Nearly ten years designing scalable APIs, modernizing legacy systems, and leading engineering teams, for companies from early startups to Staples and The Globe and Mail.
Currently Senior Backend Developer at Locke Bio. Previously Technical Lead at Staples.
From the first endpoint to the systems that keep it running.
Whether it is a greenfield product or a new service inside an existing platform, I design the APIs, data models, and architecture and ship clean, maintainable code your team can build on.
System architecture, performance, CI/CD, security, and the backend bugs slowing you down. I come into running systems, find what is fragile, and make it solid.
Technical leadership that plugs into your team: architecture, code review, and mentoring. Nearly ten years building for startups, agencies, and enterprises, from the first endpoint to scale.
Building an Electronic Medical Record platform from the ground up in NestJS and PostgreSQL, and rebuilding a legacy platform for another team.
Technical lead for two teams (around ten engineers) on a large-scale Shopify and Contentful e-commerce platform, owning architecture and delivery for customer-facing systems.
My own consultancy: backend systems, infrastructure, and developer tooling for clients. Lead engagement with Reitium, plus internal R&D.
Authentication and subscription systems for one of Canada's largest news organizations, plus support for a React migration.
Cart and checkout features for online retail, including targeted discounts, in a fast-paced agency environment.
New features and fixes on an inherited PHP and Ruby on Rails codebase.
Joined to help rescue a project running months behind. PHP and Laravel, React Native, MongoDB.
Maintained and extended a multi-tenant platform built on EmberJS and Laravel, migrating toward Symfony 3 and MongoDB.
The list matters less than the judgement behind it. I pick what keeps a system simple to run and easy for your team to own.
Node.js
TypeScript
NestJS
FeathersJS
React
Vue
PostgreSQL
MongoDB
Docker
Render
Doppler
I am a technical lead and senior backend engineer. For nearly ten years I have designed data structures and RESTful APIs, improved performance and scalability, and built the systems products depend on but users never see.
I have led teams of up to ten engineers, mentored developers, and modernized legacy platforms, while staying close enough to the code to get the details right. I care as much about a system being maintainable as about it shipping.
A 10-point scorecard for what AI leaves out of a backend, and how to fix it before real users hit it.
The environment problem every team hits, and why containers are the simplest way out.
Notes on backend architecture and the decisions behind it.
Backend engineering and technical leadership: designing and building APIs and systems, modernizing or rescuing existing ones, and leading teams. I take on a small number of contract and project engagements, and I am open to the right full-time senior or technical lead role.
Selectively. I am working full-time, so I take on the right projects rather than a full client load. If it is a strong fit, I will make the time. The quickest way to find out is to tell me what you are building.
Yes, for the right senior backend or technical lead position. If you are hiring and think there is a fit, reach out the same way as a project enquiry.
Yes. I have led teams of up to ten engineers and partnered closely with product and project managers on roadmap and delivery. I am comfortable owning architecture, reviewing code, mentoring, and unblocking a team, as a lead or as a senior individual contributor.
Yes. I am based in Toronto and work remotely with teams across time zones.
Backend is where I am strongest and deliver the most value: APIs, data, architecture, performance, and reliability. I also have solid full-stack experience with React and Vue, and can move across the stack when a project needs it.
Send a short note about what you are building or what is slowing you down, through the contact form or by email. I reply within 24 hours with a straight answer on whether and how I can help.
Tell me what you are building or what is slowing you down. I reply within 24 hours, with a straight answer on whether I can help.
alobodanov@buildflow.ca