Hire me! – Sage Sharp

Name: Sage Sharp
Pronouns: they/them
Former name: Sarah Sharp
Email: sage at thesharps dot us
Current timezone: UTC-3

Seeking a backend or full-stack web developer role, Python developer role, embedded Linux developer role, or developer relations role. My passions lie at the intersection of open source software development and creating welcoming spaces for people to learn and grow.

Looking for a fully remote role. I am a USA citizen. I’m open to in-office or hybrid roles supporting relocation to Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Iceland, Ireland, Malta, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Peru, Portugal, or Uruguay.

Professional Summary

20+ years in open source
Technical skills: Python, Django, HTML, PostgreSQL, back-end web development, Linux, Linux kernel development, embedded development, Unix command line, git, Bootstrap, C, C++, Java
Management skills: program management, team lead, roadmap creation, budget management
Collaboration skills: open source maintainer, GitHub, GitLab, Slack, Discord, Zulip
Office software skills: LibreOffice, Microsoft office, Google office suite, spreadsheets
Artistic skills: photography, video editing, embroidery
Languages: Native English speaker, very basic Spanish
GitHub: https://github.com/sagesharp [1]

Work Experience

Back-end web developer | Software Freedom Conservancy | Remote | 2018 – 2025

Designed a website for Outreachy [2], which provides remote, paid internships in open source and open science
Created a Django website [3] to manage Outreachy internship processes
The Outreachy website manages 11,000+ applications, 200 project descriptions, 300 mentors, 80 open source communities participating in Outreachy each year
Mentored a newcomer to Django from small HTML bug fixes through releasing a new website feature — allowing applicants to list their professional skills
Tech stack: Django, Python, HTML, Bootstrap, PostgreSQL, Docker, Linux
GitHub repository: https://github.com/outreachy/website/ [3]

Program manager | Software Freedom Conservancy | Remote | 2016 – 2025

Managed the Outreachy internship program — a remote, paid internship program to provide open source internships to people who face systemic bias in the technology industry of their country
Collaborated with mentors from open source and open science communities around the world
Created and managed a $1 million USD annual budget
Lead a global, remote team of three (team timezones: Brazil, Nigeria, and USA west coast)
Over five years, I scaled the program by 2x, from 65 interns to 130 interns per year

CEO | Otter Tech LLC | Portland, OR, USA | 2016 – present

Founded a tech consulting company, Otter Tech [4]
Provided training on Code of Conduct enforcement
Trained over 500+ people through online workshops
Created Python Software Foundation Code of Conduct procedures [5]

Linux 3D Graphics Developer | Intel | Hillsboro, OR, USA | 2015 – 2016

Developer for the Linux 3D graphics stack
Focused on Intel graphics drivers in Mesa
Learned about adding new OpenGL extensions and improving graphics performance
Created a series of blog posts for newcomers to the Linux graphics stack:
“How to approach a new system” [6]
“How to report and debug Linux graphics bugs” [7]
“Building a custom Intel graphics stack” [8]

Software Architect | Intel | Hillsboro, OR, USA | 2014 – 2015

Software architect for Zephyr [9] a new open source embedded operating system
Lead an 8-person team: 6 developers, 1 program manager, 1 technical writer
Collaborated with product managers and hardware principal engineers to understand customer requirements for IoT and wearable devices
Guided engineers working on a custom BLE device stack, FAT file system, and IP stack
Directed technical writer in creating a developer guide to building software on top of Zephyr
Worked with marketing and senior management to set up open source community governance structure and collaboration plans with industry partners

Developer Team Lead | Intel | Hillsboro, OR, USA | 2012 – 2014

Led a team of three to support USB on Intel products running Linux, ChromeOS, and Android
Architected new Linux kernel USB 3.0 features
Collaborated with Intel product teams and external companies like Google
Division Recognition Award in Q4 2013: “Optimizing power management to enable successful launch of Intel Haswell Chromebooks”

Linux Kernel Developer | Intel | Hillsboro, OR, USA | 2007 – 2014

Architected and maintained the Linux kernel USB 3.0 (xHCI) host controller driver [10]
Collaborated with a global open source community on new features
Debugged and triaged issues with remote Linux users
Author of over 300 accepted Linux kernel patches [11]
Created a step-by-step “first Linux kernel patch” tutorial [12]
Volunteer Outreachy Linux kernel internship coordinator (2013-2014), with 15 interns total

Education

Bachelor of Science | Computer Engineering | Portland State University | 2007

GPA: 3.79 out of 4.0 (Cum Laude)
President, Portland State Aerospace Society – open source and open hardware amateur rocketry
Undergraduate researcher, Computer Science department – Prototyped a new Linux kernel to userspace USB interface. Presented at O’Reilly Open Source Convention (OSCON) 2007.

Awards

Python Software Foundation Fellow (2025 Q1)
O’Reilly Open Source Award (2016) for accomplishments in the open source community
Red Hat Women in Open Source Award (2015) for efforts in improving communications and inviting women into open source communities

Publications and Presentations

“Countering Imposter Syndrome Culture” | SeaGL | 2019

Keynoted at the Seattle GNU Linux (SeaGL) conference. [13] Urged open source communities to adopt inclusive collaboration processes. Goal was to create psychological safety for marginalized groups in open source.

“Herding Cats with Django: Technical and social tools to incentivize participation” | Django Con | 2018

Presented how Outreachy uses our Django website to manage volunteers and internships. [14]

“First-timer’s guide to FOSS conferences” | Blog post on sage.thesharps.us | 2016

A blog post to prepare newcomers to attend their first open source conference. [15]

“Vampire Mice: How USB PM impacts you” | Linux Conference Australia | 2013

Presentation on how USB power management impacts Linux systems [16]

“Linux-Powered Amateur Rocket Goes USB” | Linux Journal | 2009

Authored an article on the Linux-based embedded systems on the Portland State Aerospace Society amateur rocket [17]