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Building reliable

Software engineer specializing in scalable backend systems, enterprise APIs, cloud infrastructure, and applied AI. I build production services that move data reliably.

Developer Overview - bash
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I'm a software engineer with 6+ years of experience building scalable backend systems, APIs, enterprise integrations, and production automation workflows. I care about software that is reliable, understandable, and useful beyond the first release.

Current Focus

/now-building

Building scalable backend systems, enterprise integrations, and AI-enabled automation tools for real operational workflows.

Core Strengths

/technical-range

API design, cross-system architecture, database-backed applications, cloud infrastructure, and secure integration development.

Engineering Values

/quality-bar

Clear code, reliable systems, thoughtful abstractions, useful automation, and observability that makes issues easier to diagnose.

System Thinking

/systems-mindset

Designing with reliability, performance, maintainability, and downstream impact in mind from the beginning.

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Selected systems, tools, and engineering projects built around automation, integrations, APIs, and applied AI.

spotlight_build

Enterprise Knowledge Assistant

Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) platform for document search and contextual Q&A using vector search and LLM APIs.

  • Architecting secure backend APIs for document ingestion, embeddings, and query workflows
  • Implementing retrieval pipelines that ground responses in source documents instead of generic model output
  • Designing authenticated workflows for enterprise-scale knowledge access
AI
API
Database
Auth
PythonLLM APIsVector SearchRAGPrompt EngineeringREST APIsPostgreSQL
Case StudyGitHub

Intelligent Document Automation

In Progress

AI-powered document extraction service that converts PDFs into structured data using LLM APIs.

  • Developing automated pipelines for ingestion, inference, and downstream system integration
  • Enabling secure REST API integration for document intelligence workflows across enterprise applications
PythonLLMsFastAPIETL Pipelines
DemoCode

Enterprise Integration Services

In Progress

Java-based integration services for complex workflows, supporting scalable production automation and secure data exchange.

  • Connected enterprise systems through reliable API, SFTP, and vendor data workflows
  • Improved production reliability with validation, logging, monitoring, and error recovery
JavaSpring BootWorkdayOAuthSFTP
DemoCode
View all projects
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The core technologies I use to build robust software systems

developer.config.ts
1export const stack = {
2 languages: [
3 "Java", "Python", "SQL", "JavaScript", "TypeScript"
4 ],
5 backend: [
6 "Spring Boot", "REST APIs", "OAuth2/JWT", "Node.js"
7 ],
8 cloud_devops: [
9 "AWS", "Docker", "CI/CD", "Linux", "Git"
10 ],
11 data: [
12 "PostgreSQL", "ETL", "Data Pipelines", "SQL"
13 ],
14 ai_ml: [
15 "LLMs", "RAG", "Vector Search", "Prompt Engineering", "AI APIs"
16 ],
17 enterprise: [
18 "Workday", "Workday Studio", "Constituo", "XML", "XSLT", "SFTP"
19 ]
20};
21 
Technology - npm
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A record of systems built, scaled, and maintained.

View Resume
impact.log
[2024 - Present]
Backend Engineer@ St. Norbert College
Integration & Automation
  • Delivered 25 integrations within a 500+ enterprise ecosystem, enabling secure, high-volume data exchange across enterprise platforms.
  • Engineered Java-based integration services for complex workflows, supporting scalable production automation and reliable system interoperability.
  • Architected scalable Spring Boot REST APIs that centralized institutional data into a single source of truth, reducing dependency on 50+ systems and supporting secure data processing.
  • Implemented fault-tolerant automation pipelines with monitoring, logging, and error recovery, improving reliability across enterprise integrations.
JavaSpring BootREST APIsWorkday StudioAutomation
[2020 - 2023]
Software Engineer@ Envano
Full Stack
  • Developed custom web applications and backend APIs for high-traffic digital platforms, supporting e-commerce and multi-location businesses.
  • Optimized backend services integrating external APIs, CMS platforms, and commerce systems, improving performance, responsiveness, and scalability.
  • Created a reusable component library and website framework that reduced typical project staffing from 3 developers to 1, accelerating delivery and improving engineering efficiency.
Node.jsTypeScriptReactAPIsCMS
[2020]
Software Engineer@ Cognizant
Backend
  • Selected for enterprise consulting engagement following technical training, completing onboarding and deployment readiness for a confidential client initiative.
JavaBackend DevelopmentEnterprise Consulting
[2019 - 2020]
Software Engineer@ Revature
Full Stack
  • Built collaborative full-stack applications in an accelerated software engineering environment focused on enterprise development practices and client delivery readiness.
  • Produced internal projects using Java, Spring Framework, Angular, Node.js, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, delivering production-style solutions in agile team environments.
JavaSpring FrameworkAngularNode.jsAgile
[2011 - 2015]
Bachelor of Science@ University of Wisconsin-River Falls
Computer Science | Minor in Business (AACSB Accredited)
    _Waiting for new log entries...
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    Let's build

    I'm currently available for backend engineering roles, consulting projects, and technical advisory work. If you're building something interesting and need help with APIs, cloud infrastructure, or integrations, let's talk.

    kylekolstad@gmail.comLinkedInGitHub
    Availability - bash