Refactoring Experts

Project: Defect Generation on Test-Bench Images of Metal Surfaces Environment: Automated Visual Inspection (AVI), Metallurgy & Manufacturing

• Objective & Implementation: Designed, architected, and trained 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 test-bench lighting conditions for privacy-compliant and efficient dataset expansion (data augmentation).
• Technical Design: Implemented robust Generative AI and computer vision pipelines in Python and PyTorch. Used semantic segmentation approaches for mask-controlled defect synthesis and subsequent evaluation with EfficientDet object detection models.
• Business Impact: Massive dataset upscaling (10x) without time-consuming and costly physical test-bench runs, while significantly improving the detection performance of automated inspection systems.

Technologies & Skills Used: Python | PyTorch | SPADE | Pix2PixHD | EfficientDet | Machine Learning | Semantic Segmentation | Computer Vision

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.

• Built a customized MediaWiki instance, including installation, MySQL database, SSL, and automatic backups
• Set up user roles (Admin, Mod, Verified, User) and a permissions system
• FlaggedRevisions for editorial review workflows · Commenting and rating extensions

• As part of the project, the further development of the identity management system was driven forward. This included a comprehensive refactoring of the interfaces to the connected target systems. In addition, several special systems were successfully connected to the IAM to ensure end-to-end identity and authorization management.
• Technical design and solution proposals for IAM system development
• Requirements analysis and requirements management (IREB, BABOK)
• Alignment of the strategy with the future target architecture (TOGAF)
• Prototyping of solutions
• Documentation of requirements (Innovator)
• Analysis and documentation of requirements and creation of process models (UML, BPMN, ArchiMate)
• Modeling of requirements and system functionalities (OOA/OOD, UML)
• Further development of interfaces (SOAP, REST)
• Carrying out architecture reviews

• Recurring problem in my own AI-assisted projects: requirements analysis, use cases, and architecture decisions can be created quickly with AI support, but remain difficult to follow and scattered across Markdown files – knowledge is lost as soon as it is no longer in the context window. arknet turns requirements engineering and architecture knowledge into structured, verifiable data instead of plain text: requirements, use cases, and architecture decisions form a consistently linked knowledge graph, traceable from requirement to architecture decision – queryable by both people and AI agents. Technically based on RDF/OWL and a custom MCP server.

• Result: Working MCP daemon, Docker image published automatically to GHCR, nine hexagonal modules, eleven ADRs (including an Open-Core licensing model). Requirements engineering and Ubiquitous Language hexagons are active. Public as a Community Edition under Apache-2.0 since 07/2026 (github.com/kogn-io/arknet), together with the Claude Code plugin and GHCR image; Open-Core model.

• Label: Java, Maven, RDF, RDF4J, OWL, SPARQL, Model Context Protocol, Spring AI, Docker, GitHub, Git, Claude Code, Obsidian, DDD, Hexagonal Architecture, ArchUnit, JUnit, AssertJ, Interface Development, Software Architecture, Continuous Integration, Knowledge Management

Development and further development of an internal platform for managing and providing technical resources, virtual machines, and infrastructure services. The platform supports self-service processes and covers functions that are conceptually comparable to cloud management solutions like Azure or AWS.

• Responsible involvement in the design, development, and implementation of new backend and frontend features
• Hands-on development with Java, Spring Boot, Python, and Angular
• Implementation of REST interfaces, business logic, validations, and integrations into existing system landscapes
• Further development of modern web interfaces with Angular, including connection to backend services
• Participation in architecture and design decisions within the team, especially with regard to scalability, maintainability, and clean interfaces
• Containerization and deployment of applications with Docker, Kubernetes, and Helm
• Support with CI/CD processes and deployment to Kubernetes-based environments
• Work in the environment of vSphere, Broadcom, GitLab CI/CD, ArgoCD, Maven, npm, and NuGet
• Close collaboration with developers, business teams, DevOps, and other technical stakeholders
• Analysis of technical requirements, deriving suitable solutions, and independent implementation in an agile team
• Use of GitHub Copilot to support code generation, refactoring, test case creation, and technical documentation

Methods/ tools/ technologies: Languages & frameworks: Java (21), Spring Boot (4.x), Python, Angular, Robot Framework, Kubernetes, Helm Persistence: PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Hibernate, Liquibase Architecture & communication: REST, gRPC, GraphQL, Apache Kafka, OpenAPI, Microservices, Event Driven, Domain Driven Design Cloud & infrastructure: Terraform, Docker, Rancher, Helm, Ansible Security: OAuth2, MS (Entra ID), web security, Keycloak (extensions for detailed group rights) DevOps: GitLab CI/CD, Ansible, Maven, Gradle, Grafana, Prometheus, Git, GitHub Copilot Testing & QM: JUnit, Robot Framework, automated component and integration tests, E2E tests with Playwright, Testcontainers, EasyMock Methodology & approach: Kanban, JIRA, Confluence, Clean Code

• Analysis of the existing CAN communication between microcontrollers
• Analysis of the sensors used and the measured values collected
• Planning the CAN messages for transmitting the measured values
• Iterative adjustment of the microcontroller code to the new CAN messages
• Cross-compilation from x64 to arm64

• Modernization of a large-scale Java enterprise application*

The project is modernizing a complex enterprise application that has grown over many years. The existing Spring-based legacy system runs on Java 8, OSGi, and Eclipse RCP and is being gradually migrated to a modern, maintainable architecture with Java 25 and Quarkus.

Marcus works on analysis, architecture, refactoring, and implementation. One focus is on untangling historically grown structures and dependencies and on building a clean, sustainable Java and Quarkus technology stack.

Tools & technologies: Java 8, Java 25, Quarkus, Hibernate ORM with Panache, EclipseLink, OSGi, Eclipse RCP, Maven, JUnit, Mockito, REST, JSON, Git, Eclipse IDE, IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate, Jira, Confluence

• Building a data integration platform for high, medium, and low voltage assets for contextual analysis of time series with master data from the SCADA control system (IEC 60870 104), INIS, and SAP.
• Responsibility for the architecture and implementation of the solution, as well as sparring partner for the Product Owner.
• Use of Kotlin, Spring Boot, Maven, TimescaleDB, PostgreSQL, liquibase, Elements IoT, Docker, Kubernetes, Grafana, Python, jupyter, and various API gateways.

• 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

• Ride-sharing and bus platform, live and fully functional. Backend with Spring Boot 4.1 on Java 21, PostgreSQL with Flyway, and Testcontainers integration tests. Hosted in my own AWS account (ECS Fargate, ALB, ECR, IAM Least-Privilege) with CI/CD via GitHub Actions and OIDC federation without static credentials. Development fully AI-supported with Claude Code, including custom skills and project-specific memory. Spring Boot · Java 21 · PostgreSQL · Flyway · Docker · AWS ECS/ALB/ECR · CI/CD · GitHub Actions · Claude Code

• Developed cloud-native enterprise applications on SAP Business Technology Platform using Node.js, SAP UI5, and RESTful APIs, delivering solutions across training management, procurement, employee information, and logistics domains
• Served as the primary developer for the maintenance, enhancement, and production support of three enterprise applications, delivering new features, resolving production issues, and coordinating releases with business stakeholders
• Experienced in leveraging AI-assisted development tools such as Microsoft Copilot to accelerate feature development, generate code, prototype solutions, and support application migration and modernization
• Designed backend services, domain models, and SAP Fiori/UI5 interfaces, implementing business workflows, role-based access control, validations, scheduling, reporting, and data import/export capabilities
• Designed and integrated enterprise services with SAP SuccessFactors, SailPoint, ERP systems, and external Learning Management APIs, including automated synchronization for 11,000+ user data
• Designed and implemented AMQP-based event-driven services processing up to 500 RFID parcel scan events per day for a logistics application
• Managed deployments and application operations using CI/CD pipelines, SAP Solution Manager, SAP BTP Cockpit, Kibana, and cloud monitoring tools, performing root-cause analysis and resolving production incidents
• Managed application dependencies by resolving npm package version conflicts and remediating critical and high-severity security vulnerabilities, ensuring production compliance and application stability
• Collaborated with architects, business users, SAP governance teams, and distributed Agile teams throughout technical design, code reviews, sprint planning, documentation, and software delivery

• Team leadership: Prioritization and coordination of four cross-functional teams.
• Platform strategy: Development and implementation of strategies to optimize existing IT platforms.
• Stakeholder management: Active management of expectations and communication with internal and external stakeholders.
• Program and innovation management: Prioritization and coordination of cross-department projects as well as innovation initiatives.
• Product Owner consulting: Advising Product Owners with a focus on product development and continuous product improvement.
• Organizational development: Improving communication and decision-making structures across all organizational levels.
• Change management: Implementing best-practice change management methods to ensure continuous optimization and innovation.
• Quality assurance: Ensuring high quality standards in processes, services, and deliverables.

Consulting and software for intralogistics automation (AGV/FTS) · Product lines AGVHub (independent AGV project consulting, layout editor) and OneBob (all-in-one business software for small teams)

• Designed and planned the implementation of a supervisory control system for a bakery production line (engineering customer, kick-off workshop 08/2025): three development stages, eight acceptance-ready milestones, batch traceability, AGV integration with RFID, Vue frontend.
• Discovery and requirements discussions with plant logistics and IT teams at industrial customers (life science, aviation, steel, engineering): translated supervisory control, ERP interface, and VDA 5050 requirements into architecture and requirements specification structures.
• Go-to-market automation and analytics: Bing and Meta campaigns, LLM-supported LinkedIn content pipeline, performance dashboards for partners and sales.
• Expert posts on LinkedIn about robotics and intralogistics: around 170,000 impressions across 41 posts (03 to 08/2026).