GitLab Experts in Düsseldorf

Sovereign, cloud-native developer platform based on Kubernetes for critical energy infrastructure; around 200 people and 15 product teams.

• Introduced the product operating model for the platform, aligning around 18 product managers and product owners with Platform Architecture and Delivery in a matrix organisation.
• Defined the platform product processes and core product artefacts as the standard across all product teams.
• Established processes for non-functional requirements and Requests for Enhancement from consuming teams and customers.
• Designed the Jira structure supporting the programme's product and delivery processes.

• Optimizing and accelera­tion of our Gitlab CI pipeline

• Conceptual work for the PoC of the Zero Trust system

• Extension of the policy-engine backend in Go

• Extension of the policy-testing mechanism in Python

• Architectural design of the PEP component of Zero Trust

• Documentation of the product

• Technologies: Zero Trust, Go, Python, Gitlab CI, Docker, JWT, Domain-Driven Design

• Training AI models, evaluating images and text UI/UX, turning the provided data into insights through OpenAI Feather as part of the machine learning workflow

Technologies: OpenAI Feather

• Led end-to-end delivery of ML/AI applications for the QuantistryLab simulation platform, from requirements definition and solution design to development, testing, deployment, and production support, coordinating efforts across back-end, DevOps, and ML teams
• Designed and implemented a compound search system with an open-weights LLM, the Pydantic AI agent framework, and the Model Context Protocol (MCP), exposing it through FastAPI endpoints
• Deployed and configured vLLM-based LLM serving on Kubernetes
• Built CI/CD pipelines and Helm charts to automate deployments across staging and production environments
• Instrumented the search system with OpenTelemetry spans and traces, integrating with the Honeycomb observability platform to monitor component-level latency and functional errors
• Developed a custom evaluation dataset and implemented evaluations for retrieval relevance, answer correctness, tool-call accuracy, and end-to-end task success
• Reduced infrared spectrum prediction time by 83% (from 60 to 10 minutes) by replacing a quantum-mechanical model with a pretrained graph neural network; fine-tuned the model using PyTorch, built and containerized the inference pipeline with Docker, and integrated it into the platform
• Implemented an MLflow model registry with MinIO-backed artifact storage
• Advised sales and science teams on ML/AI applications for prospective client projects, providing technical expertise to shape proposed solutions and prototypes

Technologies: AWS, Hetzner, Kubernetes, Helm, Docker, vLLM, Pydantic AI, MCP, Qwen, Llama 3, MLflow, MinIO, GitHub Actions, Python, FastAPI, OpenTelemetry, Honeycomb, PyTorch, Polars, pytest

• Supporting the DevOps team in Terraform-managed, multi-region AWS infrastructure to achieve environment parity.
• Developed end-to-end CI/CD pipelines using AWS CodePipeline, CodeBuild, and CodeDeploy, automating the build and deployment.
• Maintained pre- and post-deployment scripts to automate critical tasks such as database schema migrations and environment sanity checks.
• Implemented CI/CD flow specifically for hotfixes via separate Git branches, managing back-merge activities from feature branches to release branches to ensure code integrity through automated conflict resolution.
• Deployed a dedicated, lightweight sanity check application hosted cost-effectively on Azure Container Apps to run automated health and basic functional checks as a post-deployment activity triggered via pipeline.
• Investigated production incidents through code changes and AWS CloudWatch logs.
• Coordinated integration of Dynatrace APM and its APIs for monitoring purposes.
• Full stack QA strategist for a high-traffic e-commerce platform built on a layered architecture for the back-end testing of core platform services, especially the order management system in Zed and Glue layers.
• Managed automation activities, testing process, and refactoring practices.
• Responsible for framework migrations, setup, and training for new automation frameworks.
• Promoted a shift-left approach within the QA team and created the test concept.
• Participated in meetings with IT managers, business owners, product owners, and team members.
• Designed and implemented contract testing to validate API schema compatibility between the order management system and the Zed and Glue layers, reducing production-relevant breaking changes by approximately 3%.
• Led the migration to a multi-environment framework that enabled test execution across 4 country configurations from a single codebase.
• Integrated automated unit and functional tests directly into the GitLab CI/CD pipeline, reducing pipeline runtime by 32%.
• Coached and trained 5 QA engineers across Germany and Hungary in test automation, framework architecture, and best practices.
• Architected a layered backend test automation framework separating business logic, API request builders, and the database layer.
• Piloted AI-assisted testing with Playwright Agents, the Playwright MCP Server, and GitHub Copilot for automated test generation, execution, and self-healing Playwright scripts.

• Led end-to-end delivery of complex international customer-facing IT and system transformation projects across mobility, retail, life sciences, and product development domains.

• Managed project opportunities and delivery initiatives from concept development, planning, execution, migration, validation, deployment, and final customer acceptance.

• Acted as the primary point of contact for project stakeholders, ensuring alignment between customers, business units, suppliers, and delivery teams.

• Ensured timely project execution through proactive monitoring of milestones, deliverables, dependencies, risks, and resource requirements.

• Led and coordinated global cross-functional teams of 20+ members across multiple time zones. Served as the central coordination point for project activities, ensuring accountability, milestones, progress tracking, and timely resolution of issues across multiple stakeholders. Managed status reporting with all the stakeholders, providing clear and timely updates to ensure alignment on project goals.

• Provided functional leadership, mentoring, coaching, and issue resolution support to project team members. Worked closely with senior leadership and executive stakeholders to define project charter and project scope, priorities, milestones, manage dependencies, success criteria and achieve project goals.

• Collaborated closely with senior leadership, business stakeholders, suppliers, operations teams, and external partners to define project objectives and ensure successful execution.

• Managed stakeholder communication through executive dashboards, KPIs, governance reviews, steering committee meetings, and project status reporting.

• Anticipated business needs and provided effective technical solutions in a timely manner to improve business satisfaction.

• Led and supported sub-project management structures, ensuring consistent execution, reporting, and escalation across complex initiatives.

• Managed supplier relationships and service providers to ensure compliance with contractual obligations, service levels, timelines, and quality expectations.

• Supported vendor selection processes, RFP evaluations, delivery governance, cost monitoring, and performance reviews.

• Controlled project budgets, forecasts, resource allocations, and financial tracking to ensure delivery within approved constraints.

• Scheduled workshops explaining the business requirement, prioritizing project goals and managing change.

• Oversaw cloud migrations (Azure/ AWS), database migrations/upgrades, system upgrades, infrastructure & application modernization, data management, legacy decommissioning initiatives, AI solutioning, transition plan of 2000+ applications etc.

• Coordinated execution, deployment, integration, commissioning, data migration and handover activities to ensure production readiness.

• Led a cross-functional team proactively managing dependencies and resolving project issues to closure, while maintaining delivery timelines.

• Proactively managed project risks, dependencies, issues, change requests, and escalations to ensure predictable project outcomes.

• Ensured compliance with GxP, ITIL, corporate governance standards, validation requirements, and audit controls.

• Led internal and external audit support activities, validation documentation, CAPA coordination, and regulatory compliance initiatives.

• Drove process standardization, automation, and governance improvements across project delivery functions.

• Led application rationalization initiatives resulting in the retirement of more than 50 legacy applications, improving operational efficiency and reducing maintenance costs.

• Currently driving Generative AI initiatives to automate project documentation, reporting, knowledge management, and delivery processes.

• Facilitated lessons learned workshops and implemented continuous improvement actions to enhance project execution effectiveness.

• Title: Enhancing Syntactic Awareness in Transformer Language Models for Hindi Dependency Parsing
• Investigated syntactic knowledge captured by transformer language models (RoBERTa, XLM-RoBERTa) for Hindi dependency parsing, a morphologically rich and low-resource language.
• Developed structure-aware model variants (Struct_Roberta_hi, Struct_XLMR) by integrating a CNN-based parser network between transformer layers, inspired by the StructFormer architecture.
• Conducted extensive error analysis including label-wise, distance-based, direction-based, sentence length-based, and LVC/Non-LVC evaluations.
• Evaluated models on downstream NLP tasks (NER, POS tagging) using the IndicXTREME benchmark.

• Creating interfaces between the legacy platform and the new container solution
• Coordinating required contributions from line units
• Moderating regular status meetings with the software vendor
• Minimally invasive conversion of TWS scheduling from the old to the new platform
• Environment: IBM Mainframe, DB2, CICS, MQ, Red Hat Linux, Oracle, Kubernetes, Kafka, Helm, GitLab, Jenkins

• Identification of requirements (legal, organizational, and technical)
• Design of solution architectures
• Evaluation of concepts and technologies
• Preparation of decision templates
• Architectural Decision Records (ADR)
• Coordination of implementation
• Review of implementations
• Documentation

• Supporting several agile teams in the new product development of an enterprise CRM and ERP application
• Web frontend development with Angular 17–21 (microfrontends, Domain-Driven Design, MDB-Bootstrap)
• Backend development with C# and .NET 7–10, MongoDB, MassTransit, RabbitMQ, Entity Framework Core, ElasticSearch (microservices, DDD)
• Technical feature design for assigned tasks
• Technical architecture design including forward-looking planning of AI-supported extension options
• Proof-of-concept implementation of AI-supported workflows with n8n and a locally hosted LLM (Ollama)
• Coordination with stakeholders and Product Owners, support with sprint planning

Result: Delivery of production-ready microservices and frontend modules in agile sprint cycles.

Environment: .NET 7–10 · Angular 17–21 · C# · TypeScript · OpenAPI · Microfrontends · DDD · Kubernetes · Docker · Helm · MS SQL Server · PostgreSQL · MongoDB · MassTransit · RabbitMQ · EF Core · ElasticSearch · Kibana · Azure DevOps · KeyCloak · n8n · Ollama

Seqnaut and Sycosm (WIP) – Embedded Audio DSP & Synthesis Platform

• Embedded audio DSP framework — synthesizers, effects, drum machines; modular audio graph
• Sequencing: PianoRoll, StepGrid, MasterClock; 8-voice polyphonic synth; CLI + OSC
• Transient Detector — dual-envelope adaptive threshold, guitar attack detection
• Hardware: Teensy 4.1, custom AFE design tapping BOSS GX-100; MIDI FX integration

Label: C++23, C, Python, CMake, FreeRTOS, Teensy 4.1 (ARM Cortex-M7), Teensy Audio (Stoffregen), DaisySP, I2S/SAI, OSC, MIDI

• Contributed to the development of an advanced RAG AI Chat application that integrates multiple LLM models, enabling users to seamlessly switch between models based on specific tasks. This improved the user experience by providing tailored, efficient solutions for various use cases, such as event scheduling, booking systems, and complex task management.
• Participated in designing and implementing a robust backend architecture using Spring AI, enabling advanced AI-driven capabilities like intelligent task automation, language processing, and contextual recommendations. Leveraged Spring AI Tools and Advisors to enhance the performance and decision-making of the AI models.
• Collaborated on the integration of vector databases to support embeddings, enhancing the app's ability to understand user queries and perform actions based on complex, real-time data inputs.
• Contributed to the development of a seamless, user-friendly front-end interface using React with TypeScript support, ensuring a modern, responsive, and scalable user experience across platforms.
• Assisted in implementing state management with Redux RTK for efficient data flow and real-time updates, optimizing the overall user experience in dynamic scenarios such as scheduling and task management.
• Partnered with stakeholders to define feature requirements, helping ensure that the app could scale to meet evolving business needs and integrate with other systems like calendar and email services. Worked alongside cross-functional teams, including data scientists and UI/UX designers, to fine-tune AI models and ensure alignment with project goals.
• Contributed to ensuring end-to-end system performance, security, and compliance by helping integrate authentication mechanisms, role-based access control, and secure communication protocols in both backend and frontend layers.

Technology Stack and Key Contributions:

• Java / Spring Boot / Spring AI: Developed backend services leveraging Spring AI for intelligent responses, task automation, and complex workflows.
• React / TypeScript: Built intuitive user interfaces with React and TypeScript, ensuring a smooth and scalable frontend.
• Redux RTK: Managed application state with Redux RTK for optimized state management, enabling dynamic, real-time data updates.
• Vector Databases: Integrated vector databases (pgVector) for embedding support, improving AI model performance in handling complex queries.
• PostgreSQL / Redis: Managed persistent and temporary data with relational and in-memory data stores, ensuring data integrity and speed.
• Kafka: Utilized Apache Kafka for event-driven communication and seamless integration between microservices.
• Spring Security: Ensured the security of backend services with robust authentication and authorization mechanisms.
• CI/CD & DevOps: Integrated continuous integration and deployment pipelines to ensure rapid and secure deployment of features and updates.

• Migration of backups and complete workloads to AWS and Azure, including setup and management of AKS & EKS clusters.
• Automation with Terraform & ArgoCD, CI/CD pipelines implemented with GitLab.
• System monitoring on OpenShift 4 (on-premise) with Grafana & Prometheus, use of CloudWatch and X-Ray for analysis and logging.
• Building and maintaining secure network infrastructures (VPCs, SGs, WAF, ACLs), integration of Azure Log Analytics.
• Close collaboration with infrastructure and development teams, maintenance of technical documentation with Confluence, ticket handling via Jira, and promoting cloud knowledge within the company.

• Third-side integration development (REST: Amazon, OpenAI, Etsy, Shopware, Prestashop, etc)

• Performance optimization (Refactoring, SQL analysis)

• LMS development and deployment (Moodle)

• Cloud deployment automation (Amazon, Azure, Gitlab CI/CD, Docker)

• Backend and Frontend development (Laravel, VueJs)

• Collaboration with partner-developers (national and international)

• Shirtigo GmbH

• GRELLARTIG Digital GmbH

• velpTEC edutainment GmbH