CI/CD Experts

Maturing their API practices on both a business and technology level. My role covers strategy, architecture, developer advocacy as well as hands-on software engineering, enabling both technical teams and business leadership to adopt and act on API-centric principles effectively. Coincidentally, we also establish GitOps, DX and platform best practices with this project.

Highlights:

• Aligning executives with the initiative by clarifying strategy, replacing misconceptions and myths with facts, clarifying the value of existing assets and enabling informed decision-making
• Formulating a way forward for API Lifecycle Management at OTTO
• Driving platform progress and fostering developer engagement by hands-on engineering work towards strategic goals

API Lifecycle Management, Team Topologies, Organizational Evolution, Regulatory, Platform Advocate, Developer Platform, Communities of Practice, Terraform, Kotlin, Kafka, Kong, WSO2, Apigee, Gravitee, Backstage, AsyncAPI, OpenAPI, API Design, AWS, React, Node.js, TypeScript, Redocly, reactive programming, CDC, Golang, Gin, GitOps, DX (developer experience), stakeholder management, roadmaps, workshops, discovery.

• Developed a browser-based platform for Kubernetes no-code deployment and cluster management
• Developed a CLI in TypeScript to deploy resources in the cluster without leaving the browser UI.
• Implemented DevSecOps pipelines: image scanning, SBOM, policy enforcement, supply-chain security, and used Kyverno. Implemented IAM integration for the command-line utility tool.
• Designed role and permission models for Keycloak, OAuth/OIDC, and social login flows.
• Used LLMs to convert user intent into diagrams.
• Worked on integration with multiple sovereign clouds like StackIT, Hetzner, CIVO, UpCloud, plus public clouds like AWS, GCP, and Azure
• The technology stack includes Java, Spring Boot, Kubernetes, OpenAI, Kubernetes multi-tenancy using vCluster, Karpenter, RBAC for CLI, Helm, React

Project: Defect generation on inspection images of metal surfaces

• Environment:* Automated Visual Inspection (AVI), Metallurgy & Manufacturing

• Goal & implementation: Concept, architecture, and training of Generative Adversarial Networks (Pix2PixHD / SPADE) for image-to-image transformation. Targeted generation of synthetic material defects (e.g. cracks, inclusions, scale) on rough metal surfaces under real inspection-light conditions for privacy-compliant and efficient dataset expansion (Data Augmentation).

• Technical design: Implementation of robust Generative AI and Computer Vision pipelines in Python and PyTorch. Use of semantic segmentation approaches for mask-guided defect synthesis and downstream evaluation with EfficientDet object detection models.

• Business impact: Massive dataset upscaling (factor of 10x) without time- and cost-intensive physical inspection runs, while at the same time drastically improving the detection performance of automated inspection systems.

Technologies & skills used: Python | PyTorch | SPADE | Pix2PixHD | EfficientDet | Machine Learning | Semantic Segmentation | Computer Vision

Reporting and controlling with Power BI for a productive ERP system

• Analysis of ERP data and interfaces for use in Power BI dashboards
• Evaluation and migration of existing reports (e.g. Excel) to Power BI
• Development of an access rights concept for selective data access
• Documentation and training on how to use and adapt the Power BI dashboards

Label: Power BI, Excel, SelectLine ERP, Microsoft SQL, SQL Server Management Studio

Built an international e-commerce platform for a multi-vendor marketplace for digital assets from scratch. Designed and operated cloud native architectures at enterprise scale.

• Designed and operated a highly scalable microservice and serverless architecture
• Built the complete cloud infrastructure with Terraform + AWS CDK in AWS
• Provisioned ECS/EKS clusters (Fargate), Application Load Balancers (reverse proxy), and Lambda functions
• Observability & tracing with CloudWatch, DataDog, Prometheus, and Grafana
• End-to-end setup with DataDog (formerly AWS CloudWatch), Prometheus, and custom Grafana dashboards
• Integration of advanced metrics (including ORM mapper) and distributed tracing with Jaeger
• Robust backup and disaster recovery strategies
• RDS Postgres backups and hourly snapshots
• Read-only, asynchronously synchronized replicas with automated master failover in emergencies
• Minute-level rollback capability through versioned Docker images on ECS and Git-based CI/CD pipelines
• Created CI/CD pipelines with GitHub Actions for automated multi-stage deployments (Dev, Testing, Prod)
• Integrated Stripe for international payment processing
• Built a marketplace payment system with multiple parties and payout routines
• Used Algolia for high-performance real-time search of digital assets on the platform
• Federation of services with GraphQL and Hasura
• Later migration to GraphQL Mesh
• Test Driven Development (TDD) - unit, integration, and E2E testing with Jest, Vitest, and Playwright
• Used Next.js / React for modern frontend applications in the nx monorepo
• Enterprise security architecture & access control
• Integration of JWT tokens with Auth0, OAuth, OIDC, IP guards, BOLA protection, and secret vaults
• Authorization concepts with RBAC, ABAC, and native Postgres Row-Level Security (RLS)
• Built internal microfrontends with Retool for fast prototyping and operational business processes

Technologies: ABAC, AWS CDK, AWS CloudWatch, AWS ECS, AWS EKS, AWS Fargate, AWS RDS, AWS S3, Algolia, Auth0, DataDog, Docker, GitHub Actions, Grafana, GraphQL, GraphQL Mesh, Hasura, JWT, Jaeger, Java, JavaScript, Jest, Kotlin, Kubernetes, Monorepo, Next.js, OIDC, Playwright, Postgres, Postgres RLS, Prometheus, RBAC, Redis, Retool, Serverless, Stripe, Terraform, TypeScript, Vitest

• Planned and developed a CPU monitoring application for monitoring system performance and resource utilization.
• Designed and implemented a Spring Boot backend providing a REST API for processing and exposing monitoring data.
• Developed the React frontend for presenting monitoring information in a clear and user-friendly interface.
• Integrated PostgreSQL for persistent storage and management of application data.
• Containerized the application and its services using Docker Compose.
• Automated infrastructure provisioning and deployment using Terraform on AWS.
• Structured the application as a modern, maintainable system using REST-based communication between frontend and backend.
• Designed and developed a secure, scalable CPU monitoring architecture (cpu-watcher) with a dedicated collector application that streams monitoring data to the backend, reducing direct exposure of system resources.
• Designed a secure cloud infrastructure with the database isolated within a private network and OIDC-based authentication.
• Implemented Infrastructure as Code with Terraform and integrated version-controlled CI/CD pipelines to automate testing, infrastructure changes, and application deployments.
• Designed and implemented the frontend delivery architecture using AWS CloudFront.

Stack: Spring Boot · React · PostgreSQL · REST API · Docker Compose · Terraform · AWS

Stabilizing an Azure/.NET landscape in live operation.

• Architecture, DevOps, and operational readiness; technical decisions under time pressure
• Azure DevOps, monitoring, ETL/ELT, cloud security, FinOps, and data-mesh-related topics

Technologies: Azure DevOps, .NET, CI/CD, monitoring, FinOps

• Worked as freelance Senior DevOps Consultant on-site for IBM at a European Union Agency, operating in a highly secure, air-gapped environment managing classified systems.
• Led automation and DevOps initiatives for a large-scale OpenShift platform (>400 nodes), driving deployment efficiency, GitOps adoption, and operational automation using Ansible, Python, and Bash while ensuring compliance with security requirements.
• Spearheaded automation of release and deployment workflows in a private cloud environment hosting 400+ OpenShift nodes, significantly improving deployment speed and reliability.
• Migrated existing playbooks, roles, and templates from Ansible Tower to Ansible Automation Platform (AAP), ensuring full compliance with fully-qualified collection names (FQCN) and preparing custom Execution Environments (EE) for containerized automation.
• Implemented GitOps Agent for AAP Controller Configuration as Code, enabling automated synchronization (CRUD) of Ansible Controller objects based on repository-stored configuration definitions using GitHub webhooks.
• Designed and automated complex multi-step operational workflows including environment cleanup, Helix cluster component re-creation, Kafka topic management, and OpenShift object lifecycle management across ~100 environments.
• Achieved a reduction of multi-day manual operations to under a few hours through automation improvements spanning multiple AAP clusters and OpenShift environments.
• Integrated Ansible Automation Platform with Thycotic (Delinea) Secret Server via lookup plugin to enhance secure credential management in automated processes.
• Managed deployment tasks, platform troubleshooting, and Istio network configurations while adhering to stringent EU PSC security and compliance standards.
• Collaborated with infrastructure and application teams to refine deployment procedures, develop naming conventions, and continuously improve automation coverage in an air-gapped, classified environment.

I support the development of an industrial automation and communication product in which hardware, firmware, embedded software, system architecture, and testing work closely together. As a coach and technical sparring partner, I support product and project owners as well as development teams in turning product goals into a clear technical delivery structure.

• Technical Vision & Strategy: translated product goals into prioritized requirements, milestones, decisions, and executable work packages for HW-/SW teams.
• HW-/SW Collaboration: structured the interfaces between hardware, firmware, Embedded Linux/RTOS, fieldbus/connectivity, system test, and product management; made risks and dependencies transparent.
• Coaching & Leadership Sparring: clarified roles, responsibilities, prioritization, and decision paths with technical leads and teams and strengthened cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Methods & environment: Polarion, GitHub, requirements engineering, configuration management, PROFINET, embedded systems, agile delivery, coaching, and facilitation.

• Development of an AI-powered project organization tool for a civil engineering company that intelligently links project, task, tender, schedule, and document data through a knowledge graph.
• Implementation of AI features for document analysis, information extraction, context-based assistance, and voice-based data capture based on Microsoft Azure AI, reducing administrative effort, making information available faster, and supporting project teams in decision-making.
• Tech stack: Python, React, TypeScript, FastAPI, Claude Code, Codex, Graphify, PostgreSQL, Microsoft Azure AI Foundry, Azure OpenAI, Azure AI Speech, Azure AI Document Intelligence, Microsoft Graph, Microsoft Entra ID, Docker, Git, CI/CD.

Nationwide service provider for occupational medicine, occupational safety, and health management with a focus on prevention, health, and digital transformation.

• Role: Responsible for building and further developing professional project portfolio management in the area of Digital Transformation & Data. Steering and supporting strategic IT and transformation projects as well as supporting the introduction and establishment of project management standards, methods, and governance structures.

Focus areas:

• Build-up and further development of IT project portfolio management
• Analysis and structuring of business and technical requirements
• Steering and coordination of cross-functional IT initiatives
• Stakeholder management at business, management, and service provider level
• Introduction and further development of project management methods and tools (including Jira, Confluence, MS Planner)
• Preparation of decision bases, target visions, and implementation concepts in the context of digital transformation
• Steering and coordination of transformation, digitalization, and organizational projects
• Preparation of decision papers and management documents for steering committees
• Running workshops and stakeholder management with business units and IT teams
• Definition of requirements for dashboards, reporting, and KPI steering
• Support in the project Wissenskompass (requirements analysis and MVP concept)
• Analysis and evaluation of AI support options in knowledge management
• Investigation of AI use cases to improve knowledge provision and use
• Consideration of AI requirements as part of the Wissenskompass concept
• Coordination with strategic business units on the further development of project management standards
• Introduction, configuration, and training of Microsoft Planner to support project and task management
• Conducting user training and supporting employees in the introduction of new ways of working and tools

Product:

• Built a production-ready AI platform for generating brand-aware marketing images and videos from product data, user requirements, and uploaded media.
• Own the platform architecture, technical roadmap, API design, security, deployment workflow, operational reliability, and model-provider strategy.
• Developed the core platform in .NET and built supporting AI and workflow prototypes in Python, applying language-independent API contracts and structured interfaces between services and model providers.
• Implemented reliable background processing with RabbitMQ, persisted workflow state, idempotent handling, retries, failure recovery, logging, secure storage, authorization, and credit accounting.
• Made pragmatic build-versus-buy and model-routing decisions based on reliability, latency, cost, and maintainability rather than novelty.

Agent Orchestration & RAG Systems

• Built and compared agent workflows using Microsoft Agent Framework, LangGraph, and LangChain, including tool use, conditional routing, clarification steps, state management, and hand-offs between agents.
• Implemented reusable .NET components for agents, prompts, tools, model providers, structured responses, and retrieval with pyvector, making it easier to change AI providers without rewriting the core workflow.

Sub-project lead in an agile IT environment

Leading a software development team (10 employees)

• Leading a software development team with 10 employees
• Budget responsibility approx. 3 million euros per year
• Conducting employee and job interviews
• Responsibility for resource planning (budget and employees)
• Digitalization of a web interface
• Regular reporting to customers and stakeholders (C-level)
• Product management: developing and implementing product strategies; defining requirements to guide product development
• Structuring product development & continuous testing efficiently to quickly incorporate feedback & compliance points
• Close collaboration with stakeholders & various teams to understand requirements, set priorities, ensure rollout, and increase user-friendliness
• Project experience in an energy industry company, including the functioning of energy markets, the basics of energy generation and distribution, as well as current challenges and developments in the industry
• Project experience in the railway sector - including the structure and operation of railway systems.
• Project experience within the 16.7 Hz traction power sector incl. knowledge of regulatory processes
• Formulating the sub-project charter and the project profile according to the project standard together with the project management
• Controlling service delivery according to the project charter
• Planning and controlling human resources including budget planning for the sub-project
• Ensuring the work capacity of the sub-project participants, e.g. by requesting access rights and documents for the sub-project team
• Planning and control for the respective sub-project (time, scope, budget) including the creation of necessary documents
• Alignment with the business department and Product Owners to plan the sub-project scope and the corresponding implications
• Executing milestone planning according to the agreed process model
• Effort estimation and support of sub-project controlling as well as overall project controlling in forecasting and planning
• Reporting sub-project status (according to status slide template) including progress (according to progress measurement)
• Analyzing, preparing, and addressing action and decision requirements
• Escalating sub-project issues to the project management
• Creating and managing Change Requests (CR)
• Quality assessment of completed task packages from a project management perspective (time, scope, and budget)
• Implementation management of the overarching guidelines and requirements in the sub-project, supported by cross-functional roles on the functional and technical side.
• Identifying, managing, documenting, and communicating opportunities, risks, and dependencies within and across sub-projects
• Supporting project management in creating the overall project plan and overall status reports
• Preparing and managing commissioning including the required documents and protection needs assessment

Scrum Master in an agile IT environment supporting a software development team in the full-stack area (7 people)

• Close collaboration with stakeholders & various teams to understand requirements, set priorities, ensure rollout, and increase user-friendliness
• Implementation of the selected Scrum method, including the required events, meetings, artifacts (product backlog, sprint backlog, burndown charts), metrics, as well as conducting required training in an agile IT environment
• Preparation of Scrum events such as Daily, retrospectives, Review, Sprint planning, estimation, and refinement (agile way of working)
• Moderation of retrospectives and elimination of obstacles to move the team and product forward
• Preparation of action items and retros via whiteboard and Figma
• Application and improvement of agile methods such as Kanban, Scrum, SAFe, or Scrum of Scrums
• Tracking the "Definition of Done" and "Definition of Ready" for all work results of the development team
• Advising on information flow and communication improvements between Product Owner and project team
• Experience with automation, validation such as mandatory field checks, notification functions, creation of filters, boards, and reports via JQL, and setting up cycle time
• Use of Jira & Confluence
• Setting up a progress measurement for project management to transparently map planned vs. actual team capacities and actual efforts for user stories
• Measuring team progress: creating team KPIs: "velocity", "burn-down chart", "throughput", "costs", "quality", "scope"
• Evaluation of agile metrics, process management, and process modeling methods (BPMN, EPC, UML)
• Communication and moderation know-how
• Methodological competence proven in conflict discussions

• Task Engineering: Evaluating Coding Agents.
• Asset Creation: Building realistic task environments using datasets and files in German. Crucially, these assets must remain in the target language to genuinely measure multilingual handling.
• Prompting & Translation: finding failure points where AI does not work, in German.
• Implementation & Verification: Supporting the development of robust solutions (reference implementations) and write highly reliable, deterministic verifier scripts (using rubric-based judging only when strictly necessary).
• Calibration & Execution: Analyze execution logs and calibrate task difficulty (Easy to Very Hard) using standard Terminal-Bench run configurations against various model tiers (Haiku, Opus).
• Quality Assurance: Participation in a rigorous, 4-layer human quality control process (creation, human review, calibration review, and audit) alongside automated LLM-based checks to ensure fairness, grammatical accuracy, and benchmark integrity.
• Linguistic Review: Reviewing AI benchmark tasks across Hindi, Arabic, Japanese, Chinese, Czech and Turkish.