Digital Hardware Specialization
0x00ABOUT
Hello, my name is Manasva! I am a third-year student at University of Waterloo, pursuing a Computer Science degree with a Digital Hardware specialization.
I am currently seeking new opportunities where I can apply my experience in distributed systems, embedded software, and AI/ML to solve challenging problems. In the past, I've worked as an SDE Intern at AWS on core service improvements for Keyspaces, a serverless Cassandra-compatible database, as well as on embedded software for electric aircraft at BETA Technologies and next-generation autonomous networks at Nokia.
I also serve as Technical Director and previously served as Embedded Flight Software Lead at the Waterloo Aerial Robotics Group (WARG), where I lead system architecture and flight software development for a 100+ member UAV team, contributing to first-place finishes at the AEAC 2024 and AEAC 2025 competitions. I also lead the architecture and development of ZeroPilot, a FreeRTOS-based STM32 flight controller that has successfully flown in real-world testing.
As a dedicated programming and robotics enthusiast, I am constantly seeking new challenges and innovative ways to effectively utilize my technical skills. I am very passionate about embedded systems, AI/ML, mechatronics, astrophysics, and aviation.
I am also a recreational pilot, holding a GPL (glider pilot license) and PPL (private pilot license), and have a deep appreciation for the freedom and adventure that flying offers.
0x04EXPERIENCE
Worked as a Software Development Engineer Intern on the AWS Keyspaces team, developing core infrastructure for a fully managed, serverless Cassandra-compatible database enabling highly available, multi-region data workloads at scale.
- ›Architected a connection-level management layer in Kotlin atop a Java-based distributed messaging bus for a serverless Cassandra service, implementing ML-driven load-balancing and load-shedding policies that provided fine-grained traffic control across 10+ regions and 20+ Availability Zones.
- ›Engineered an agentic AI/ML automation system in Python utilizing RL/LSTM policies and LLMs to autonomously remediate host throttling via dynamic connection redistribution, reducing on-call burden by 25%.
- ›Developed a global table anti-entropy (AE) resolution tool in Kotlin/Python, automating a manual 1-day/week operator workflow into a single-click, 30-minute operation for data aggregation, divergence repair, and reporting.
- ›Implemented a storage-node admission controller and validated at scale, replacing unbounded thread pools with fixed-size executors and per-partition bucketed scheduling; greatly improved hot-partition performance for ATSO writes (10x reduction in p99 latency metrics) via fair-share queuing and in-flight depth throttling, reducing service-level 500s, heap-usage, and latency spikes.
Worked on the embedded software team at BETA Technologies, focusing on developing and testing flight software for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
- ›Developed safety-critical firmware in C for TMS570 MCUs to control next-generation eVTOL lift electric engines, including interfacing with 3 Flight Control Computers and cross-channel inverters over the CAN bus protocol.
- ›Implemented drivers and application logic including phase voltage/current sampling from an HSADC with mibSPI-triggered DMA, RS485/ARINC429/CAN communication, an RTOS scheduler profiler and more.
- ›Engineered robust PBIT/CBIT diagnostics for real-time inverter and engine health monitoring, enhancing system reliability and supporting FAA-compliant DO-178C safety objectives.
- ›Architected an inverter software-in-the-loop (SITL) with a custom engine plant model and fully mocked hardware abstraction layer, enabling rapid firmware & controls validation/debugging independent of physical hardware.
Developed a PoC for Nokia's next generation autonomous networks.
- ›Developed autonomous applications based on the OODA control loop for next-gen telecommunications networks, focusing on UPF congestion and network slice management to approach an L5 autonomous network.
- ›Leveraged cloud-native technologies including Docker and Kubernetes, coding custom Kubernetes operators in Go to enable intent-based networking and MLOps for seamless cloud runtime management.
- ›Developed a Crossplane-based edge cloud automation solution, cutting deployment time by over 95% from 2 hours to under 5 minutes, resulting in reduced infrastructure costs and eliminating 100% of human errors.
Leading the technical direction of the University of Waterloo's Aerial Robotics Group (UWARG), overseeing the design and development of autonomous UAVs for research and competition purposes.
- ›Led system architecture, technical direction and flight-testing efforts for a student UAV design team of over 100 students, placing first in the Aerial Evolution Association of Canada (AEAC) 2024 & 2025 competitions.
- ›Architected ZeroPilot, a FreeRTOS-based STM32 flight controller in C++ enabling real-time coordination of telemetry, EKF sensor fusion, and fly-by-wire flight control subsystems, flying successfully in flight tests.
- ›Led development and integration of DMA-enabled UART, SPI, and I2C drivers using STM32 HAL for drone peripherals including GPS, RFD900, Magnetometer, Barometer, IMU, Power Module.
Worked on embedded systems for automation of shredding and filament processing to develop a sustainable circular ecosystem for 3D printing waste recycling.
Led the technology team for the Ontario Competitive Mathematics Committee. Built a full-stack MERN application from the ground up handling user registration, contest administration, online challenges, score tracking, and news distribution for 2000+ registered participants.
On contract with the Department of National Defence (DND) as a Civilian Instructor. Serving as a glider familiarization pilot at a designated CFS in Wingham and teaching flight theory at 540 Sqn.