PayPal Experts in Germany

• Further development of the existing e-commerce platform based on SAP Commerce (Hybris) to meet the growing demands of digital commerce.
• Ensuring the scalability and performance of the backend, so the platform remained stable and efficient even under heavy user load.
• Development and integration of new OCC REST APIs and services for modular extensions and flexible adjustments, to implement new features quickly.
• Optimization of data flows and interfaces, which significantly improved platform efficiency and system performance.
• Ensuring a maintainable and scalable code base by using Clean Code principles, proven design patterns, and a future-proof architecture.
• Reduction of errors through extensive testing with JUnit, Mockito, and load tests with Gatling, supported by the introduction of automated test processes.
• Improved system performance through targeted refactoring measures and efficient database queries, especially to handle peak loads.
• Use of modern cloud and monitoring tools such as Kubernetes, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and Grafana to ensure a stable and monitored infrastructure.
• Clear improvement in efficiency, scalability, and reliability of the platform, which now meets the demands of a dynamic and growing e-commerce market.

• Leadership, management, and further development of an accounting team with nine employees
• Responsibility for the preparation, analysis, and quality assurance of monthly and annual financial statements according to HGB
• Ensuring structured intercompany reconciliation and minimizing reconciliation risks using LucaNet
• Coordination of annual closing work and audit preparation while meeting CFO deadlines
• Optimization of accounting processes in the SAP S/4HANA environment in close

In my role as Senior Cloud DevOps Architect for BP, an oil and gas company, I had the mission to migrate the Electric Vehicle Charging platform of the EV Division from on-premises and Azure to AWS cloud, resulting in a hybrid multi-cloud, multi-tenant SaaS solution.

Deployment with Kubernetes for the application layer meant provisioning Kubernetes clusters managed by EKS and AKS, with a focus on integrating them into a multi-tenant environment. This integration was achieved by using Kubernetes namespaces and access controls to ensure data isolation and privacy enforcement.

In the database layer, we chose an RDS instance with PostgreSQL to support the backend infrastructure of our applications. Tenants shared the same RDS instance, but each had a dedicated schema.

To ingest near real-time data from physical charge points (CPOs), as IoT devices, via the OCPI protocol, we ran into significant delays with batch processing. As a result, we built a real-time streaming data pipeline using Apache Kafka, while prioritizing an event-driven architecture.

Led collaboration across multiple internal teams, external vendors, cloud providers, and on-site partners to integrate over five systems into a unified solution.

Achievements:

• Successfully designed and implemented hybrid multi-cloud solutions, integrating multiple cloud platforms (AWS, Azure) with on-premises infrastructure, using Site-to-Site VPNs, Firewalls, and Load Balancing.
• Led the migration of on-premises infrastructure to multi-cloud, multi-tenant infrastructure, resulting in 30% faster processing times.
• Migrated workloads from VMware and Hyper-V environments to cloud-based VMs, leveraging cloud-native services to optimize performance, cost efficiency, and scalability.
• Designed a multi-tenant Kubernetes platform leveraging the Kubernetes ecosystem, using Karpenter for dynamic EC2 node provisioning, KEDA for event-driven pod autoscaling (e.g., Kafka message lag), and Rancher for centralized monitoring of multiple clusters (EKS, AKS, or on-prem K8s), replacing Microsoft-centric Azure Arc management service.
• Designed and implemented Python-based FastAPI microservices as part of the EV core-backend on AWS EKS application layer, powering data ingestion and customer analytics pipelines.
• Developed asynchronous, event-driven APIs (Python-FastAPI) for real-time integration with CPOs, supporting OCPI 2.3 and OICP protocols.
• Designed and implemented a secure, production-grade Azure Databricks platform using Terraform, ensuring scalability and cost efficiency.
• Migrated on-premises ERP to a hybrid Dynamics 365 architecture with ERP hosted locally and CRM running in Azure, integrated via Azure Arc.
• Automated CI/CD pipelines for Databricks notebooks and jobs using GitHub Actions & Databricks CLI, reducing deployment time. Reduced infrastructure provisioning time by 70% by automating cloud resource deployment with GitOps.
• Ensured compliance with internal audit and data governance standards (GDPR) through OAuth2/OIDC-based authentication and fine-grained role-based access controls.
• Developed a Zero Trust security model, enforcing least-privilege access and microsegmentation, enhancing security posture and compliance with GDPR and NIST.
• Built interactive analytics dashboards in Amazon QuickSight, integrating data from S3 and Redshift to deliver real-time business insights and visualizations with embedded access for multi-tenant users.
• Led cloud security assessments and full-lifecycle cybersecurity integration during M&A, covering AWS, Azure, IAM (Entra ID), and data protection, while aligning security posture with NIST, ISO 27001, and GDPR across hybrid and cloud-native environments.
• Reduced cloud costs by 64% for a client's dev environment by implementing automated start/stop schedules for EC2 and RDS instances via AWS CDK with EventBridge Scheduler or AWS Systems Manager.

Tech stack:

• Infrastructure as Code: Terraform, AWS CDK, Ansible.
• Containers: Kubernetes on EKS, AKS, Docker.
• Streaming Data Processing: Kafka to Confluent Cloud, after AWS MSK.
• Frontend: TypeScript, React, NextJS, Hooks, Styled Components.
• Backend: Python with FastAPI, also Node.js with NestJS.
• Database: Aurora on PostgreSQL with TypeORM, RDS on SQL Server, Azure Databricks full setup and administration, ETL Pipelines.
• CI/CD and GitOps: GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps, ArgoCD.
• Monitoring and Observability: Prometheus and Grafana.
• Virtualization: Hyper-V, VMware Cloud on AWS, Azure Migrate.
• ERP Systems: Odoo, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central on Azure, integrated with Azure Arc.
• Networking: Site-to-Site VPNs, AWS Direct Connect, Azure ExpressRoute, Firewalls (AWS Network Firewall, Azure Firewall).
• Security: IAM, NIST Framework, Zero Trust Security, AWS WAF, AWS Shield, GuardDuty.

(Maternity/Parental Leave: July 2023 – Aug 2024)

• Domain: Payment Domain | Client: Telefonica Germany
• Project: General Payment Service

The General Payment Service is responsible for processing of online payments via external payment service provider like Safer pay and PayPal

• Developed Design of Use (DOU) and interface contract documentation, ensuring clarity and compliance across system integrations
• Designed and delivered REST/SOAP web services with Spring Boot and Spring Data JPA, publishing Swagger contracts through WSO2 API Gateway to improve accessibility and governance.
• Spearheaded the on-premises to AWS Cloud migration, re-platforming from Oracle to PostgreSQL on AWS RDS and deploying services on EC2, improving scalability and cost efficiency.
• Containerized microservices using Docker and orchestrated deployments with Kubernetes, streamlining deployment pipelines and improving system reliability.
• Implemented proactive monitoring and logging via AWS CloudWatch and Kibana, ensuring stability and performance during cutover.
• Enhanced collaboration through code reviews and peer reviews, promoting maintainability and clean coding standards.
• Strengthened quality by writing comprehensive JUnit tests and preparing detailed test cases enabling early defect detection
• Delivered automated API testing with Ready API, Postman, and SOAPUI, and conducted performance testing with JMeter, ensuring reliability in high-transaction environments.

• As part of the program (RAITT Transformation/Inlife Tribe), efficient handling of all processes for existing customers during ongoing operations and in customer service, including payments and billing, with the goal of ensuring customer satisfaction through excellent service and efficient problem solving

• Leading the Usage-to-Payments value stream and cross-functional teams as the responsible Epic Owner in the strategic RAITT transformation program

• Managing, prioritizing, providing functional direction and driving decision-making processes between business, architecture, development and outsourcing partners

• Backlog prioritization, strategic roadmap development and release readiness decisions

• Establishing governance, quality assurance and delivery standards in the payment ecosystem

• Communicating program-critical decisions to sponsors, Product Owners and technical control centers

• Ensuring smooth payment processes, accurate billing and integration with financial systems

• Optimizing payment methods, managing payment service providers and efficiently handling credit checks, dunning and debt collection

• Focus on postpaid business models with bank transfers, direct debits, returned direct debits and payouts

• Responsibility for alternative payment methods such as credit cards and PayPal, integration of payment service providers and risk management

• Design and supervise implementation, testing and rollout of end-to-end processes and system integrations (frontend & backend)
• Integrate with OEMs (Daimler, BMW/MINI) and CPOs (Ionity and others)
• Introduce CPO discount packages with lifecycle processes
• Implement consenting process for GTC & tariff updates and marketing opt-ins via SAP Emarsys
• Automate blocking/unblocking of customers and integrate MS Dynamics CRM and proprietary 3rd level tool
• Coordinate migration and go-live of new fleet portal
• Migrate PSP from Datatrans to Adyen (credit card, PayPal) and integrate SEPA/BACS with Adyen via webhooks
• Support and enhance OpenInformer billing engine: Oracle→PostgreSQL migration, PostgreSQL upgrade, regression test suite, performance troubleshooting, invoice relocation to Azure Storage
• Identify and analyze fraud cases and implement countermeasures
• Provide problem management, incident support and hypercare after major rollouts

• Development of a SaaS platform for esports teams with roles, scheduling, statistics, and billing
• Planning and implementation of the architecture, external API integrations, and operations
• Stack: Laravel 13, React 19, TypeScript, PostgreSQL, Redis, and Stripe

• Interim Product Owner for two new applications as part of the introduction of a new bonus points program within the entire Rewe Group
• Coordination of cross-team planning (initiative management) and implementation
• Responsibility for product vision, roadmap, backlog and stakeholder management within an agile scaled product development team
• Successful Go Live with both applications on 2024-09-24

• Worked as a full-stack developer managing front-end and back-end development with a responsive approach
• Implemented unit testing, functional testing, and code coverage testing
• Followed Scrum, used Agile methodology, and worked with CI/CD processes
• Recruited and trained technical staff
• Assigned tasks and oversaw their execution
• Collaborated with the team to troubleshoot technical issues
• Assessed user requirements and delivered suitable solutions
• Set team goals and monitored progress
• Ensured software and applications were up to date
• Supervised system changes
• Tech stack includes PHP (Symfony, Laravel), Spryker, Node, TypeScript, JavaScript, jQuery, MySQL, etc.

The combined experience from recent project years shows that two hearts beat in my chest: on the one hand, working in and for organizations to develop new, innovative products, ideally as part of a digitization strategy or business development – and the closely related change and transformation process expertise as part of holistic organizational consulting. For this, I have established the Change Bakery and Product Validators offerings.

On the other hand, my heart and mind are fired up to find my own products, evaluate markets and potentials, and test ideas. Currently, I am proactively and part-time, in addition to ongoing projects, working on a product idea in the mental health area and have founded Therapymate.

Contracted by this UX-focused agency to transform visual designs into polished, production-ready products across client projects. While delivering front-end solutions, I deepened my expertise in visual design, iterative design system work, and user-centered thinking. Collaborating with experts in information architecture, taxonomy, and data visualization sharpened my empathy for users and refined my skills as a UX/UI designer.

Wolters Kluwer (eOriginal Lender Platform)

• Improved user experience for a financial services dashboard by designing scalable components aligned with the design system
• Created high-fidelity prototypes and conducted A/B testing to quickly validate UX improvements in regulated loan management workflows

Revolution Constituent Management

• Redesigned user interfaces for nonprofit engagement software with a focus on usability and scalability
• Built reusable design components and developed a system architecture to support diverse organizational needs
• Provided ongoing UX consultation to ensure long-term maintainability and adoption across large NGO clients

Georgia O'Keeffe Museum

• Collaborated with information architects, librarians, and researchers to design a visual archive tool tailored to the needs of art historians
• Translated complex metadata into intuitive visual structures
• Enabled specialized users to browse, interpret, and retrieve archival content with ease and accuracy

• Provision Kubernetes infrastructure on Azure, GCP, or bare-metal at the hosting provider
• Design and implementation of REST and GraphQL APIs
• Cloud governance (cost, compliance, security)
• Infrastructure-as-Code and CI/CD as code (Terraform, Ansible)
• Container technologies (Docker, Helm)
• Maintain and improve CI/CD pipelines (GitLab CI, GitHub Actions), Argo CD
• Deployment, scaling, and monitoring of microservices
• Distributed event streaming (Kafka)
• Message brokers RabbitMQ, MQTT
• Software development from scratch or further development of existing projects using PHP, Python, Go, C#, and Bash

• Led 5 cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, Data, Operations, and Design) across the transportation domain, covering carrier integration, shipment tracking, PUDO, reconciliation, and automation.
• Defined and executed the end-to-end product and integration strategy for 15+ global carriers across Europe and the U.S., ensuring unified APIs.
• Owned the carrier onboarding framework, reducing integration time by 40% through standardization, automation, and improved developer tooling.
• Partnered with major platform customers like Shopify and Wix to analyze EU merchant needs and enhance the shipping and fulfillment experience.
• Led the reconciliation automation initiative, reducing billing discrepancies by 30% and improving invoice validation speed for finance and operations teams.
• Collaborated with data analytics and operations teams to build carrier performance dashboards that improved on-time delivery rates and merchant satisfaction.
• Fostered a strong culture of cross-functional ownership, ensuring seamless collaboration between engineering, product, and external carrier partners.

• Frontend development and implementation of various designs (landing pages, overview pages)
• Responsible for the content and updates of the Datalyze Solutions company website
• Joint planning and development of an admin application for listing and locating real estate projects (CBRE)
• Joint planning and development of extensive solutions for automatic staff allocation in plants (Bosch)
• Backend development of various small projects with different stacks
• Tech stack: GitLab CI/CD, Elixir, Phoenix Framework, Ecto, PostgreSQL, Docker, Hetzner, Traefik, NGINX, Python, Flask, Next.js/React, Leaflet, GeoServer, TypeScript, MongoDB