Seasoned software developer with a passion for web technology. Working on distributed systems, data pipelines, discovery systems, real-time systems, and AI-driven products. Lectures computer science at the University of Applied Sciences Salzburg.
What I Do
I develop and architect web applications, services, and databases for a diverse
set of clients and consult with companies on creating and optimizing software
development processes. This work includes architectural decisions, coaching
and mentoring engineering teams and engineers, designing release processes,
and consulting leadership.
My previous experience includes working with startups, as well as large tech
companies.
I have helped these companies build and scale from their first user to millions.
2023 – nowStaff Engineer
At Readwise, I specialize in developing AI-driven products to enhance reading
experiences. My work focuses on tackling text and natural language processing
challenges, leveraging a combination of classic computer science techniques,
machine learning, and large language models. This involves creating and
optimizing algorithms that understand, interpret, and generate human language,
ultimately improving the functionality and user experience of our apps and
software.
I teach undergraduate and graduate courses in the Department of Web Development
& Engineering at the University of Applied Sciences Salzburg. In addition to
teaching, I have contributed to developing the MSc curriculum, supervised BA/MA
theses, and organized events and meetups for students and the local developer
community.
Co-founded and led the core team that built all the new infrastructure
for Shopify’s large-scale search and recommender systems. Including streaming
pipelines, feature stores, and developer tooling.
Projects
SSO (Single sign-on), Multi-shop & Organizations
Admin Search
Co-founded and led Shopify’s Disco(very) team
2013 – 2018Software Engineer
Engineering Services
General Purpose APIs (Node.js and Rails. Especially JSON:API & recently
GraphQL)
Back Office Systems (Dashboards w/ Angular, Ember & React/Redux)
Apps, Hybrid Apps and PWAs (React Native, Cordova)
Continuous Delivery Pipelines (Jenkins, Zero Downtime, Monitoring & Testing)
Containerization of infrastructure (On Premise, PaaS and Cloud Computing →
AWS, Azure)
Consulting Services & Coaching
Coaching & training for dev teams
Declarative and functional programming
Agile project management for software engineering teams
Modernization of complete dev stacks (Continuous Delivery, Automization,
Frameworks)
Technology
One of the greatest aspects of web development is the continuous opportunity to
learn new tools, libraries, paradigms, and even programming languages with each
project. However, I have several years of project experience with the following
technologies:
JavaScript for clients w/ Ember, Angular and React
The Red Bull Content Pool is the global B2B self-service media & news platform
for press, journalists and business partners. The content portfolio ranges from
high-quality photos to HD videos about the latest news & stories relating to
sports, culture & lifestyle.
cnuddl was a comprehensive web application designed to cater to pets and
their owners. We aimed to solve a common problem for pet owners: the stress-free
search for reliable pet sitters.
cnuddl connected pet sitters with pet owners, allowing them to easily find
and book trusted sitters in their neighborhood. Customers could also select
add-on packages such as additional insurance and pick-up services, and complete
their payment directly on the platform.
2004 – 2013Early career
Game Developer
In my first full-time role at PICS and
elements, I developed online games in Flash. This
involved creating various innovative technical solutions, including
side-scrollers, Mario Kart-like racing games, isometric 2.5D puzzle games, and
much more.
Software Developer
At Freshminds, a business development company focused on online entertainment
solutions, I began as a full stack developer and quickly progressed to the lead
developer role in my second year. During my tenure, I was responsible for the
conceptualization, development, and maintenance of two large-scale websites, an
asset management system, and various system-critical infrastructure. I also
hired, built, and led a team of three developers.
Key Technologies & Services:
Zend Framework (including custom extensions)
MySQL Cluster (Master-Slave configuration)
Caching Proxy (Varnish)
Multi-channel payment solutions
Asset management (transcoding large media assets)
Backoffice solutions
Lecturer and Trainer at WIFI
My first experience as a lecturer and coach began at WIFI, one of Austria’s
leading adult education institutes. Hired as a contractor for the Advertising
Academy (WDA) course program, I taught Flash and web development. This
experience ignited my passion for teaching, and I later expanded my courses to
include web design and web development.