Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Staff Java Engineer with 20+ years of experience building and operating production-grade systems in enterprise environments. I specialise in designing end-to-end solutions across distributed, cloud-native systems, low-latency platforms, and complex integrations, with a strong focus on performance, reliability, security, and maintainability. My work spans architecture, implementation, and production operations, including SecDevOps practices. More recently, I have been building and integrating AI capabilities into real-world systems: designing RAG pipelines, orchestrating LLM workflows, and enabling safe interaction with external tools and APIs. I work directly with customers to turn ideas into production-ready solutions, not just prototypes. Alongside delivery, I actively enable both customers and internal teams: helping engineers build better Java applications, adopt modern practices, and make effective use of AI tools such as Codex in their daily workflows. I take a hands-on, iterative approach, working closely with teams to move from concept to production while addressing real-world constraints such as latency, cost, observability, and long-term maintainability.
Partner with enterprise customers to design and deliver production-grade, cloud-native systems, combining hands-on engineering with architectural leadership across Java platforms Lead the identification and delivery of AI-powered use cases that extend existing systems, focusing on measurable business impact rather than isolated prototypes Design and implement LLM-based solutions using Spring AI, LangChain4J, and OpenAI-compatible approaches, including RAG pipelines, structured outputs, and controlled tool/API interactions Build and evolve end-to-end AI workflows, moving from rapid prototypes to production-ready systems while addressing real-world constraints such as latency, cost, reliability, and governance Develop reference implementations and reusable patterns that demonstrate how AI capabilities can be integrated into enterprise systems Enable customer and internal engineering teams to adopt AI effectively, including practical use of tools such as Codex within real development workflows Deliver hands-on workshops and technical guidance, working side-by-side with engineers to accelerate adoption and improve system design and delivery practices
At ThoughtWorks, I worked as a Lead Technology Consultant across multiple client engagements, delivering production-grade systems in complex and fast-paced environments. I led cross-functional teams, combining hands-on engineering with technical leadership—shaping architecture, defining technical direction, and ensuring high-quality delivery aligned with business goals. My work focused on building and evolving Java-based, cloud-native systems supported by strong CI/CD practices and modern engineering approaches. I placed a strong emphasis on maintainability, automation, and continuous delivery to enable teams to move quickly and safely. Alongside delivery, I mentored engineers and supported teams in adopting better engineering practices, helping raise overall technical standards and team effectiveness. I was trusted with end-to-end ownership in environments with high expectations, ambiguity, and rapidly changing requirements.
As a Senior Programmer at ThoughtWorks, I contributed hands-on to the design and implementation of backend systems, with a strong focus on Java, continuous integration, and continuous delivery. I worked closely with teammates and client stakeholders to deliver reliable, well-tested software in fast-paced environments, balancing quality with rapid iteration. My role emphasised clean system design, automation, and disciplined engineering practices, while actively supporting team decision-making and knowledge sharing.
At Solid Research, I designed and built a low-latency trading application interfacing with multiple external services. I owned critical system components end-to-end, with full responsibility for performance, reliability, and correctness in a high-stakes production environment where failures had direct business impact. My work focused heavily on concurrency, throughput optimisation, fault tolerance, and operational stability, ensuring the system could process events predictably under load. This experience shaped my approach to building robust, high-performance systems, with a strong emphasis on simplicity, determinism, and observability.