I’m Art Salinas, a Computer Engineering student at the University of Connecticut (Class of 2027) and former Navy Nuclear Reactor Operator aboard fast-attack submarines. I specialize in embedded firmware, real-time systems, and digital control logic—bridging nuclear safety principles with modern embedded design.

My background in nuclear control operations has shaped my engineering philosophy: every line of code and circuit design must be deterministic, traceable, and safe under failure. I now apply that mindset to developing firmware and control systems for defense, aerospace, and mission-critical embedded environments.

• Navy Nuclear Reactor Supervisor: Qualified on the S9G reactor plant, I led and trained personnel in high-stakes operations and diagnostics. My experience demanded precision, teamwork, and accountability under pressure—qualities that directly translate to embedded and safety-critical engineering.

• Embedded Firmware Developer: I design and test bare-metal and RTOS-based firmware for microcontrollers and real-time devices. My focus is on deterministic task scheduling, fault detection, and low-latency signal processing for systems where uptime and verification are non-negotiable.

• Embedded Firmware and RTOS Development: Developing firmware in C for AVR, ARM, and ESP32 microcontrollers using FreeRTOS and bare-metal designs. Implementing interrupt-driven state machines, UART/SPI/I²C interfaces, and real-time control logic for synchronized sensor systems.

• Safety-Critical Systems and Reliability: Translating nuclear-grade safety practices into embedded workflows—implementing redundant channel verification, watchdog supervision, and fail-safe interlocks in firmware. Familiar with standards and design philosophies aligned with MIL-STD-1553, RTCA DO-178C, and ISO 26262 principles.

• Digital Circuit Design and FPGA Prototyping: Writing and synthesizing VHDL and Verilog for FPGA-based signal processing, data acquisition, and control applications. Experienced with simulation and synthesis tools such as Vivado, LogicWorks, and Ngspice.

• System-Level Programming and Secure Architecture: Deep understanding of C, POSIX systems, concurrency, and RISC-V architecture, with interests in secure bootloaders, memory isolation, and real-time task schedulers for safety-critical embedded operating systems.

• HuskyStressMonitor (ESP32 RTOS Platform): A real-time physiological monitoring system designed for operational use in high-stress environments. Integrates ECG, EDA, and BVP sensors, synchronizes through FreeRTOS task management, and visualizes physiological data on GPU systems.

• Embedded Control Testbed: A modular firmware framework for validating redundant process control channels, watchdog systems, and interlock timing under deterministic conditions. Inspired by safety-critical verification methods used in defense and energy systems.

• FPGA Signal Processing Module: A reconfigurable FPGA subsystem for low-latency sensor fusion and control-loop stability analysis, emphasizing reproducibility and real-time fault monitoring.

• Programming Languages:

  • C / C++ / Python / MATLAB / CUDA C
  • VHDL / Verilog for synthesis and simulation

• Platforms and Toolchains:

  • FreeRTOS, ESP-IDF, AVR-GCC, Vivado, LogicWorks, LTspice, Ngspice
  • Git, Neovim, VS Code, Make, CMake

• Hardware and Systems:

  • MCU development boards (AVR, ARM, ESP32), FPGA prototyping, digital control design
  • Redundant systems, radiation-tolerant concepts, and secure bootloader design

• Engineering Practices:

  • Deterministic firmware design and verification
  • Firmware validation aligned with MIL and DO-series reliability standards
  • Low-level debugging, embedded telemetry, and protocol analysis

• Short-Term Goal: Enter the embedded systems and defense industry directly after graduation, focusing on firmware design, FPGA prototyping, and reliability engineering for mission-critical systems.

• Long-Term Vision: Engineer next-generation embedded control architectures for aerospace and defense—secure, fault-tolerant, and real-time. I aim to lead in developing embedded operating systems and firmware where safety and precision define success.

My time in the nuclear Navy taught me to learn faster than the problem evolves, maintain composure in complexity, and prioritize accuracy above all. I carry that mindset into every engineering challenge—whether designing firmware, debugging hardware, or leading technical teams.

Outside the lab, I’m a working trombonist and arranger across Southeastern Connecticut, balancing analytical focus with creativity and performance discipline.

• LinkedIn: Arturo Salinas Aguayo
• GitHub Projects: artjsalina5
• Discord: artjsalina5
• Transcript and Coursework: UConn Transcript Repository

Precision. Verification. Reliability. Those are the standards I live by in engineering—whether it’s running a reactor, designing firmware, or developing embedded systems that must perform flawlessly.

Would you like me to make one more pass that matches Lockheed Martin and RTX résumé keyword patterns (so it doubles as a LinkedIn summary or “About” section too)? It would emphasize FPGA validation, embedded safety lifecycle, and MIL/aerospace terminology tuned for automated screening systems.