Worked on the NationalSecurityAgency/datawave repository to enhance annotation score semantics by introducing an explicit optional score field in Annotation SegmentValue objects. This change allowed downstream analytics to distinguish between missing and zero scores, improving annotation handling and state-change tracking. The technical approach involved using Java and Protobuf, with a Maven plugin added to automate Java source generation from .proto files, ensuring consistency with protobuf workflows and supporting manual builds. Collaboration with other contributors ensured code quality and cross-team alignment. The work preserved backward compatibility while enabling more precise annotation state semantics, with unit testing supporting robust feature delivery.