Based in
Ames, Iowa
Focus
Infrastructure / Security
Status
Building
Engineering systems
& security
Selected work ↓Cooper Hoy
(About)
I like creating things that make an impact
I work across software engineering, infrastructure, cybersecurity, networking, and computer architecture. My projects range from encryption tools and trading platforms to network security tooling, custom processors, and hardware built for the field.
By day, that’s infrastructure engineering at QCI and leading a fifteen-person technical team at Iowa State. By night, it’s usually a homelab, a half-finished processor, or whatever currently has its case open on my desk.
Explore about →Delivering change
(01) — Work
Selected work
Six systems built end to end — encryption, network tooling, trading platforms, and hardware.
Currently
At QCI — Live
(02) — Experience
Where I have worked
Enterprise networks, virtualized infrastructure, and the teams that keep both running.
AUG 2026 — PRESENT
QCIInfrastructure Engineering Intern — West Des Moines, IA
I virtualize servers across VMware and Nutanix, run Cisco IOS and Meraki networking, and manage Azure identity. I administer the PIM policies that gate elevated access, and I write the PowerShell and Microsoft Graph automation that keeps provisioning and identity workflows from being done by hand.
MAY 2026 — AUG 2026
RSM US LLPIT Infrastructure Consultant, Network Optimization — Des Moines, IA
I designed multi-site Layer 2/3 infrastructure — VLAN segmentation, 802.1Q trunking, inter-VLAN routing, subnetting — and built hardened Palo Alto HA firewall clusters with NAT, virtual routers, and GlobalProtect. I caught an active FortiGate SSL VPN credential-spray attack in progress and engineered an automated FortiOS response to ban and release source IPs on authentication events.
2023 — SEPT 2026
Iowa State UniversityTeam Lead, IT Solution Center — Ames, IA
I was promoted to Team Lead in 2026. I lead up to 15 technicians across campus network, endpoint, and identity services, and I built an onboarding program that cut new-technician ramp-up from six weeks to two. I also authored the knowledge base documentation the team now runs on.
2024 — 2025
Cambridge Investment ResearchIT Infrastructure Engineer, Hyper-Converged Infrastructure — Fairfield, IA
I deployed Windows Server 2025 on VMware to support Active Directory, DNS, and file services, and designed a DMZ segment hosting a domain-controller clone for disaster-recovery failover. I wrote the hardening GPOs that became the enterprise endpoint baseline, and kept Exchange at 99.9% availability.
2023 — PRESENT
FIRST Tech ChallengeRobotics Mentor — Grundy Center, IA
I mentor 30+ students across three competitive robotics teams in mechanical design, Java programming, and engineering documentation.
(03) — Capabilities
Systems I work with
No proficiency bars — hover or tap a node for what’s actually behind it.
Systems map
Nine systems, one network. Hover or tap a node to see what I’ve worked with.
(04) — Contact
Let’s build something interesting
Cooper Hoy