About Me
I'm a Cloud Engineer at JPMorganChase. I graduated from the Technology Degree Apprenticeship programme with the University of Exeter and now work on cloud-native database products and internal AWS cloud management platforms. In 2024, I celebrated my third service anniversary, marking three years of growth: from starting with significant freedom to explore, to delivering automation projects, to now working in a cross-functional team. After receiving the highest possible rating in my last annual review, I moved into this cross-functional team, working on various parts of the internal AWS cloud management platform.
I have experience developing automation to provision and manage infrastructure programmatically, with a focus on serverless architectures, infrastructure as code, and cost-effective cloud solutions. I'm passionate about reducing risk through automation, optimising costs, and delivering reliable solutions that make a real impact.
Skills
Technologies
- Python - proficient in procedural and OO approaches
- SQL - query optimisation, CockroachDB (PostgreSQL-compatible)
- Amazon Web Services - serverless, IAM, networking
- Terraform - custom modules, community and enterprise editions
AWS Services
- EventBridge, SQS, Lambda, Step Functions
- IAM policies, Service Control Policies
- VPC, subnets, NACLs, Security Groups
- Transit Gateway, Direct Connect
Database Expertise
- Identity and access management
- Query logging, backups, performance tuning
- DR/SR testing of active/active clusters
- Deployment best practices
Practices
- FinOps - cost estimation and business cases
- DevOps - CI/CD pipelines, Jenkins, Spinnaker
- SRE - metrics, logs, alerts, on-call support
- Risk and Controls - vulnerability investigation
- Testing - TDD, unit, behavioral, functional
Experience
Cloud Engineer
Sep 2021 - Present (3+ years)- Started AWS journey learning from Solutions Architect Professional certified engineers, gaining hands-on experience with serverless architectures, IAM, and infrastructure as code
- Delivered first automation project collaborating with cross-functional teams to design, develop, and test production-ready solutions
- Gained experience in FinOps and project management, conducting cost analysis and managing stakeholder communication for infrastructure optimisation projects
- Worked on a database product responsible for the control plane used to provision and securely maintain a cloud-native database product on private cloud and AWS
- Received the highest possible rating in annual review and moved into cross-functional team working on internal AWS cloud management platform
- Developed automation to provision and manage infrastructure programmatically across VPC-peered accounts using serverless offerings
- Mentored contractors and new joiners, running training courses to simplify complex technology concepts and help team members develop their skills
- Released software to production with automated build pipelines and red/green deployment strategies using Jenkins and Spinnaker
- Investigated production incidents using metrics, logs, and alerts leading to placement on out-of-hours support rota
Key Projects
Upgrades and Repaves Automation
Collaborated with developers to design, develop, test and release a new service that automated technology lifecycle management. Reduced risk via automation covering control requirements, rolling out three major software upgrades to ~3000 database servers. Used feature flags and circuit breakers based on DevOps practices.
Unused Infrastructure Remediation
Conducted data analysis to find databases not in use. Managed the project including customer communication. Decommissioned 225 servers saving internal customers $1.8m/yr, freeing up scarce compute capacity and reducing toil and risk. Presented to peer developers, product owners, and business management.
Application Replacement
Replaced a legacy Java private-cloud application with Python AWS serverless architecture. Led progress review calls with stakeholders to escalate blockers and agree architectural decisions. Trained both first-year apprentices and experienced senior Java developers in AWS topics ranging from IAM to IaC/application deployment.
Apprentice Technology Training
Co-delivered with fellow apprentices a course of eight hour-long training sessions on enterprise technology to new first-year apprentices. Tailored the course based on suggestions and answered questions on topics from authentication to private cloud infrastructure to CI/CD. Identified an apprentice lacking support and assisted through one-on-one coaching.
Education
BSc Digital and Technology Solutions
2021 - 2025- First class degree classification awarded
- Specialism in Software Engineering with an elective in Cyber Security
A-Levels
2019 - 2021- 3 × A*s in Mathematics, Further Mathematics, and Computer Science
Certifications & Awards
AWS Solutions Architect Associate
Valid until 2027
AWS Cloud Practitioner
Valid until 2027
Rising Star Award
Global Technology Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Awards 2023. Awarded for sharing experience as a person with autism through presentations and building a culture of psychological safety.
Special Interests
Beyond technology, I have a keen interest in several areas that intersect with the broader impact of innovation and policy:
Law
I'm fascinated by the intersection of technology and legal frameworks, particularly data protection regulations, intellectual property rights, and how emerging technologies challenge existing legal systems. Understanding compliance and governance in the digital age is crucial for building responsible technology solutions.
Business
I have a strong interest in business strategy, particularly how technology drives innovation and competitive advantage. Through my FinOps work, I've developed an appreciation for cost optimisation, business cases, and how technical decisions impact financial outcomes. I'm interested in startup ecosystems and how businesses scale their technology infrastructure.
Politics
I follow political developments, especially policies affecting the technology sector such as digital regulation, privacy legislation, and government approaches to innovation. Understanding the political landscape helps me anticipate how policy changes might impact the technology industry and the products we build.
International Relations
In an increasingly globalized technology industry, I'm interested in how international relations shape technology collaboration, data sovereignty, cross-border regulations, and the geopolitics of emerging technologies. The interplay between nations in areas like cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, and tech diplomacy fascinates me.
Blogs
Read my thoughts, experiences, and insights from my journey in technology and beyond.