Thomas Merkel - Lead Cloud Infrastructure Engineer

Q: Where is Thomas based?

Thomas is based in Berlin, Germany .

Q: What languages does Thomas speak?

Thomas speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced) .

Q: How many years of experience does Thomas have?

Thomas has at least 23 years of experience. During this time, Thomas has worked in at least 21 different roles and for 21 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 1 year and 1 month . Note that Thomas may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Thomas's latest experience?

Thomas's most recent position is Lead Cloud Infrastructure Engineer at TrackCode GmbH .

Q: What companies has Thomas worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Thomas has worked for TrackCode GmbH , ITZBund , Hanseatic Bank GmbH & Co KG , DOTZON® GmbH , and Max Planck Institute of Biophysics .

Q: Which industries is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in industries like Information Technology , Telecommunication , and Government and Administration . Thomas also has some experience in Banking and Finance , Biotechnology , and Education .

Q: Which business areas is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in business areas like Information Technology , Operations , and Product Development . Thomas also has some experience in Quality Assurance , Customer Service , and Project Management .

Q: Which industries has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in industries like Information Technology , Government and Administration , and Banking and Finance .

Q: Which business areas has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in business areas like Information Technology , Operations , and Product Development .

Recommended expert

Berlin, Germany

Experience

Jul 2024 - Dec 2024

6 months

Lead Cloud Infrastructure Engineer

TrackCode GmbH

Developing GitHub Actions/pipelines for automatic application deployment
Supporting the provisioning of Helm charts for the CI/CD infrastructure
Rebuilding and migrating a Kubernetes cluster using Rancher
Creating IaC with Terraform for Kubernetes and additional services (monitoring, databases)
Deploying a highly available Percona Galera cluster (MySQL)
Implementing a centralized monitoring and logging infrastructure

Jun 2023 - Sep 2024

1 year 4 months

SELinux Information Security Specialist

ITZBund

Introducing and automating CIS benchmarks (according to BSI guidelines) via Ansible
Developing Red Hat SELinux rules for various applications such as Tomcat, CheckMK, Oracle DB, MariaDB
Advising on the implementation of additional security concepts for Red Hat Linux
Migrating AppArmor rules from SuSE and Ubuntu to Red Hat SELinux

Mar 2023 - Dec 2024

1 year 10 months

Linux Security Automation Specialist

Hanseatic Bank GmbH & Co KG

Planning and building an automatable infrastructure (Red Hat Satellite, Ansible Automation Platform, Red Hat Image Builder)
Developing a hardened Red Hat Linux system according to CIS standards and SELinux
Migrating existing Red Hat systems and applications to Red Hat Linux 9
Implementing various Ansible roles (firewalld, nginx, postgresql, checkmk, vmware, etc.)
Setting up CI/CD pipelines with GitLab for infrastructure deployments
Transitioning application and system landscape to IPv6
Operational support for Linux and AIX systems and bank-specific applications

Feb 2022 - Dec 2024

2 years 11 months

Systems Engineer UNIX / BSD

DOTZON® GmbH

Migrating old OpenBSD systems to new up-to-date services
Developing various tools such as a billing system, abuse monitoring, and domain statistics solutions
Introducing new domain crawling methods for faster analysis and processing
Creating and implementing OpenBSD security features (pledge, unveil)

Oct 2021 - Feb 2023

1 year 5 months

Email Infrastructure System Specialist

Max Planck Institute of Biophysics

Upgrading the operating system and software of the high-availability email infrastructure
Migrating from SpamAssassin to RSpamd for better spam detection
Restructuring cluster resources and configuration for cost-efficient operation
Extending the new Roundcube webmail solution with custom plugins
Deploying Sieve email filter rules via the Dovecot IMAP server

Jul 2021 - Dec 2022

1 year 6 months

Systems Engineer Storage Automation

1&1 IONOS SE

Improvement of existing models and interfaces of the SaltStack infrastructure
Development of the SaltStack orchestration solution to execute update processes for system software, kernel modules, and the operating system
Co-development and extension of public modules for Python, SaltStack, and Alcali
Development of a SaltStack Minion solution for single-binary deployment
Implementation and planning of automated update processes for the system landscape
Creation of a SaltStack extension for the Prometheus monitoring system

May 2020 - Jun 2021

1 year 2 months

Enterprise Solution Architect

Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund

Analysis and documentation of Solaris infrastructure and applications
Planning target platforms for application migration
Coordinating different departments for a successful migration
Supporting developer teams with code adjustments on Red Hat Linux
Introduction of container technologies as an alternative to enterprise virtualization solutions
Management reports, assessments, and presentations

Apr 2020 - May 2020

2 months

Cloud Architect

PPRO Holding GmbH

Adaptation and extension of a C++-based FreeBSD application to Debian Linux
Implementation of a Docker-based build system to optimize the development and testing cycle
Developing Infrastructure-as-Code with Terraform in Amazon Web Services
Migration of a PHP 5 web interface to PHP 7
Implementation of Linux hardening rules via AppArmor
Setting up a simple development, testing, and deployment pipeline with AWS solutions

Dec 2019 - Mar 2020

4 months

Interim Team Lead IT & Solution Engineer

MAGIX Software GmbH

Further development of the existing Puppet infrastructure for automation and configuration of Debian and Red Hat systems
Maintenance of the existing Linux infrastructure based on Debian and Red Hat Linux
Provisioning of the virtualization platform with Xen, KVM, and the cloud platforms AWS and Azure
Team organization and introduction of modern work methods
Planning and execution of a cloud migration from AWS to Azure
Migration of existing Java and PHP applications to cloud-based Red Hat systems
Provisioning of central network drives for Linux, Windows, and MacOS environments
Implementation of a central solution for managing secrets with HashiCorp Vault
Planning SELinux and AppArmor policies for secure environments
Implementation of CI/CD pipelines for various development teams
Deployment of DNS infrastructure in a hidden-master setup including DNSSEC

Oct 2019 - Nov 2019

2 months

Linux Solution Engineer

pro-samed GmbH

MySQL performance analysis for database queries by the PHP web application
Adjustments to the Linux file system for better and optimized I/O throughput
Extension of the MySQL configuration to optimize web application speed
Analysis of the VMware ESXi configuration and adjustments for the Linux operating system

Jan 2019 - Dec 2019

1 year

DevOps Linux & Cloud Architect

Avira Operations GmbH & Co. KG

Implementation of a development, testing, acceptance, and production workflow for container development on Amazon Web Services
Infrastructure automation and development with Docker, Terraform, and Ansible
Migration of an on-premise content management system to the new cloud platform
Development of an A/B testing system for targeted customer routing
Application and infrastructure monitoring with Datadog, New Relic, and AWS CloudWatch
Performance optimization for the PHP-based content management system by integrating S3 and CDN providers
Operation of the AWS cloud infrastructure and development ecosystem

Jan 2016 - May 2021

5 years 5 months

Cloud Architect & Operator

ANEXIA Internetdienstleistungs GmbH

SmartOS cloud setup and operation with Project-Fifo Cloud Management
Setup and maintenance of a highly available, distributed object store based on LeoFS
Implementation of a monitoring solution for cloud services and hardware

May 2012 - Nov 2014

2 years 7 months

Python Software Developer

Telekommunikation Lindau GmbH

Design and development of a web application to calculate cable quality using Django
Support and enhancement of the web application

Jun 2011 - Sep 2011

4 months

Linux System Administrator

IBM Deutschland GmbH

Led a team to expand a monitoring solution
Development of a Nagios extension in Java
Implementation of the Nagios monitoring solution

Nov 2010 - Jan 2019

8 years 3 months

Cloud Specialist

Veit & Beck Technology GmbH

SmartOS cloud setup and management with Project-Fifo Cloud Management
Design, implementation, and operation of a highly available libVirt environment
Migration of a libVirt/KVM-based Linux environment to SmartOS
Development of a backup and restore system in Bash
IPsec VPN implementation and administration
Advanced Linux and network support

Feb 2009 - Dec 2018

9 years 11 months

IT System Engineer

Avira Operations GmbH & Co. KG

Linux automation with Puppet and SaltStack
Migration of various services from data center operations to an AWS cloud environment
Operation of Atlassian infrastructure (Confluence, Jira, Bitbucket, Bamboo, HipChat)
Design and administration of PHP and Percona Galera web clusters in AWS
Development of a security concept for Linux cloud environments
Implementation of a Nagios monitoring solution in global operations
Expansion of a cross-site OpenVPN architecture
Automated backup solution in S3 using AWS Lambda functions
System administration and implementation of an HA file server
Creation of Linux and Windows images with Packer for a CI/CD pipeline
Maintenance of Solaris 10 and 11 build systems and HA environments
Integration of Solaris systems into Active Directory infrastructure
Deployment and automation of a Hadoop system
Development and maintenance of a license generator in Java
Administration of a Citrix XenServer cluster including self-service portal
Management and development of a PKI solution based on OpenSSL/HSM
Deployment and development of Linux security standards (AppArmor, hardening, GRSecurity)
Implementation and administration of a Linux/IPTables-based router solution

Feb 2009 - Jun 2009

5 months

Hostmaster and System Administrator

ingame GmbH

Migration of the content management system to dedicated infrastructure
Development and integration of a highly available web cluster
Domain and DNS management through custom configuration solutions
CMS support for community members and technical journalists

May 2007 - Dec 2024

17 years 8 months

Founder, Partner & Server Ninja

SkyLime GmbH

Infrastructure, operations, and development
Unix (Solaris, illumos, BSD) / Linux consulting and training
SmartOS cloud provider with DNS, email, databases, and hosting
Network services such as VPN endpoints and IPv6 routing
Linux security design (AppArmor, SELinux, hardening)
Efficient software development and scripting in Node.js, Ruby, Python, shell, and C/C++
Automation with Terraform, Puppet, SaltStack, and Ansible

Nov 2006 - Nov 2007

1 year 1 month

Test Inspector

Elektronikschule Tettnang

Preparation of test machines and infrastructure for conducting Pearson VUE tests
Monitoring of exams for CCNA, MCP, and LPI
Preparation of various exams

Sep 2005 - Feb 2009

3 years 6 months

Linux System Administrator

Avira GmbH

Maintenance and administration of web, file, and network services on Gentoo Linux
Implementation of a Nagios monitoring solution for Linux and Windows systems
Management and further development of the OTRS helpdesk system in an HA environment
Java and web cluster development for the product license generator

Apr 2004 - Jun 2011

7 years 3 months

Partner and System Administrator

reco-systems GbR

Set up high-availability services with GlusterFS, HAProxy and MySQL Proxy
Designed and implemented MySQL master-master replication
Improved website load times with Nginx micro-caching

Nov 2001 - Jun 2005

3 years 8 months

Software Tester for OS/2 and Windows Products

H+BEDV Datentechnik GmbH

Quality control of antivirus products on Windows, OS/2 and Novell NetWare
Developed a PHP-based test framework to manage and evaluate test logs
Installed and administered Fli4l routers in the QA department

Industry Experience

See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time.

Experienced in Information Technology, Government and Administration, Telecommunication, Banking and Finance, Biotechnology, and Education.

Information Technology

Government and Administration

Telecommunication

Banking and Finance

Biotechnology

Education

Business Area Experience

See which departments and functions this freelancer has contributed to most.

Experienced in Information Technology, Operations, Product Development, Quality Assurance, Project Management, and Customer Service.

Information Technology

Operations

Product Development

Quality Assurance

Project Management

Customer Service

Summary

Server ninja with over 20 years of industry experience, specializing in Unix and Linux cloud solutions. IT consultant and automation expert with experience as a business analyst for process optimization.

Languages

German

Native

English

Advanced

Education

Feb 2009 - Feb 2013

Hochschule Ravensburg-Weingarten

Bachelor of Science, Computer Science · Computer Science · Weingarten, Germany

Sep 2005 - Jan 2008

Elektronikschule Tettnang

IT Specialist, Information and Communication Technology · Information and Communication Technology · Tettnang, Germany

Sep 2003 - May 2005

Elektronikschule Tettnang

Assistant for Information and Communication Technology · Information and Communication Technology · Tettnang, Germany

Statistics

Experience

Total positions 22

Experience in Information Technology 23 y

Avg length 3 y 3 m

Longest experience 17 y 7 m

Expertise

Recent roles Lead Cloud Infrastructure Engineer, SELinux Information Security Specialist, Linux Security Automation Specialist

Main industries Information Technology, Government and Administration, Telecommunication

Main business areas Information Technology, Operations, Product Development

Qualifications

Highest degree Bachelor

Profile

Created

April 2026

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have questions? Here you can find further information.

Where is Thomas based?

Thomas is based in Berlin, Germany.

What languages does Thomas speak?

Thomas speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced).

How many years of experience does Thomas have?

Thomas has at least 23 years of experience. During this time, Thomas has worked in at least 21 different roles and for 21 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 1 year and 1 month. Note that Thomas may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Thomas be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Thomas would be well-suited for roles such as: Lead Cloud Infrastructure Engineer, SELinux Information Security Specialist, Linux Security Automation Specialist.

What is Thomas's latest experience?

Thomas's most recent position is Lead Cloud Infrastructure Engineer at TrackCode GmbH.

What companies has Thomas worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Thomas has worked for TrackCode GmbH, ITZBund, Hanseatic Bank GmbH & Co KG, DOTZON® GmbH, and Max Planck Institute of Biophysics.

Which industries is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in industries like Information Technology, Telecommunication, and Government and Administration. Thomas also has some experience in Banking and Finance, Biotechnology, and Education.

Which business areas is Thomas most experienced in?

Thomas is most experienced in business areas like Information Technology, Operations, and Product Development. Thomas also has some experience in Quality Assurance, Customer Service, and Project Management.

Which industries has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in industries like Information Technology, Government and Administration, and Banking and Finance.

Which business areas has Thomas worked in recently?

Thomas has recently worked in business areas like Information Technology, Operations, and Product Development.

What is Thomas's education?

Thomas holds a Bachelor in Computer Science from Hochschule Ravensburg-Weingarten.

What is the availability of Thomas?

Thomas will be available part-time from April 2026.

What is the rate of Thomas?

Thomas's rate depends on the specific project requirements. Please use the Meet button on the profile to schedule a meeting and discuss the details.