Okay, let’s tackle this. So Michael Zatzke has 15+ years of experience as a software engineer, which is a significant amount of time. He has expertise in cloud computing, AI, and data science, which are in high demand. Location is San Jose, California, which is the heart of Silicon Valley, so there’s a high demand for skilled engineers. However, considering the current market conditions and the level of experience, I would estimate his hourly rate to be around $125. This is slightly lower than the national average for software engineers in the US, which is around $150–$200 per hour. However, Michael’s experience and skills are still highly valuable, and he can command a premium rate. Some senior software engineers in the Bay Area can charge $200–$250 per hour, but Michael’s profile suggests he’s more of a mid-level engineer, so I’ll stick with the lower end of the range.