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Rob Helmer
Software Engineer
I build secure, AI-augmented infrastructure with a focus on operational safety and data privacy. Currently at Hims and Hers Health, Inc, I'm applying decades of experience in privacy-first engineering to modern pharmacy technology. My work bridges the gap between AI safety, robust telemetry, and mission-critical UI for healthcare professionals.
In my free time I enjoy video game development and design. I believe games are the purest expression of computer science and engineering—pushing boundaries in graphics, math, networking, security, and performance. They let us learn and experiment in a low-stakes environment while exploring new technologies and solving complex problems.
Featured Work
Minimal-Dependency AI Analytics
Built a lightweight MCP tool for AI-powered Umami analytics—stripped from 15+ dependencies to just 3, with newsletter attribution tracking.
Analytics Without Cookie Banners
GDPR-compliant, cookieless analytics that deliver useful insights without tracking users.
Game Dev: C+SDL vs Godot vs Web
Built the same game three ways to compare performance, maintainability, and portability.
17+ Years at Mozilla (Two Tenures)
From Release Engineer (2006–2008) to Senior Staff Software Engineer (2010–2025). Built Firefox release automation, crash reporting (Socorro), privacy-preserving telemetry (Prio), the Pioneer/Ion opt-in research platform, and breach monitoring infrastructure. Briefly left for a VP role at CustomWeather, then returned to build Firefox's privacy infrastructure at scale.
AI & Operational Safety
Developing secure AI integrations and safety-first workflows for high-stakes pharmacy environments.
Privacy-Preserving Telemetry
Expertise in privacy-conscious data collection and system observability to ensure reliability without compromising trust.
Professional Healthcare Tooling
Building high-reliability UIs for pharmacists and technicians, focusing on accuracy and pharmacy workflow integrity.
Academic Research Collaborations
Bringing breakthroughs in privacy and federated learning from MIT and Princeton into production systems.
Latest Posts
4/8/2026
Chat with Your Analytics: attribution-mcp Evolution
How attribution-mcp evolved from a single Umami MCP server into a multi-platform analytics collection connecting to your LLM.
4/7/2026
LICHEN: A Symbiotic Approach to Human-AI Interface Design
Building growlichen.com: a terminal-based AI interface that frames human-AI interaction as a symbiotic partnership.