Senior / Lead Backend Engineer · Ruby on Rails · Python · Remote · Hamburg, Germany
Senior software engineer with 20+ years of experience building and operating backend systems, APIs, data-heavy products, and internal platforms. Strong focus on Ruby on Rails and Python, with hands-on ownership across architecture, delivery, operations, and long-term maintenance.
I work best in remote or async-first environments where senior engineers are expected to take responsibility, reduce complexity, and move product work forward without heavy supervision. My background combines technical leadership, hands-on implementation, legacy modernization, scaling, and product-minded engineering.
Recent work includes co-founding Popometer, a sim-racing telemetry platform, leading backend and platform work for 9flats.com, and contributing production-quality Python code to Better Thermostat.
- Ruby on Rails backend architecture and long-lived product development
- Python application development and open-source collaboration
- API design, integrations, data pipelines, and telemetry-heavy workloads
- Relational databases, query optimization, and replication-aware operations
- Legacy codebase takeover, modernization, and pragmatic refactoring
- Remote collaboration, technical ownership, code review, and delivery discipline
| Area | Technologies |
|---|---|
| Languages | Ruby · Python · PHP · JavaScript |
| Frameworks | Ruby on Rails · Laravel · Flask · Django |
| Databases | MySQL · MariaDB · PostgreSQL · Redis · Elasticsearch |
| Platform / DevOps | Docker · AWS · CI/CD · GitHub Actions · Linux |
| Architecture | REST APIs · background jobs · integrations · data processing |
| Ways of Working | Remote collaboration · code review · testing · incremental delivery |
Popometer · Remote · Aug 2022 – Present
Co-founded and built a sim-racing telemetry platform from the ground up.
- Designed and implemented the backend and product architecture for telemetry ingestion, storage, analysis, and lap comparison
- Built product features around subscriptions, team functionality, authentication, overlays, and driver performance workflows
- Worked across backend, data handling, product decisions, infrastructure, and day-to-day technical ownership
- Developed a custom desktop recorder workflow for real-time telemetry capture across multiple racing titles
- Shipped a data-heavy product that combines backend reliability with analysis and visualization requirements
9flats.com · Hamburg / Remote-friendly · Jan 2018 – Present
Senior backend engineer on a vacation rental platform with high integration and operational complexity.
- Took over a fragmented Rails codebase after team turnover and became productive without formal handover
- Led technical work across core booking flows, partner integrations, platform stability, and ongoing delivery
- Worked on API integrations, database replication topics, server operations, and release-oriented engineering
- Supported a small engineering team while remaining deeply hands-on in architecture and implementation
- Helped build and improve CI/CD processes for more stable and repeatable deployments
Leiterkontor · Remote · Mar 2019 – Present
Built and evolved a custom e-commerce platform in Ruby on Rails.
- Replaced an inflexible off-the-shelf commerce setup with a custom Rails platform tailored to the business
- Built core commerce functionality including checkout, search, pricing-related logic, and marketplace integrations
- Integrated Amazon and eBay interfaces, plus accounting-related workflows and business-specific automation
- Supported substantial business growth through pragmatic architecture and continuous product iteration
- Combined backend engineering with technical product ownership in a lean environment
Department M GmbH & Co. KG · Hamburg · Nov 2013 – Nov 2017
- Led development of custom web applications for client projects
- Owned technical direction, delivery quality, and team coordination
- Built Laravel-based business applications, admin systems, and REST APIs
- Contributed backend architecture and full-stack implementation for product work including the ZANUM co-sports app
tomjoks · Hamburg · Jul 2008 – Oct 2013
- Delivered custom web development and consulting projects for clients including Paramount Pictures
- Built full-stack applications with PHP, JavaScript, and MySQL
- Worked directly with stakeholders, scoped solutions, and shipped production code independently
TalentRun GmbH · Hamburg · May 2009 – Jan 2011
- Led engineering for a live online karaoke platform with recording, conversion, and competition features
- Built backend infrastructure for media handling, streaming-related workflows, and user interaction features
- Owned architecture and technical implementation in a fast-moving product setting
ePrint Factory · Hamburg · Jun 2004 – Jun 2008
- Developed campaign landing pages and PHP backends for large consumer brands
- Built end-to-end workflows from data capture to print-ready asset generation and fulfillment handoff
- Worked across frontend interactions, backend logic, and production-oriented processing pipelines
Co-Founder / Developer · Nov 2006 – Jun 2008
- Co-built an online postcard platform with digital creation and physical delivery workflows
- Developed the product across frontend, backend, and print integration layers
Better Thermostat · Python
Core Contributor · since 2022
Contributor to a widely used Home Assistant integration.
- Implemented and improved heating logic including time-based control, PID, and MPC-related work
- Added support for device-specific valve control and temperature calibration behavior
- Contributed development environment improvements and hardware support
- Worked in an established open-source codebase with review, collaboration, and production user impact
- 20+ years of professional software engineering experience
- Lead / CTO experience in both product and client-facing environments
- Hands-on ownership across code, architecture, operations, and delivery
- Open-source contributions with dozens of merged pull requests
- Based in Hamburg, available for remote-first roles
Computer Science Studies · PTL Wedel · Aug 2000 – Jul 2004 Focus: Software Engineering
| Language | Level |
|---|---|
| German | Native |
| English | Fluent |
| Spanish | Basic / Conversational |