Owned the end-to-end architecture of a complex PHP, AngularJS/Angular, and MySQL ecosystem, including the Apache SOLR search infrastructure.
Orchestrated the strategic migration of the platform to a modern tech stack (React, Next.js, OpenSearch), leading a team of 3 engineers.
Modernized the core from PHP 7.2 to PHP 7.4 to PHP 8.0, ensuring all migrated code had been covered with PHPUnit tests, significantly reducing technical debt and resolving critical security vulnerabilities.
Optimized complex SQL query, reducing query execution time by 83% (from over 60 seconds to under 10 seconds)
Accelerated the deployment lifecycle by migrating from legacy procedures to a modern GitHub Actions workflow, ensuring consistent and error-free releases, reducing release time by double, automating deployment ensuring new code is fully covered with tests before Pull requests could be accepted
Covered the existing code with PHPUnit tests up to 70%, maintained 100% coverage for the new code
Developed and implemented new e-fairs module during the Covid times for white-labels enabling them to host fairs they would normally do on site
Optimizing long-running MySQL queries significantly reducing load on web/database servers and improving site speed
MySQLMongoDBApache SolrDocker
PHP 7Twilio API
Evisors Inc
New York City
1 year 7 months
2018-09 - 2020-03
Automated critical ETL pipelines
PHP/AngularJS Full-stack Developer
PHP/AngularJS Full-stack Developer
Automated critical ETL pipelines from BI clusters to MySQL using PowerShell and ProFTPd, eliminating 30 hours of manual work per week (6 hours/day) and reducing data entry errors
Designed a bidirectional synchronization framework using Google Apps Script to bridge MySQL and Google Sheets, prioritizing code maintainability by centralizing schema definitions.
Engineered a custom internal data application to enrich SQL datasets with external sources, streamlining complex data matching workflows via custom lookup tables
Managed on-premise infrastructure (Windows Server 2012, MySQL, Power BI), acting as the primary technical liaison with corporate IT to secure network configurations and port forwarding
The Nielsen Company
Warsaw, Poland
1 year
2019-01 - 2019-12
administering live coding exercises to evaluate candidates
Developer screener
Developer screener
Conducted rigorous technical screenings as a domain expert, administering live coding exercises to evaluate candidates' problem-solving agility, architectural depth, and communication skills
Evaluated comprehensive test projects (simulating 1?3 weeks of real-world work) to verify practical competence, ensuring applicants could "walk the walk" in terms of code quality, completeness, and maintainability
Enforced elite quality standards ("Top 3%"), acting as a primary gatekeeper to ensure only candidates demonstrating the highest levels of professionalism, integrity, and technical thoroughness entered the network
Assessed full-stack engineering capability through deep-dive code reviews, filtering for creativity and the ability to handle complex, bespoke requirements under strict deadlines
Maintained the integrity of the talent pool by validating that every potential admission met the "Quality-First" benchmark required for high-stakes enterprise engagements
Toptal
New York City
3 years 10 months
2014-12 - 2018-09
Company foundation
CTO and Co-founder
CTO and Co-founder
Architected the core SaaS infrastructure from the ground up, translating broad business requirements into a scalable, multi-tenant system for the travel industry.+1
Orchestrated the product roadmap and engineering lifecycle, guiding a team of 5 developers through sprint planning and code reviews to maintain strict release deadlines.
Engineered critical business modules, including a custom booking engine and real-time analytics dashboards, directly solving operational pain points for tour operators
gladly upon request
Zagreb, Croatia
11 months
2017-07 - 2018-05
Automated content moderation using Google Vision AI
Laravel backend developer
Laravel backend developer
Slash server response times by 60% (from 1.0s to 0.4s) by refactoring core algorithms and optimizing database interaction paths, directly boosting user retention for viral content.
Automated content moderation using Google Vision AI, building a pipeline to detect and filter profanity/violence, drastically reducing manual review workload and ensuring brand safety.
Elevated code quality standards by driving test coverage to 90%, significantly reducing regression bugs and stabilizing the release cycle.
Engineered a real-time synchronization engine to distribute viral content rankings across a multi-site network, ensuring consistent user experiences across different domains.
Streamlined the operational workflow for content administrators, building a custom approval dashboard that accelerated the "time-to-publish" for viral assets
Socialsweetherts GMBH
Munich
1 year 3 months
2015-03 - 2016-05
Orchestrated a seamless platform migration
PHP/SQL Developer
PHP/SQL Developer
Orchestrated a seamless platform migration from legacy PHP 5.3/Symfony 2.3 to PHP 5.6/Symfony 2.8, achieving zero downtime and maintaining full feature parity through a rigorous testing strategy
Engineered a revenue-critical reporting pipeline by parsing high-volume Nginx access logs to automate CPM invoicing, ensuring 100% billing accuracy.
Optimized Apache Solr indexing configurations, significantly reducing query latency and improving search relevance for complex datasets.
Developed a custom geospatial search algorithm for the London region, enabling precise postcode and region-based filtering for end-users.
Managed the full development lifecycle for three core web applications, ensuring high availability and consistent code quality
Unbiased LTD
London, UK
1 year 4 months
2013-10 - 2015-01
Developing new modules and fixing bugs
PHP Developer
PHP Developer
Developing new modules and fixing bugs for the Austrian bargain company Wogibtswas
Maintaining and optimizing Slovenian news portal
Trikoder
Zagreb, Croatia
4 years 8 months
2009-03 - 2013-10
extracting and transforming data from various sources to the warehouse
SAS programmer
SAS programmer
Using ETL tools such as Oracle Workflow Builder and SAS Studio for extracting and transforming data from various sources to the warehouse
Using SAS Enterprise Guide for creating powerful analytics and reports
Privredna Banka Zagreb d.d.
Zagreb, Croatia
Aus- und Weiterbildung
Aus- und Weiterbildung
10 years 10 months
2001-09 - 2012-06
Engineering, Computer Science
Master of Engineering, Computer Science, University of Zagreb
Master of Engineering, Computer Science
University of Zagreb
Position
Position
Lead/Senior full stack web developer, backend focused
I am a hands-on Senior Full-Stack Developer with more than 20 years of experience in PHP, SQL, and modern JavaScript/TypeScript. With a Master's in Computer Engineering and a background as a CTO, I combine technical exactness with practical business agility
Throughout my career, I have engineered platforms handling 100k+ daily visitors, optimized high-traffic SaaS solutions, and led teams through complex architectural migrations. My expertise lies in solving business problems, automating data pipelines, and re-engineering databases for scalability
Einsatzorte
Einsatzorte
Zagreb (+50km)
Deutschland, Österreich
möglich
Projekte
Projekte
7 years 3 months
2019-01 - now
Offering B2B contracts
Senior Software And Cloud Engineer for hirePHPSymfonyLaravel...
Owned the end-to-end architecture of a complex PHP, AngularJS/Angular, and MySQL ecosystem, including the Apache SOLR search infrastructure.
Orchestrated the strategic migration of the platform to a modern tech stack (React, Next.js, OpenSearch), leading a team of 3 engineers.
Modernized the core from PHP 7.2 to PHP 7.4 to PHP 8.0, ensuring all migrated code had been covered with PHPUnit tests, significantly reducing technical debt and resolving critical security vulnerabilities.
Optimized complex SQL query, reducing query execution time by 83% (from over 60 seconds to under 10 seconds)
Accelerated the deployment lifecycle by migrating from legacy procedures to a modern GitHub Actions workflow, ensuring consistent and error-free releases, reducing release time by double, automating deployment ensuring new code is fully covered with tests before Pull requests could be accepted
Covered the existing code with PHPUnit tests up to 70%, maintained 100% coverage for the new code
Developed and implemented new e-fairs module during the Covid times for white-labels enabling them to host fairs they would normally do on site
Optimizing long-running MySQL queries significantly reducing load on web/database servers and improving site speed
MySQLMongoDBApache SolrDocker
PHP 7Twilio API
Evisors Inc
New York City
1 year 7 months
2018-09 - 2020-03
Automated critical ETL pipelines
PHP/AngularJS Full-stack Developer
PHP/AngularJS Full-stack Developer
Automated critical ETL pipelines from BI clusters to MySQL using PowerShell and ProFTPd, eliminating 30 hours of manual work per week (6 hours/day) and reducing data entry errors
Designed a bidirectional synchronization framework using Google Apps Script to bridge MySQL and Google Sheets, prioritizing code maintainability by centralizing schema definitions.
Engineered a custom internal data application to enrich SQL datasets with external sources, streamlining complex data matching workflows via custom lookup tables
Managed on-premise infrastructure (Windows Server 2012, MySQL, Power BI), acting as the primary technical liaison with corporate IT to secure network configurations and port forwarding
The Nielsen Company
Warsaw, Poland
1 year
2019-01 - 2019-12
administering live coding exercises to evaluate candidates
Developer screener
Developer screener
Conducted rigorous technical screenings as a domain expert, administering live coding exercises to evaluate candidates' problem-solving agility, architectural depth, and communication skills
Evaluated comprehensive test projects (simulating 1?3 weeks of real-world work) to verify practical competence, ensuring applicants could "walk the walk" in terms of code quality, completeness, and maintainability
Enforced elite quality standards ("Top 3%"), acting as a primary gatekeeper to ensure only candidates demonstrating the highest levels of professionalism, integrity, and technical thoroughness entered the network
Assessed full-stack engineering capability through deep-dive code reviews, filtering for creativity and the ability to handle complex, bespoke requirements under strict deadlines
Maintained the integrity of the talent pool by validating that every potential admission met the "Quality-First" benchmark required for high-stakes enterprise engagements
Toptal
New York City
3 years 10 months
2014-12 - 2018-09
Company foundation
CTO and Co-founder
CTO and Co-founder
Architected the core SaaS infrastructure from the ground up, translating broad business requirements into a scalable, multi-tenant system for the travel industry.+1
Orchestrated the product roadmap and engineering lifecycle, guiding a team of 5 developers through sprint planning and code reviews to maintain strict release deadlines.
Engineered critical business modules, including a custom booking engine and real-time analytics dashboards, directly solving operational pain points for tour operators
gladly upon request
Zagreb, Croatia
11 months
2017-07 - 2018-05
Automated content moderation using Google Vision AI
Laravel backend developer
Laravel backend developer
Slash server response times by 60% (from 1.0s to 0.4s) by refactoring core algorithms and optimizing database interaction paths, directly boosting user retention for viral content.
Automated content moderation using Google Vision AI, building a pipeline to detect and filter profanity/violence, drastically reducing manual review workload and ensuring brand safety.
Elevated code quality standards by driving test coverage to 90%, significantly reducing regression bugs and stabilizing the release cycle.
Engineered a real-time synchronization engine to distribute viral content rankings across a multi-site network, ensuring consistent user experiences across different domains.
Streamlined the operational workflow for content administrators, building a custom approval dashboard that accelerated the "time-to-publish" for viral assets
Socialsweetherts GMBH
Munich
1 year 3 months
2015-03 - 2016-05
Orchestrated a seamless platform migration
PHP/SQL Developer
PHP/SQL Developer
Orchestrated a seamless platform migration from legacy PHP 5.3/Symfony 2.3 to PHP 5.6/Symfony 2.8, achieving zero downtime and maintaining full feature parity through a rigorous testing strategy
Engineered a revenue-critical reporting pipeline by parsing high-volume Nginx access logs to automate CPM invoicing, ensuring 100% billing accuracy.
Optimized Apache Solr indexing configurations, significantly reducing query latency and improving search relevance for complex datasets.
Developed a custom geospatial search algorithm for the London region, enabling precise postcode and region-based filtering for end-users.
Managed the full development lifecycle for three core web applications, ensuring high availability and consistent code quality
Unbiased LTD
London, UK
1 year 4 months
2013-10 - 2015-01
Developing new modules and fixing bugs
PHP Developer
PHP Developer
Developing new modules and fixing bugs for the Austrian bargain company Wogibtswas
Maintaining and optimizing Slovenian news portal
Trikoder
Zagreb, Croatia
4 years 8 months
2009-03 - 2013-10
extracting and transforming data from various sources to the warehouse
SAS programmer
SAS programmer
Using ETL tools such as Oracle Workflow Builder and SAS Studio for extracting and transforming data from various sources to the warehouse
Using SAS Enterprise Guide for creating powerful analytics and reports
Privredna Banka Zagreb d.d.
Zagreb, Croatia
Aus- und Weiterbildung
Aus- und Weiterbildung
10 years 10 months
2001-09 - 2012-06
Engineering, Computer Science
Master of Engineering, Computer Science, University of Zagreb
Master of Engineering, Computer Science
University of Zagreb
Position
Position
Lead/Senior full stack web developer, backend focused
I am a hands-on Senior Full-Stack Developer with more than 20 years of experience in PHP, SQL, and modern JavaScript/TypeScript. With a Master's in Computer Engineering and a background as a CTO, I combine technical exactness with practical business agility
Throughout my career, I have engineered platforms handling 100k+ daily visitors, optimized high-traffic SaaS solutions, and led teams through complex architectural migrations. My expertise lies in solving business problems, automating data pipelines, and re-engineering databases for scalability
Vertrauen Sie auf Randstad
Im Bereich Freelancing
Im Bereich Arbeitnehmerüberlassung / Personalvermittlung