Open to connecting

Engineering leader.
Software architect.

Nearly 20 years of building scalable systems, leading high-performing teams, and turning complex problems into reliable, well-tested software. Currently driving architecture strategy at Kiewit.

Building software
that lasts.

I'm Dan Carlstedt — a software engineering leader based in the Omaha metro area with a career spanning nearly two decades across enterprise, fintech, logistics, and infrastructure. I've gone from writing my first lines of code as an intern at ConAgra to architecting platform-level systems at Kiewit.

My focus has always been the same: ship quality software using repeatable, tested practices. I believe the hardest part of software engineering was never writing the code — it's designing systems that scale, building teams that collaborate, and creating processes that don't break when things get complex.

I care deeply about CI/CD, platform engineering, multi-region architecture, and building cultures where engineers can do their best work.

~20
Years in Software
8+
Companies
4
Degrees / Concentrations
Curiosity

Where I've been.

Sr. Manager, Architecture @ Kiewit
Current

Driving architecture strategy and platform engineering for one of North America's largest construction and engineering organizations.

Director of Engineering @ Mastery Logistics Systems
Previous

Led engineering teams building logistics and transportation technology platforms, scaling systems and processes for growth.

Engineering Manager / Principal Engineer @ Mastery Logistics Systems

Progressed from hands-on principal engineer to managing teams, balancing technical depth with people leadership.

Staff Software Engineer Lead @ Grainbridge / Farm Credit Services of America

Built and led application development in the agricultural fintech space, delivering tools for America's farming communities.

Software Development Engineer in Test @ Microsoft

Brought software quality engineering practices to scale at one of the world's most influential technology companies.

Software Engineer @ Leaseteam Inc.

Early career role building enterprise software for the equipment leasing and finance industry.

Systems Analyst Intern @ ConAgra Foods

Where it all started — gained foundational experience in enterprise systems and software development.

What I work with.

Languages & Frameworks

C# .NET Visual Studio SQL TypeScript Python

Practices & Methodologies

CI/CD Agile TDD Platform Engineering DevOps Automation

Architecture & Infrastructure

Multi-Region Architecture Cloud Microservices SQL Server Distributed Systems

Leadership

Engineering Management Team Building Technical Strategy Mentorship Cross-Functional Collaboration

How I think about the work.

Quality is a practice, not a phase.

Testing isn't something you bolt on at the end. I've built my career around repeatable, tested practices — from TDD at the code level to CI/CD pipelines that catch problems before they ship.

Code was always the easy part.

The real challenge is the system around the code: the team dynamics, the deployment strategy, the architecture decisions that compound over years. That's where I focus my energy.

Build platforms, not just products.

Great engineering organizations think in platforms — shared foundations that let teams move fast without reinventing the wheel. That mindset drives how I approach architecture and team structure.

Foundation.

Bachelor of Science
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Management Information Systems, Computer Science, Finance & Accounting
2003 – 2006

Let's connect.

Whether it's about engineering leadership, architecture, or just swapping ideas — I'd love to hear from you.