Eric Engeström

Linux graphics developer

Contact details

Summary

I have always been fascinated by video games and their ability to conjure visions out of a metal box. The demoscene⁽¹⁾ turned this into a kind of sport, making the most out of limited resources; while I haven’t (yet?) entered a competition, I always love watching entries. For a long time, I was also part of a gaming community; it has since faded away, and so has my time available to play games, but my fascination remains.

My interest nowadays mostly lies on the other side: making games; more specifically, the graphics part of it. After working at Imagination Technologies and Intel, mostly on Mesa, the Linux graphics driver, I’m now working with Igalia and I have specialised in the infrastructure for developing & verifying graphics drivers like Mesa, working on CI-tron.

I am fluent in English and French, and can get by in German. Having lived and worked in several cultural areas, I feel more comfortable in multicultural settings, and inclusivity is important to me: people who discriminate others based on their identity or appearance, their physical (dis)abilities, or who they are attracted to are at the top of the list of people who are not welcome around me.

Personal skills

Written & spoken languages:

Technical skills

(in rough order of expertise)

Main languages:
  • C
  • Python
  • C++
  • Rust
Familiar APIs:
  • EGL
  • DRM, KMS (through libdrm)
  • OpenGL/GLES
  • Vulkan
  • Wayland

Experience

—
Software Engineer with Igalia, remote from London (UK), then from Strasbourg (France)
  • Worked on Mesa CI.
  • Worked on CI-tron, boot2container, and related projects, to improve the Mesa CI, DXVK CI, and a non-public CI, all using CI-tron.
—
Software Engineer at Datapred, remote from Lausanne (Switzerland), then from London (UK)
  • Managed the infrastructure (Docker, GitLab CI/CD, websites, databases, compute nodes).
  • Moved the company off of Conda and towards standard Python packages instead, simplifying the workflow and the tools used.
  • Modernised Python codebase.
—
Software Engineer at Intel, remote, from London (UK)
  • Worked on Mesa with a focus on Window System Integration (EGL & Vulkan WSI).
  • Set up GitLab CI for several projects including creating the Mesa CI.
  • Fully open-source work, although sometimes embargoed.
—
Software Engineer at Imagination Technologies, London (UK)
  • Worked on EGL (proprietary implementation), DRI (as a Mesa module), DRM (legacy, not atomic).
  • Responsible for the integration with multiple distributions and their window system, including Android, ChromeOS (& Arc++), Wayland, Xorg, as well as customer-specific undisclosed ones.
  • Some open-source contributions (mostly Mesa and related userspace projects, a few to the Linux kernel).
—
Sergeant Major in the Swiss Army, Switzerland
  • Managed a small team planning the communication infrastructures and equipments at Company & Battalion level.
  • Managed the deployment and setup of these systems, and ensured their full usability during exercises.
—
Helpdesk & SysAdmin Intern at the EPFL, Lausanne (Switzerland)
—
Tech Support Intern at Kudelski – NagraVision, Cheseaux (Switzerland)

Education

— 2014
BSc in Computer Science, major in Software Engineering
University of Applied Sciences (HEIG-VD) Yverdon, Switzerland
— 2010
Computer Science CFC + MPTi
ETML Yverdon, Switzerland

Volunteering

— present
Release manager for the Mesa project

Responsible for making sure the project’s quality is optimal and delivering regular updates to users.
— present
Open-Source contributor and advocate

Regular contributions to numerous open-source projects, most notably Mesa, the open-source userspace graphics driver stack.

I strongly believe that when possible, code should be open-source, and support & work (eg. new features, bug fixes, etc.) is what companies should charge for.
— present
ArchLinux package manager

Maintaining some AUR packages (ArchLinux User Repository), as well as contributing to other people’s packages.
— 2016
Founding member, servers & network manager, treasurer for the Swiss Gaming Community

French-speaking association for gamers, organizing LANs⁽²⁾ and other gatherings as well as online activities.

Certifications

ASFC Leadership & Management Certificate
SVF-ASFC, Swiss Association for Education on Leadership