About Me
I'm William Connor Sullivan — born a mile from the launchpad and raised on two acres in Canaveral Groves, FL. Craftsmanship runs in the family: grandpa ran a metal shop at the port, Mom was a carpenter before becoming a CPA, and Dad built boats for 35 years. Dyslexic kid who learned by doing — building boats with Dad, tearing apart RC planes, fixing small engines, and reading thousands of WoW quest lines because Mom figured it counted. I grew up watching Alton Brown break down cooking into science, which quietly built the same systematic thinking that engineering would formalize.
That hands-on instinct turned into a Mechanical Engineering degree from UCF ('18) and a career designing and building complex production systems — high-speed packaging lines, robotic pick-&-place machines, Class-I biomedical instruments, custom conveyors, and full control panel integration. Along the way I've been named inventor on provisional patents and led AI integration into product development workflows.
Now I'm merging deep mechanical/automation experience with AI-enabled systems — building LaserTagStudio, shipping open-source tools, and using Claude Code, Gemini, and n8n to drive smarter machines and more adaptable processes.
Fun Fact
I've been a Dungeon Master since age 13, led hardcore WoW raids through Wrath of the Lich King, and built two boats with my Dad before I could drive. These days it's surfing, rock climbing, and handstands.
Currently Excited About
Teaching my laser system to think for itself — automating the full pipeline from customer design to finished product with n8n and AI.
Skills & Tech
Building things since the garage woodshop days — engineering degree, factory floors, surgical instruments, and now AI-powered automation.
Engineering
Fabrication
Controls & Integration
Dev / AI
Soft Skills
Life Timeline
Aug 2025 - Present
Founder
Sully's Engineering LLC · Cocoa, FL
Merging mechanical/automation experience with AI-enabled systems. Building LaserTagStudio and freelance engineering solutions.
- AI-powered custom engraving platform (LaserTagStudio)
- Full-stack web development with Next.js, Supabase, Stripe
- Open-source tools (Visual-Data / arkh1ve.com)
Aug 2023 - Jul 2025
Product Development Engineer
Shukla Medical · St. Petersburg, FL
Designed patentable orthopedic extraction tools collaborating directly with surgeons to reduce surgery time and simplify implant removal.
- Named inventor on provisional patents
- Led AI/LLM integration into R&D workflows
- CAPAs, ECNs, ESOs, SOPs, Work Instructions, V&V testing
- Custom-built test fixtures and mechanisms
- Trade shows: AAOS, OMTEC — demoing new technologies
Nov 2021 - Aug 2023
Mechanical Design Engineer
Matic USA · Sarasota, FL
Designed automation machinery in SolidWorks and served as electrical supervisor for installation and commissioning of PLC/HMI/robotics systems.
- CAD design of sales, fabrication, assembly, and BOM drawings
- Electrical supervisor for machinery installation and commissioning
- Retrofit machinery with servo motors, vision systems, solenoid valves
- Created revised schematics for updated hardware
- Fabricated parts using 3D printers (PLA/resin) and TIG welder
- Logistics for traveling, purchasing, and shipping
Aug 2019 - Feb 2022
Electromechanical Engineer
Westlund Florida · Largo, FL
Hands-on R&D building custom one-off machines for automated production. Small family business — 3 engineers, 2 machinists, 3 assemblers, and the owner.
- Designed and built custom automation machines from concept to start-up
- Floor work: machining, wiring, assembling, debugging
- GD&T manufacturing drawings, assembly/installation drawings in SolidWorks
- Electrical schematics in AutoCAD
- Fanuc robots, motion-controlled conveyors, placers, case erectors, feeding magazines
- Never worked on the same machine twice
Feb 2019 - Aug 2019
Order Processing Engineer
Allikristé Custom Cabinetry · Largo, FL
First job out of college. Reviewed detailed AutoCAD drawings and managed fabrication orders for high-end custom cabinetry projects.
- Reviewed AutoCAD drawings, appliance/plumbing/lighting selections
- Signed off on projects upwards of $250k
- Created installation packages and final AutoCAD revisions for builders
- Client communication to ensure proper project completion
2015 - 2018
BS Mechanical Engineering
University of Central Florida · Orlando, FL
Graduated December 2018. Senior project team lead, 1st place at IDEAS Showcase, and discovered a passion for hands-on engineering.
- Senior Project Team Lead — HVAC PTAC unit redesign for major Orlando hospitality brand
- SolidWorks CAD modeling, flow & thermal analysis, working prototype
- 1st Place — IDEAS Showcase (Engineering Analysis Statics, 2016)
- Rigid-body analysis of rolling drawbridge, 3D printed model
Jan 2017 - May 2018
Office Manager
Painting with a Twist · Melbourne, FL
Managed staff and front office operations while finishing engineering degree at UCF.
- Managed up to 6 employees during peak hours
- Scheduling, finances, customer satisfaction, social media management
- Daily inventory, shipment routing, policy enforcement
Fall 2014
Peer Tutor — Mathematics
Eastern Florida State College · Cocoa, FL
Tutored 10-15 students weekly in Calculus 1 and below, and oversaw the full tutoring lab of up to 50 students.
- One-on-one tutoring in 3000-level mathematics
- Modeled problem-solving techniques
- Test-taking strategies and study skills coaching
- Bi-weekly test prep classes with teacher-created problems
2012 - 2014
Associates of Arts
Eastern Florida State College · Cocoa, FL
Completed AA degree before transferring to UCF. Wasn't sure what to major in until a Calc 2 professor told him he'd be good at engineering — 'it's a flexible field.' That one conversation changed the trajectory. Also grew up watching Alton Brown break down cooking into science, which quietly built the same systematic thinking that engineering would formalize.
2019 - Present
Rock Climber
Various Gyms & Crags · Florida
Picked up climbing after college and never stopped. Every route is a puzzle — balance, grip, body positioning, and committing to moves when the hold above you looks sketchy. It's engineering applied to your body, and the best debugging sessions happen after a hard send.
2013
Elderly Caregiver
Private Care · Merritt Island, FL
Provided round-the-clock care and medication management for a patient with severe dementia and Alzheimer's.
2008 - 2012
Competitive Swimmer & Karate Student
Brevard County · Cocoa, FL
Swim team all four years — placed 8th at states in 10th grade. Earned a green belt in karate over three years, traded for by Mom's accounting work. Also started handstands at 15 and never stopped. Dyslexic kid who learned discipline through sport, not textbooks.
2008 - 2010
Surf Instructor & Ocean Lifeguard
Surf Art Camp · Cocoa Beach, FL
First real job at 15 — teaching surfing at the same camp he grew up attending. Spent two summers as an ocean lifeguard after that. Nothing teaches you to read systems like reading the ocean: rip currents, swell direction, and when to tell a tourist to get out of the water.
2007 - 2012
Hardcore Raid Leader
World of Warcraft — Wrath of the Lich King · Azeroth
Started playing at 14 because Mom figured a dyslexic kid reading thousands of quest lines was a win. Became a hardcore raid leader in Wrath — coordinating 25 players through encounters with zero margin for error. The leadership, communication, and real-time decision-making transferred directly to every team he's led since.
2007 - 2009
Boat Builder
The Sullivan Garage · Canaveral Groves, FL
Built two Jon boats with Dad — the first at 14, the second at 16. No kits, no shortcuts. Measuring, cutting, fiberglassing, and learning that if you skip a step, the boat leaks. The best engineering education money can't buy.
2006 - Present
Dungeon Master & Player
The Kitchen Table · Canaveral Groves, FL
Started at 13 when Mom bought the Monster Manual for his older brother's creature drawings. Twenty years later, still rolling dice. D&D is collaborative problem-solving under constraints with incomplete information — which is also the job description for every engineer.
1993 - 2012
Resident Engineer, IT Department, & General Fixer of Things
The Sullivan Household · Canaveral Groves, FL
The kid who took apart $20 RC planes when they stopped flying and built RC boats from the propellers and controllers. Made wooden swords, fishing bows, and fishing traps in Dad's woodshop. Fixed small engines, electronics, and 'the WiFi' for the whole family. If it was broken, Connor was already halfway through disassembling it.