Hi, my name is
Batyrkhan Shakenov.
I build scalable backend systems.
Senior Software Engineer / Tech Lead with 9 years of experience designing microservices and integration platforms. Currently building 87+ active microservices at Bereke Bank.
About Me
I'm a backend engineer and tech lead with 9 years of experience designing and building scalable microservices and enterprise integration platforms. My favorite work lies at the intersection of performance, reliability, and simplicity — creating backend solutions that are not only powerful but also thoughtfully engineered.
Currently, I'm a Senior Software Engineer / Tech Lead at Bereke Bank, where I lead a team in building and maintaining B-Connect — the bank's central integration platform of 87+ active microservices processing millions of transactions daily. I specialize in Java, Go, Kubernetes, Kafka, and distributed architectures that deliver seamless performance under high load.
In the past, I've worked across a wide range of environments — from high-load banking systems and legacy modernization to startup projects and cloud-native solutions. I also build developer tooling, such as AI-assisted code review bots and high-throughput log collection platforms.
In my spare time, I enjoy learning new technologies, refining my personal projects, and sharpening my engineering skills. Outside of coding, I'm passionate about playing golf in the summer, hitting the slopes for skiing in the winter, and starting my mornings with a strong espresso.
Skills
Languages
- Java
- Go
- SQL
Frameworks
- Spring Boot
- Quarkus
Messaging & Data
- Apache Kafka
- PostgreSQL
- Redis
- Elasticsearch
- OpenSearch
Infrastructure & DevOps
- Docker
- Kubernetes
- Helm
- GitLab CI/CD
- Unix/Linux
Protocols & Integrations
- REST
- GraphQL
- gRPC
- SOAP
- SFTP
- SMPP
- SMTP
Monitoring & Observability
- Prometheus
- Grafana
- OpenSearch
- Micrometer
Experience
Senior Software Engineer / Tech Lead
May 2021 -- Present- Led a team of 4-6 developers in building and maintaining B-Connect, the bank's central integration platform of 87+ active microservices (Java and Go) processing millions of transactions daily.
- Designed and implemented integrations with 30+ internal and external systems including payment systems, communication gateways, online banking applications, SWIFT international transfers, and government systems via REST, SOAP, SFTP, and SMPP.
- Migrated the integration platform to Apache Kafka for asynchronous messaging, replacing legacy IBM MQ.
- Built centralized CI/CD pipelines in GitLab CI for automated build, test, Docker image creation, and multi-environment deployment (DEV/STAGE/PROD).
- Improved system throughput by 20% through performance tuning of high-load services and optimization of core processing workflows.
- Cut memory footprint by 50% by redesigning service architecture and introducing efficient memory management strategies.
- Implemented comprehensive observability: OpenSearch for log aggregation, Prometheus + Grafana for metrics, ensuring 99.9%+ uptime under peak load.
Middle Software Engineer
Feb 2020 -- May 2021- Led architectural modernization from legacy SOA (JBoss Fuse) to cloud-native microservices on Kubernetes.
- Refactored core business logic during migration to microservices, doubling system performance and contributing to the acquisition of new enterprise clients.
- Enforced code quality standards, introduced comprehensive unit testing, and fine-tuned JVM and container configurations to ensure seamless and high-performance migration.
Back-end Developer
Jun 2019 -- Feb 2020- Developed backend systems using PHP and Laravel with RESTful APIs for social software products.
- Built a cross-platform activity feed client handling real-time updates across multiple platforms.
- Collaborated with clients to gather requirements, design APIs, and deliver features end-to-end.
Back-end Developer
Aug 2017 -- Jun 2019- Developed backend systems using PHP and Laravel for various client platforms.
- Led system architecture enhancements by refactoring and eliminating legacy code.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to translate business requirements into technical specifications.
- Optimized applications for speed and scalability, applying systematic testing and documentation practices.
Projects
Logix -- Log Collection & Routing Platform
Creator / Solo Developer
A high-performance, strongly-typed platform for log collection, validation, and routing. Enforces strict JSON Schema contracts at the ingestion entry point to prevent invalid or unstructured data from reaching Elasticsearch indexes. Benchmarked at 17K+ logs/second with zero data loss, sub-10s delivery latency, and minimal memory footprint (~150 MB ingestor, ~267 MB sink).
- Three-tier architecture: lgx-ingestor (HTTP gateway, JSON Schema Draft 2020-12 validation, WAL fallback, backpressure), lgx-sink (bulk batching into Elasticsearch with retry & DLQ), and lgx-dashboard (React SPA control plane).
- Features live log streaming, schema viewer, and interactive DLQ inspector with re-drive/replay capabilities.
- Production-ready with full Helm chart for Kubernetes deployment and Docker Compose sandbox.
GitLab Reviewer -- Automated Code Analysis
Creator / Solo Developer
An automated static analysis and AI-assisted code review platform for GitLab merge requests. Analyzes incoming Java code changes using PMD 7.x rules and delivers contextual improvement suggestions via local LLMs (Ollama / DeepSeek) directly into merge request discussions.
- Centralized solution serving 87+ repositories at Bereke Bank without modifying individual project CI pipelines.
- Webhook-driven architecture analyzing merge request diffs in real time on creation and update.
- Containerized with Docker, supporting both standard JVM and GraalVM native image execution for instant startup.
Bitbucket Reviewer -- Automated Code Analysis
Creator / Solo Developer
The Bitbucket Server counterpart to GitLab Reviewer. Automatically inspects Java pull requests using PMD 7.x static analysis and posts AI-driven recommendations directly into Bitbucket Server pull request comments.
- Direct integration with Bitbucket Server REST API v1.0 webhooks.
- Enforces company-wide code quality standards with centralized management and configurable rule suppressions.
- Docker-ready with JVM and GraalVM native-image support for low resource utilization.
B-Connect -- Banking Integration Platform
Senior Software Engineer / Tech Lead
The central integration platform of Bereke Bank, orchestrating communication between internal core banking platforms and external services. Comprises 87+ active microservices deployed across DEV, STAGE, and PROD Kubernetes clusters, processing millions of transactions daily.
- Architected integrations with 30+ internal and external systems including card processing, credit scoring, core banking, anti-fraud/AML, CRM, onboarding, SWIFT international transfers, and government portals.
- Migrated the integration platform to Apache Kafka for asynchronous messaging, replacing legacy IBM MQ.
- Built centralized CI/CD pipelines in GitLab CI for automated build, test, Docker image creation, and Helm multi-cluster deployment.
- Improved system throughput by 20% and slashed memory footprint by 50%, maintaining 99.9%+ uptime.
Communication Gateway -- SMS & Push Delivery
Senior Software Engineer / Tech Lead
High-throughput customer communication sub-platform within B-Connect delivering critical OTP codes, transactional alerts, and push messages to millions of banking customers.
- Composed of Inbox-Hub (central ingestion & normalization), Router-Service (intelligent channel selection based on priority, provider availability, and cost), and Integration-SMS-Traffic (SMPP integration with SMS providers).
- Engineered multi-provider SMS failover routing, guaranteeing delivery even during major provider outages.
- Implemented retry-marker logic for card processing system alerts, traffic shaping, rate limiting, and real-time delivery cost/failure monitoring.