DevOps Experts in Cologne

• Regulated environment within a German banking group (approx. 8,500 employees, hybrid cloud strategy).

• Responsible for operating, provisioning, and continuously securing business-critical platforms – including a GenAI chat application, a big data/AI platform, and data science workspaces based on Azure Virtual Desktops and VMs. Ownership of Azure DevOps projects for ShaiHulud and React2Shell, as well as BSI alerts – Security Operations improvements across the SDLC.

• Deployment responsibility for the GenAI chat application, big data/AI platform (BDAI), and data science workspaces (AVD/VM-based) in the respective landing zones.

• Deployment & release management: end-to-end responsibility for deploying portal and service applications across multiple Azure landing zones, including technical approvals, compliance with development team deployment guidelines, and ensuring ITIL-based change and release processes via ServiceNow.

• Azure landing zones & network architecture: design, provisioning, and operation of Azure landing zones for 3-tier web applications with enhanced network segmentation, VNet peering, hub-and-spoke architectures, private endpoints, and firewall integration across separate subscriptions and tenants.

• Azure DevOps governance & operations: ownership of the Azure DevOps organization, including projects, repositories, and CI/CD pipelines; implementation of governance requirements such as branch policies, approval gates, permission models, and audit-ready operating structures.

• Infrastructure as Code (Terraform): design, implementation, and operation of a modular Terraform architecture for standardized cloud infrastructure deployment, including state management, provider versioning, reusability, and policy-as-code approaches.

• CI/CD pipeline engineering: design, operation, and optimization of complex YAML-based CI/CD pipelines with multi-stage deployments, template standardization, self-hosted agents, integrated secret management, and automated quality and security checks.

• Git migration & platform consolidation: planning and execution of repository and pipeline migration from Azure DevOps to GitLab CI/CD, including automated scripts, full Git history transfer, pipeline porting, and platform consolidation.

• Container & platform operations (AKS): operation and security assessment of containerized workloads on Azure Kubernetes Service, centralization of on-premises container registries for ACR.

• OpenShift (OCP) security reviews: security assessment of code baselines, build pipelines, and deployment processes for on-premises OpenShift clusters with critical applications, and derivation of specific hardening recommendations.

• Shift-left security & DevSecOps transformation: introduction of a company-wide shift-left approach for early security integration in development and deployment processes, enabling developers to perform self-led security checks and sustainably reduce vulnerabilities before production (IDE integrations, pre-commit hooks, local scanners).

• Software supply chain security: analysis and mitigation of supply chain risks in NPM- and Yarn-based applications through dependency audits, CI/CD pipeline hardening, token rotation, and restriction of risky build and lifecycle mechanisms.

• Frontend & framework security (React / Next.js): security assessment and coordination of critical vulnerability remediation across platform applications and web frameworks, including coordination and complementary technical mitigations with all teams following BSI alerts.

• Software composition analysis (SCA): introduction and operation of automated vulnerability scans for container images, pipelines/artifacts, and third-party dependencies, including SBOM exports within CI/CD pipelines.

• SAST/DAST integration: design and piloting of static and dynamic application security tests in close collaboration with security architecture and development teams, for continuous improvement of code and runtime security, and establishing operational acceptance tests.

• Artifact & registry consolidation: analysis and consolidation of all package and container repositories for service applications and AKS workloads, aiming for a centralized, secured registry strategy with centralized vulnerability scanning and governance.

• Dependency-Track & SBOM strategy: advising the compliance board on introducing a central SBOM and vulnerability management platform to increase enterprise-wide dependency transparency and accelerate CVE response capability.

• CI/CD pipeline hardening: security analysis and cleanup of the existing pipeline landscape by removing unused pipelines, improving secrets hygiene, implementing least-privilege principles, and isolating build agent environments.

• Azure Web Application Firewall (WAF) optimization: analysis and tuning of existing Azure WAF rules (OWASP Top 10 Core Rule Set, DSR/SDC, custom rules) to defend against known vulnerabilities and exploit patterns, including reducing false positives and improving threat detection.

• Documentation & stakeholder communication: creating and maintaining technical documentation, runbooks, and architecture overviews in Jira and Confluence, as well as active knowledge transfer between operations, development, security, and compliance stakeholders.

Architected and maintained data products for renewable energy operations, covering wind turbine, grid-meter, and weather data. Built scalable ETL/ELT pipelines in Azure Databricks using Delta Lake (bronze/silver/gold layers) and processed data in various formats, including structured and semi-structured data. Contributed to a data quality framework supporting table and column documentation, outlier detection, and completeness metrics across all datasets within a data product. In addition, implemented a DORA KPI Databricks dashboard used across all data products. Optimized CI/CD processes in Azure DevOps to streamline deployment across development, test, and production environments.

Technology stack: Azure Databricks, PySpark, SQL, Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, Azure Data Lake, APIs, Dremio, Azure DevOps, YAML, Git, Databricks Workflows, Application Insights, Terraform, OpenAI API, Codex, LLM-assisted workflows

PLANT-MY-TREE®-per-order

The application enables Shopify merchants to automatically place tree-planting orders for every incoming order. By integrating ecological contributions directly into the purchase process, the manual effort for tracking and billing reforestation initiatives is eliminated. The system increases transparency for end customers through real-time visualizations of the ecological impact directly in the storefront. The architecture is based on a modular monolith with Spring Boot in the backend and an integrated React app inside the Shopify admin area. The solution uses webhooks to capture order data in an event-driven way and integrates the weclapp ERP system for automated monthly invoicing. An app proxy mechanism provides dynamic statistics such as CO2 compensation and planted trees without any performance loss for the merchant shop.

Tasks:

• Design of the modular software architecture based on Spring Modulith to ensure high maintainability
• Development of the event-driven business logic for evaluating Shopify orders via webhooks
• Implementation of automated invoicing by connecting the weclapp REST API
• Building the frontend using React Router and Shopify App Bridge for native integration
• Design of the database model and implementation of the persistence layer with JPA/Hibernate and Prisma
• Integration of internationalization processes for global use in the frontend and email communication
• Automation of deployment processes using Docker and GitLab CI/CD

Project skills: Java 25, Spring Boot, Spring Security, Spring Modulith, Hibernate, JPA, REST API, PostgreSQL, Maven, Liquibase, React, TypeScript, React Router, Vite, Node.js, Prisma, Zod, Docker, Docker Compose, GitLab CI/CD, Shopify CLI, Shopify App Bridge, Polaris, weclapp, i18next, Lombok, Vitest

PFS-Matching-App

• Integrated an intelligent LLM chatbot using LangChain4j, enabling conversational AI, context-aware question answering, document summarization, and autonomous tool execution.
• Implemented Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), prompt engineering, and AI agent workflows to connect large language models with enterprise data and backend services.
• Developed RESTful APIs and secure backend services to support AI-driven interactions and business processes

• Responsible for the architecture and development of an AI-native SaaS platform for industrial product portfolio management.
• Designed the modern data platform architecture on Azure for scalable analytics and enterprise data integration.
• Built enterprise data ingestion and transformation pipelines across complex industrial system landscapes.
• Developed graph-based representations of product structures and dependencies for analytical reasoning.
• Designed and implemented an agentic AI framework for AI-supported decision workflows.
• Built scalable analytical microservices and integrated reporting through modern BI technologies.
• Coordinated backend, AI, and frontend development across the MYNR platform stack.

• Role: PO for the mobile app relaunch, e-prescription platform, and online shop of one of Germany's leading online pharmacies. Steering external development partners, prioritizing along business and compliance goals, close alignment with executive leadership and stakeholders.
• Challenge: Complex regulatory environment, high delivery pressure, multiple parallel workstreams with external vendors.
• Impact: Successful app relaunch, continuous development of the shop and eRX integration with stable delivery quality.

• Brought together AI initiatives through central coordination and integration of artificial intelligence projects to increase efficiency and business value.
• Identified and prioritized AI use cases through business process analysis and translated them into structured product backlogs and roadmaps.
• Led change management activities, including the rollout of new digital tools, communication strategies, and training concepts to support cultural change.
• Managed requirements and processes through end-to-end requirements analysis, process modeling, and organizational optimization.
• Scaled agile practices (Scrum, Kanban, OKRs) and promoted cross-functional collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Supported company-wide digital transformation by leading technical change initiatives and strengthening collaboration models.

• Reorganizing and structuring business units in line with agile frameworks
• Scaling agile ways of working across multiple teams and departments
• Advising and supporting teams in forming squads and introducing new meeting structures
• Introducing agile portfolio management to align strategic initiatives
• Implementing metrics and KPIs to measure agile maturity and success
• Assisting in integrating agile methods into existing company processes

• Delivered ML pipelines for OCR, semantic search, and computer vision
• Integrated Azure AI Agents and GPT workflows for automation and QA
• Deployed cloud-based FastAPI services with scalable architecture
• Created integration docs and advised on LLM production readiness

• Structured analysis and evaluation of business processes

• Gathering, documenting, and prioritizing requirements

• Creating business-friendly and technically executable process models

• Use of Camunda tools

• Deriving requirements and interfaces from BPMN diagrams

• Coordination with stakeholders and business units

• Translating business requirements into technical solution designs

• Implementing efficient and tailored applications

• Systematic collection, analysis, and documentation of requirements

• Prioritizing and validating requirements in close collaboration with stakeholders

• Alignment between business and development to ensure shared objectives

• Creating use cases, user stories, and acceptance criteria

• Continuous requirements and change management throughout the project lifecycle

• Define project goals and create project plans

• Delegate tasks and monitor project progress

• Monitor budgets and inform stakeholders

• Mendix: Architecture, development, and maintenance of custom applications (Microflows, Domain Model, Security, XPath)

• Modeling Mendix workflows for process optimization

• Develop scalable apps with Mendix including REST/SOAP integration with SAP, SQL, Azure & SharePoint

• UI design for Mendix using Atlas UI, Fluent UI, HTML, CSS, JavaScript

• Develop web & mobile apps with Mendix using agile methods (Scrum, Kanban)

• Implement business logic with Mendix Microflows and Nanoflows

• Performance optimization and architecture improvements for Mendix applications

• Conduct Mendix training

• Create technical documentation and best practices for Mendix

• Coaching and mentoring for low-code development with Mendix

• Automation of the database major / minor releases for the TKeasy project

• Concept for database major / minor release automation

• As-is analysis

• Evaluation of Redgate Flyway functionality

• Concept creation

• Products: Redgate Flyway, GitHub, Quest, Erwin Data Modeller, Oracle, Atlassian Jira, Atlassian Confluence

• Skills: Docker, Continuous Delivery, Continuous Integration, Redgate Flyway, Major Releases, Minor Releases

• Responsibility, also as rollout manager, for the successful transition of a basic OZG platform into the client's standard operations by planning and implementing measures along Service Transition and Service Operation according to ITIL, including workshops in a SAFe environment with more than 40 operational stakeholders
• Building and maintaining cross-organizational stakeholder relationships by organizing and running various information sessions on technical configurations and user guides (platform and EfA services)
• Designing and improving various operational and project documents such as the ITIL operations manual, OLA, SLA, service support concept and rollout instructions
• Modeling project-based processes according to BPMN 2.0, EPK and UML related to OZG services with the goal of integrating them into the operational e-government process landscape (SOA)
• Coordinating operational stakeholders and KPI reporting to the project management team using agile methods according to SAFe
• Tech stack / tools: Microsoft 365 (SharePoint, OneNote, Outlook, Teams), Skype for Business, Cisco Webex, ADONIS, MindManager, Jira, Confluence

AI Strategy & Enablement for SMEs Management consulting – SMEs (e.g. marketing boutique, IT & office services)

Concept and delivery of structured AI introduction and strategy workshops for small and medium-sized businesses. Result: Practical AI status assessment, prioritized use case list, and management decision template as the basis for the next steps in the company’s AI development.

Activities

• Needs analysis and individual preparation of the consulting formats
• Facilitation of a structured AI status assessment including vision, mission, and target picture
• Identification and prioritization of relevant AI use cases and action fields
• Creation of management decision templates and roadmaps
• Raising awareness for opportunities, risks, and success factors of AI introduction
• Support for first customers with AI-supported automation scenarios
• Supporting people and teams through the change process of AI introduction (CM)

Methods / Tools / Technologies

Methods:

• AI status assessment & use case analysis
• Workshop moderation / facilitation
• Requirement Management
• Change Management (PROSCI)

Tools:

• Generative AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Claude)
• Automation/AI coding tools (e.g. n8n, Claude Code, Visual Studio, Antigravity)

Technologies:

• Prompt engineering
• AI workflow automation

• Led the end-to-end architecture and migration of a legacy on- premise IoT monitoring system to a cloud-native Azure platform within a 17-member development team
• Designed and implemented a scalable microservices architecture (Java 21, Spring Boot, Kubernetes, Azure Services), decoupling IoT data streams and eliminating legacy system bottlenecks
• Defined technology stack, mentored developers, and orchestrated cross-functional teams in 4 countries to ensure high-quality delivery and alignment with architectural standards
• Drove requirements engineering and system redesign, removing years of technical debt and introducing event-driven processing and automated workflows
• Key Achievements
• Increased system stability and uptime by ~10x, eliminating need for 24/7 DevOps intervention
• Reduced hosting costs by ~80% (5x savings) through cloud optimization
• Improved performance and scalability, enabling stable handling of high-volume IoT data streams
• Delivered successful zero-disruption migration from on-prem to cloud, with strong user satisfaction and reliability from day one