Ed Hubbard Joins SkyFi® as Backend Engineer

We are excited to welcome Ed Hubbard to the SkyFi team. He will be joining our team as a backend engineer working on a variety of projects. 

Based in the Greater Chicago Area, Ed’s background is diverse, ranging from working as a bomber mechanic in the U.S. Air Force to building a robust career in software engineering. Before joining SkyFi, Ed made significant contributions to Valqari as a Lead Software Engineer and later at Finite State, where he specialized in IoT security. He holds both a Bachelor's and Master’s degree in Computer Science from Loyola University Chicago. 

His professional journey has seen him tackle a wide array of technical challenges, particularly in Python and IoT, giving him a unique skill set that fits well within the innovative environment at SkyFi.

We sat down with Ed and are excited to share what we learned…

Can you tell us a bit about your background and where you’re from?

I’m born and raised in Chicago. Except for a brief stint when I joined the U.S. Air Force, I’ve pretty much stayed in the area. During my time in the Air Force, I was a bomber mechanic stationed in Abilene, Texas, about three hours from Austin. It was a unique experience—spent six years there, got to travel a lot, including time in the Middle East and the Pacific. But after a while, I got tired of the desert and was ready for a change.

How did you get into software development?

I kind of stumbled into it. While still in the Air Force, I took my first coding class and ended up dropping it because I thought I could teach myself. Surprisingly, I found that I really enjoyed it, and it became a new hobby. When I left the military, I pursued a degree in Computer Science and started working in lab automation and robotics. That set me on a path toward IoT and security, and eventually led to roles in companies like Valqari and Finite State, where I specialized in securing IoT devices and infrastructure.

What excited you about joining SkyFi?

Honestly, I came across SkyFi through a LinkedIn post. The company caught my eye because of the unique challenges and the intersection of geospatial data and technology. My previous roles had a lot to do with IoT security, so the idea of working with satellite imagery was a whole new frontier for me. I applied for the Backend Engineer role and thought, "This is a perfect fit."

What motivates you in your work?

I’m driven by adding value—finding solutions to interesting problems. At SkyFi, there’s no shortage of that. The company is in a unique phase where there are so many different projects going on. I love the idea of being able to contribute across different areas and solve complex challenges.

Do you have any hobbies outside of work?

Yeah, I run a small real estate business on the side. I own an apartment building in Chicago, and while it’s completely different from software development, it keeps me balanced. It forces me to switch between different kinds of problem-solving, whether it’s dealing with tenants or managing the property.

If you could have a satellite image taken of any place in the world, where would it be?

I’d probably go with Dubai. It’s such a unique and futuristic city—it’d be fascinating to see from a satellite’s perspective.