About
Senior backend engineer with 10+ years of experience building scalable, reliable products across cart and checkout personalisation, payments, search, online ML inference, field operations and delivery. Experienced in Python, Go, Kotlin, Kafka, MongoDB and PostgreSQL, with a track record spanning hands-on service development, high-traffic readiness, technical leadership and engineer mentorship.
Core expertise
- Languages
- Python, Go, Kotlin, JavaScript
- Backend
- Django, Flask, FastAPI, gRPC, Protocol Buffers, API design
- Data, search & ML
- PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Elasticsearch, k-nearest neighbour search, online inference
- Platform
- Kafka, Docker, Kubernetes, Datadog, Mongo Atlas, AWS
- Domains
- Cart and checkout, upsell personalisation, payments, monetisation, operations platforms
Experience
Senior Software Engineer · Wolt/DoorDash
Jan 2023 — PresentHelsinki, Finland
- Design and maintain scalable backend services in the Order Experience domain, improving cart and checkout journeys.
- Develop and operate Python services with FastAPI in high-throughput, production environments.
- Develop upsell personalisation capabilities across cart and checkout experiences.
- Build scalable services with Go and Kotlin, supported by Kafka, MongoDB and PostgreSQL.
- Prepare systems for high-traffic events and strengthen service reliability under demanding production conditions.
- Mentor junior engineers and contribute to technical design, implementation and engineering quality.
Software Engineer · Yousician
Jun 2022 — Dec 2022Helsinki, Finland
- Delivered monetisation features for subscription and payments services using Python, Flask and MongoDB.
- Developed payment workflows integrating Google Play Billing and App Store Connect APIs.
Software Engineer · Nebula.io
Oct 2021 — May 2022Nairobi, Kenya — remote for a US-based company
- Developed backend APIs and business logic with Python and Flask.
- Implemented search APIs with Flask-RESTX and Elasticsearch, including k-nearest neighbour retrieval and cosine-similarity queries.
- Integrated backend APIs with online inference services, calling deployed machine-learning models at request time.
Senior Software Engineer · Pawame
Mar 2019 — Jun 2021Nairobi, Kenya
- Built a Python, Django and PostgreSQL platform supporting appliance financing, micro-insurance, education loans and remote health services.
- Implemented custom CRM capabilities for core business operations and customer-service workflows.
- Partnered with operations managers to deliver field-operations workflows integrated with Zoho CRM.
Full Stack Engineer / Technical Lead · Yum Deliveries Ltd
Feb 2017 — Feb 2019Nairobi, Kenya
- Led a five-person engineering team and owned the technical roadmap across mobile, web and backend systems.
- Built scalable ordering, delivery, dispatch and analytics services with Python, JavaScript and PostgreSQL.
- Improved operational visibility with an Elasticsearch, Logstash and Kibana monitoring stack and a Redash business-intelligence deployment.
- Managed platform uptime across the full product stack.
Software Consultant · Novacom Systems Limited
Jan 2016 — Jan 2017Nairobi, Kenya
- Installed, configured and supported Oracle back-of-house hospitality solutions, including Materials Control.
- Delivered customer training and supported Oracle Database and Windows Server installations.
Education
BSc, Mathematics and Computer Science
Jan 2012 — Aug 2015Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Kenya