Hobbyist · Researcher · Engineering Enthusiast
Zak Toews
I am a software engineering student with an interest in data, quantum, embedded systems, and computer science in general.
01 / About
I am set to graduate with a Bachelor of Software Engineering and I am interested in quantum software, big data, educational tools, and embedded systems.
Currently at University of Victoria, BC, Canada. I write detailed technical notes when I have the time. They live in the Notes section, rendered from Jupyter notebooks with full code on display and pre-rendered. I enjoy travelling, and I have visited many Latin American countries. Puedo hablar un poco español y estoy intentando practicar mas. I enjoy running, exercise, hiking, and, at the moment, golfing. I really enjoy spending my free time socializing with friends. I have a sense of humour that I prefer not to hide. I like all types of music. I am optimistic and have many big plans for my future.
02 / Experience
Work, Education & Projects
— Work
May 2026 – Sept. 2026
Victoria, BC
Teaching Assistant
University of Victoria
Presented lab material to students in SENG 265 Software Development Methods course while coordinating with teaching team.
Sept. 2025 – Jan. 2026
Victoria, BC
Entreprenurial Co-op Student (CTO)
Ayuda BioWorks
Working alongside two BioMedical Engineering students, I helped implement the digital aspects of our business while also engaging with the networking, fund allocation, and self-promotional aspects of our company. Check out our website at ayudabioworks.com
May 2024 – Sept. 2024
Victoria, BC
Tekla API Developer
Exact Steel Detailing
Planned and developed C# plugins for Tekla Structures CAD software as the sole developer, translating business requirements directly into working tooling.
Sept. 2023 – May 2024
Victoria, BC
Application Developer
BC Pension Corporation
Java co-op focused on legacy code refactoring, dependency management to reduce bloat and address vulnerabilities, and code migration to meet evolving client and technology demands.
Jul. 2021 – Jan. 2022
Comox Valley, BC
Student Researcher
North Island College
Part-time research role designing an automated oyster-flipping device for a local farm. Coordinated with the team lead and client to troubleshoot mechanical and logistical challenges.
May 2021 – Sept. 2021
Victoria, BC
Journeyman Iron Worker
Accord Metal Fabricators
Red Seal certified journeyman serving as lead hand on several projects, overseeing safe installation and modification of structural steel components on site.
Jan. 2019 – Mar. 2020
Ibagué, Tolima, Colombia
English Teacher
Native Tongue English Institute
Full time teaching position where I wrote lesson plans, designed curriculum, created well-rounded learning environments while also making YouTube videos in my spare time. Cooking in English.
— Education
Fall 2022 – Summer 2026
Victoria, BC
Bachelor of Software Engineering
University of Victoria
Graduating Summer 2026. Entrance Scholarship recipient. Certificate of Achievement in Math Logic and Foundations.
May 2020 – May 2022
Comox Valley, BC
Engineering Foundations Certificate
North Island College
Dean's List (Spring 2021). Top of class in Calculus, Physics Statics, Chemistry, and several engineering courses.
May 2020
Burnaby, BC
Red Seal Certificate of Apprenticeship and Qualification for Ironworking
British Columbia Institute of Technology
Certificate of Apprenticeship implies that aside from the schooling, I completed my 3600 plus hours in an ironworker role.
— Projects
Backpacker Trip Planner
A web app for planning multi-stop backpacking trips — map visualization, turn-by-turn routing, and crowdsourced local transport options.
Sky Visibility Dome
An interactive sky-tracking tool for Victoria, BC — live alt/az positions for the Sun, Moon, and planets, rise/set/culmination times, and real archival imagery cross-referenced from the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre.
Chemical Dialysis Purification System
Our project is a compact, automated dialysis system that improves precision, reduces hands-on time, and enables real-time monitoring of biomolecule diffusion. Designed for researchers who need efficient purification and concentration workflows.
Weld Access Verification Tool
As a part of my co-op at Exact Steel Detailing, I helped bring this CAD visualization tool to fruition. If you are a Tekla Structures user, you can find the tool by searching "BeamMaster WAV Tool" at the given link.
This Website!
I had been planning on updating and improving my self-promotional website (my old site can be viewed in the footer), and I decided to go all in. This website is hosted in Canada by a VPS I control. I utilize agentic AI for development and modern CI/CD pipelines to validate, test, and publish. Sub-domains exist as real projects to help generate cross-traffic for data mining and (shameless) self promotion.
04 / Contact
Open to collaborations, questions, and interesting conversations.
— Feedback / Bug Report