
  Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Minor in Physics - Dec 2018

Skills

Software Development: Proficient in C/C++, C#, Python, Java, Bash, shell scripting; experienced with Unix/Linux environments, parallel computing and multi-threading, system calls, and application development.

Web Development: Skilled in Angular, JavaScript, HTML, CSS; proficient in backend technologies including C#, PHP, SQL.

Machine Learning: Competent with Neural networks, SVM, decision trees, clustering, convolutional networks, autoencoders, reinforcement learning, large language models; experienced with TensorFlow, PyTorch, and scikit-learn.

Engineering Experience

  • Oak Ridge National Laboratory: AI Research Assistant
    Jan 2024 – Jul 2025
    Project: AI for Metadata Prediction
    • Developed and trained a large language model for automatic metadata prediction in atmospheric datasets, reducing manual data labeling effort and accelerating data sharing for research teams.
    • Collaborated in a 3-person AI subgroup as part of a 12-member team, contributing to the project’s weekly deliverables and documentation standards.
    • Participated in regular strategy meetings with research supervisors to align model performance improvements with project objectives.
    Project: Reinforcement Learning for Cybersecurity
    • Researched and implemented reinforcement learning (RL) strategies to improve simulated network security resilience against evolving cyber threat scenarios.
    • Contributed to the design of a new AI-driven simulation environment for testing defensive algorithms, enhancing system reliability assessment tools for ORNL cybersecurity research.
  • Siemens Healthineers: Full Stack Web Developer
    Jun 2022 – Dec 2023
    • Developed and maintained a web-based dashboard application to track key development metrics, directly supporting project management visibility for a 20+ person dev team.
    • Replaced deprecated Angular components with modern PrimeNG equivalents, improving front-end maintainability and user experience for internal reporting tools.
    • Refactored C# back-end services to replace legacy database libraries with a RESTful API, streamlining data retrieval processes.
    • Collaborated closely with project lead to define requirements and implement new features.
  • University of Tennessee, Knoxville: Graduate Teaching Assistant
    Jan 2022 – Dec 2022
    • Supported instruction for a graduate level theoretical computer science course of 10, covering topics including automata theory, formal languages, and Turing machines.
    • Designed and graded homeworks, providing actionable feedback to improve student understanding.
    • Led exam review sessions and delivered a guest lecture, reinforcing complex topics and promoting student engagement in advanced theoretical concepts.
    • Fostered an inclusive learning environment by providing support to students of a variety of skill levels.
  • UTK Office of Information Technology: Systems Administrator
    Jan 2020 – Dec 2021
    • Monitored and maintained public-facing web servers for multiple university colleges, directly supporting uptime and performance for critical campus services.
    • Diagnosed and resolved performance issues on high-traffic websites (e.g., Haslam College of Business), including database query optimization, caching adjustments, and security patching.
    • Worked closely with college IT liaisons to prioritize fixes and plan updates, improving service reliability and campus digital infrastructure.