Hi, my name is

Patrick Harbison

Platform Engineer

I build scalable infrastructure, robust developer experience, and automated delivery systems for modern engineering teams. I bring a pragmatic, outcomes-driven approach to platform design, observability, security, and self-service tooling. With a background in Linux administration and a passion for automation, I thrive on solving complex operational challenges and enabling teams to ship software faster and more reliably. I am always eager to learn new technologies, share knowledge, and collaborate with like-minded professionals to drive innovation and continuous improvement.

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About Me

I am a Platform Engineer focused on building scalable infrastructure, robust developer experience, and automated systems for modern engineering teams. I bring a pragmatic, outcomes-driven approach to platform design, observability, security, and self-service tooling. With a background in Cisco networking, Linux administration and a passion for automation, I thrive on solving complex operational challenges and enabling teams to ship software faster and more reliably. I am always eager to learn new technologies, share knowledge, and collaborate with like-minded professionals to drive innovation and continuous improvement.

Experience

Senior Platform Engineer - O'Reilly Auto Parts
Sept 2022 - present

I lead the design and delivery of scalable infrastructure and self-service platforms that empower engineering teams. My work spans Kubernetes, CI/CD automation, observability, and cloud-native best practices utilizing Puppet, Ansible, ArgoCD, and Gitlab CI. I collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to understand their needs and deliver solutions that improve reliability, reduce toil, and accelerate software delivery.

  • Built reusable infrastructure modules and standardized deployment workflows.
  • Reduced platform onboarding time through improved developer and operations tooling.
  • Modernized configuration management and infrastructure as code practices to improve reliability and reduce toil.
  • Implemented monitoring and alerting improvements to enhance incident response and system reliability.
Platform Engineer - Citadel Completions
Sept 2021 - Sept 2022

Developed and maintained infrastructure and deployment pipelines to support the company’s aviation services. This included implementing infrastructure as code (IaC), GitOps practices, automating software deployment processes, and ensuring the reliability and scalability of the platform.

  • Optimized network infrastructure and security configurations to support critical services.
  • Implemented Kubernetes clusters and service delivery mechanisms.
  • Automated software provisioning and lifecycle management with Kubernetes and GitOps.
  • Improved deployment consistency and incident response.
Linux Administrator - Lake Charles Memorial Hospital
May 2018 - Sept 2021

Managed infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines, and observability tooling for mission-critical systems while maintaining compliance with HIPAA and other regulations.

  • Created infrastructure automation for multi-campus deployments.
  • Deployed metrics collection, monitoring and alerting across critical services.
  • Reduced toil through automation, configuration management, and development of new processes.

Projects

Self-Service Platform
ArgoCD Kubernetes GitOps Ansible
Self-Service Platform
Delivered a self-service infrastructure platform, utilizing ArgoCD, Ansible, and K3s, for teams to provision and deploy services with minimal Operations support.
PKI Automation
HashiCorp Vault Go PKI
PKI Automation
Implemented automated certificate management and renewal processes using HashiCorp Vault and a custom Go application, significantly reducing the risk of certificate-related outages and improving security posture.
Gitlab CI/CD Automation
Gitlab CI/CD Automation
Gitlab CI/CD Automation
Developed and maintained CI/CD pipelines using Gitlab CI, automating the build, test, and deployment processes for multiple applications. This initiative improved deployment consistency, reduced manual errors, and accelerated the software delivery lifecycle.

Achievements

AWS SysOps Administrator - Associate Certification
Achieved AWS SysOps Administrator Associate certification, demonstrating expertise in deploying, managing, and operating scalable, highly available, and fault-tolerant systems on AWS. This certification validates my ability to implement and manage AWS services, optimize performance, and ensure security and compliance in cloud environments.
Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT)
Earned the Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT) certification, showcasing foundational knowledge of networking concepts and skills in installing, operating, and troubleshooting a small enterprise branch network. This certification highlights my understanding of basic networking principles, IP addressing, and network security, which are essential for building and maintaining reliable infrastructure.
Team MVP 2025
Led the design and implementation of a self-service GitOps platform that empowered engineering and developer teams to deploy and manage services with minimal ops support. This initiative significantly improved deployment velocity, reduced toil for the operations team, and enhanced overall reliability across the organization.
Team MVP 2024
Updated, standardized, and overhauled infrastructure codebases to improve reliability and reduce toil for the operations team. Additionally created documentation and class materials to onboard new team members and share best practices across the organization.
Nominated for Team Duct Tape Award 2024
Recognized for creating practical automation and tooling to solve critical operational challenges and reduce toil for the operations team. This included automating manual processes, improving monitoring and alerting, and implementing self-service solutions that empowered teams to manage their own services more effectively.

Get in Touch

I’m always open to discussing new opportunities, collaborations, or just connecting with like-minded professionals. Whether you have a question about my work, want to chat about industry trends, or are interested in working together, feel free to reach out. I look forward to hearing from you!