:PROPERTIES:
:ID: 6c349dbb-eb4a-4202-830b-b1881395d433
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#+title: just-talking/user-profile
#+filetags: :project: :knowledge: :user-profile:

* just-talking/user-profile
Profile of Aner Zakobar for context in future conversations.

** Identity
- Name: Aner Zakobar
- Email: aner@zakobar.com
- Based in Israel (salaries in NIS), lives in Meitar
- Father of two

** Current Job (as of 2026-08-31)
- Company: Applied Materials
- Role: ML / deep learning, research-oriented (Algorithm Team R&D)
- Base salary: 39k NIS/month
- RSUs: ~30k USD/year (locked in for at least 4 more years)
- Feeling: stable, good job security, but not happy with day-to-day or org visibility
- Self-perception: feels he is past "just developing"

** Education
- BSc + MSc, Ben-Gurion University, 2019–present
- MSc thesis: ROLL (Rate Optimized Likelihood Loss) — a novel loss function for differentiable ROC/AUC optimization under label noise. Uses KDE to approximate output score distributions, custom backward pass, evaluated on KEEL, CIFAR-10N, NIH ChestX-ray14. Competitive under clean labels, leads under high noise rates.

** Work History
- 8200 IDF Intelligence Corps (2013–2018): Designed/built end-to-end SDR communications systems. Built Linux-based DSP infrastructure. Created extensive GNURadio training curriculum — "wrote the book" on how the military uses GNURadio and DSP software development. Recognized for technical + general excellence.
- Gita Technologies (2018–2022): Protocol Security R&D. WiFi/Bluetooth protocol weakness research. Real-time protocol analysis systems. ML for cross-correlating targets across networks.
- Applied Materials (2022–present): ML/DL for classification and filtration in semiconductor manufacturing. Full ownership from data acquisition to deployment. Both DL and classical CV algorithms, real-time constraints.

** Side Projects (proud of)
- Homey: Production-quality self-hosted home server on NixOS/Raspberry Pi. SOPS secrets, Podman containers, LDAP+Authelia auth, Nextcloud, Gitea, Jellyfin, Backblaze B2 backups, ntfy push notifications, Uptime Kuma. Serious infrastructure project with full disaster recovery docs.
- GNURadio military course: Built infra and guidelines from scratch — shaped how the intelligence corps does SDR/DSP development.
- Autonomous spacecraft landing software in Kerbal Space Program
- Custom NixOS+Emacs environment

** Technical Strengths Pattern
- **Rare domain breadth**: SDR/DSP → Cyber/Protocol Security → ML/DL research → LLM era. Almost nobody has all four.
- **Research + engineering**: Can write novel ML loss functions AND ship production systems. Not just one or the other.
- **Full ownership instinct**: Repeatedly takes end-to-end ownership (data → deployment, infra → curriculum). Not a component person.
- **Teaching/training instinct**: Wrote the GNURadio curriculum for the military. This is a hidden leadership signal.
- **Deep systems builder**: Doesn't just use tools — builds infrastructure (Homey, 8200 DSP infra) and documents it properly.
- **Low-level + high-level**: From kernel DSP infrastructure to abstract ML loss function math. Rare combination.

** Underutilized Assets
- ROLL thesis: publishable novel ML research. If not yet at a venue, this is high-ROI.
- SDR + ML intersection: almost no one has both. Huge niche in wireless security/RF anomaly detection.
- Teaching background: not on the CV in a way that reflects its real scope.

** Career Values / Tensions
- Values: research depth, ML/DL work, feeling intellectually challenged
- Wants engineering management — has informal experience but no formal title
- Concern: both current job AND considered startup role feel like "just developing"
- Decided (99%) not to take the startup offer — kids, pay cut, high effort for uncertain return

** Startup Offer (as of 2026-08-31)
- Cyber startup, early stage (first 5 employees)
- Founder is a trusted friend (former VP). Seed: $10M, majority Index Ventures.
- Offered role: "claude-first developer" — felt like a step down
- Offered salary: 46k NIS/month base + 0.5% equity
- Decision: almost certainly declining