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Selçuk Cihan
Verified Expert in Engineering
JavaScript Developer
Istanbul, Turkey
Toptal member since October 9, 2018
Bio
Selçuk is a senior software engineer with 17 years of experience building distributed systems. A former Amazon software development engineer with hands-on experience across Node.js, Python, AWS, GCP, serverless architectures, and observability, he is trusted to own ambiguous problems across multi-year remote contracts, from architecture and implementation to operations and mentoring.
Portfolio
RTIC
Scala, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Spring Boot, Agentic Coding...
Serverless
Python 3, AWS Lambda
Tellimer
Python, Serverless, AWS Lambda, TypeScript, GraphQL, Amazon Web Services (AWS)...
Experience
- Python - 10 years
- JavaScript - 10 years
- TypeScript - 8 years
- AWS Lambda - 8 years
- Amazon Web Services (AWS) - 5 years
- Serverless - 5 years
- Google Cloud Platform (GCP) - 3 years
- Cloudflare - 2 years
Work Experience
Senior Software Development Engineer
2023 - PRESENT
RTIC
- Implemented the mobile device management functionality, which has greatly simplified Android device updates. The process of rolling out an update is much smoother now.
- Improved documentation and facilitated knowledge sharing through wikis, pull requests, API docs, etc.
- Helped make several improvements and new features around inventory transfers, customization shop, and order return processing pipelines.
- Assisted the team in improving the client by making it easier to interact with back-end APIs, such as enhancing response data to cut down extra network calls and getting rid of local storage usage.
Technologies: Scala, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Spring Boot, Agentic Coding, Large Language Models (LLMs), Full-stack Development, Full-stack, Stripe
Senior Software Engineer
2023 - 2023
Serverless
- Developed the Python AWS Lambda SDK for serverless console products.
- Implemented CI/CD on GitHub Actions to automate releases and pull requests.
- Added automated tests that validate end-to-end business logic and performance.
Technologies: Python 3, AWS Lambda
Senior Engineer
2020 - 2021
Tellimer
- Created the GraphQL back end for parsel.ai, a machine learning SaaS offering.
- Migrated existing applications to be hosted as serverless applications (AWS Lambda).
- Created a serverless application to source news from third-party providers.
- Added payments on tellimer.com using Stripe. This involved extending the existing GraphQL API.
- Created serverless workflows using AWS Step Functions to integrate with external services.
- Created GraphQL APIs with AppSync, connecting various data sources like DynamoDB and RDS.
- Built a serverless app that periodically maintains the sitemap for various web apps.
- Implemented a Stripe integration for SaaS subscriptions to collect payments.
- Architected an article recommender and summarizer for tellimer.com.
Technologies: Python, Serverless, AWS Lambda, TypeScript, GraphQL, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Amazon Cognito, Amazon EC2, Amazon Simple Queue Service (SQS), AWS Step Functions, Amazon DynamoDB, AWS AppSync, Datadog, Algolia, Stripe API, Python 3, SQL, REST APIs, Amazon CloudWatch, NoSQL, Amazon S3 (AWS S3), AWS IAM, Amazon API Gateway, AWS CloudFormation, Python 2, Jest, Serverless Framework, API Gateways, Back-end, Git, Architecture, Microservices, Amazon RDS, Amazon CloudFront CDN, Relational Databases, Integration Testing, Data Analytics, Web Scraping, Cloud Architecture, Technical Leadership, Flask, API Integration, APIs, Stripe
Senior Software Developer
2018 - 2019
Toptal Client
- Created a public-facing web application with a serverless framework.
- Created a serverless back end in Python on AWS Lambda and API Gateway.
- Developed and maintained the front end, implemented with AngularJS.
- Reduced cost, resulting in more than a 50% savings on the AWS bill.
- Mentored developers and was involved in planning and reviewing pull requests.
- Improved performance by reengineering caching on CloudFront/S3.
- Created serverless workflows using AWS Step Functions to integrate with external services.
Technologies: Amazon Web Services (AWS), AngularJS, Python, Serverless, REST APIs, Amazon CloudWatch, NoSQL, Amazon S3 (AWS S3), AWS IAM, Amazon API Gateway, AWS CloudFormation, Python 2, Serverless Framework, Pytest, API Gateways, Back-end, Git, Architecture, Microservices, Amazon RDS, Amazon CloudFront CDN, Relational Databases, Integration Testing, Cloud Architecture, Unix, API Integration, APIs
Software Development Engineer
2017 - 2018
Amazon
- Developed the orchestration platform that processes Amazon's catalog. The platform can handle tens of thousands of TPS, enabling the finest and most extensive catalog on earth.
- Added functionality to a Node.js service, a high TPS REST service for difference analysis.
- Refactored an orchestration engine that consumes Kinesis and calls downstream services so the application can be started without any dependencies, enabling performance testing of the core.
- Supported the reconciliation engine (Java 8) that generates the retail catalog.
- Carried out live migrations of several web services without downtime. Successfully deprecated multiple legacy services to simplify the overall architecture and enable catalog growth.
Technologies: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Docker, JavaScript, Elasticsearch, PostgreSQL, DevOps, Agile, Spring, Linux, Node.js, Perl, Java, SQL, REST APIs, Amazon CloudWatch, NoSQL, Amazon Kinesis, Amazon S3 (AWS S3), AWS IAM, Amazon API Gateway, AWS CloudFormation, API Gateways, Back-end, Git, Architecture, Microservices, Amazon RDS, Relational Databases, Spring Boot, Integration Testing, Cloud Architecture, Unix, API Integration, APIs
Senior Software Engineer
2013 - 2017
Intertech
- Supported the workflow engine (C#, Windows service) serving banking applications, such as loans, customer complaints, etc.
- Set up elastic to index workflow engine documents, enabling powerful search mechanisms for the end user.
- Designed and implemented a workforce management system that empowers the bank's operation center. The project won an award.
Technologies: DevOps, JavaScript, Unit Testing, Agile, REST, Elasticsearch, Microsoft SQL Server, C#, SQL, Back-end, Git, Microservices, Relational Databases, Integration Testing, APIs
Senior Software Engineer
2011 - 2013
Ziraat Teknoloji (formerly Fintek)
- Designed and implemented a workflow engine running on Oracle, serving over 100,000 workflow instances daily.
- Served as scrum master and mentored junior developers.
- Created a workflow designer and simulator for the workflow engine.
Technologies: C#, SQL, Oracle SQL, Git, Relational Databases
Software Engineer
2010 - 2011
AirTies Wireless Networks
- Implemented Teletext for the IPTV set-top box using C++.
- Developed a subtitle parser in C, which was embedded in the IPTV set-top boxes.
- Implemented a high-performance transport stream parser in C.
Technologies: Perl, Python, Linux, C++, C, Git, Unix
Software Engineer
2009 - 2009
CC Yazılım
- Designed and implemented a cross-platform desktop client in C++ utilizing the wxWidgets GUI toolkit. The client database is SQLite.
- Designed and implemented the corresponding backup server in Java (J2SE). An application-level protocol is implemented for client-server communication secured via SSL (OpenSSL). Stored files are encrypted (AES).
- Designed (visual design excluded) and implemented a web portal serving online backup users. Users can download/browse backed-up files through the portal. MySQL, Apache web server, and the Django framework are utilized.
Technologies: Django, Python, C++, Java
Project History
Python AWS Lambda SDK
https://github.com/serverless/consoleI've created the Python AWS Lambda SDK for a serverless monitoring product. It's a Lambda layer that auto instruments functions and emits traces displayed in the console application.
The SDK can instrument several common libraries like Flask, requests, botocore, etc.
The SDK can instrument several common libraries like Flask, requests, botocore, etc.
Sourcing Financial News from External Providers
https://tellimer.com/channelsI created an application using the serverless framework with TypeScript, involving S3, SQS, SNS, Lambda, and EventBridge. The application integrates third-party APIs to gather news feeds and categorizes them to present to customers.
Parsel.ai (Machine Learning App)
http://parsel.aiI implemented the serverless back end for parsel.ai. Built it using AppSync, Lambda, and DynamoDB. Involved in all phases of the application development, from designing the API to setting up alarms and dashboards and handling operational work.
Custom Shop APIs for RTIC
I created APIs that power the customization processes in the RTIC Outdoors custom shop. The application runs on Google Cloud with a PostgreSQL database. The main programming language used is Scala on the back end.
CV Generator
https://cv-generator.selcukcihan.comCV Generator turns one easy-to-edit YAML file into a clean PDF resume and automatically checks the final PDF for readability, structure, and parser friendliness. A simple CLI tool to help you build your CV.
eyes4ai
https://eyes4ai.selcukcihan.comeyes4ai is a passive AI activity recorder for Git repositories. It silently captures how AI coding tools (Codex, Claude Code, and others) are used in your repos — token usage, costs, tool calls, and session data — and correlates that activity with your Git commits.
Tetris with React
http://tetris.selcukcihan.com/A simple Tetris game built with React. This project shows how React can be used. The game can be played on tetris.selcukcihan.com. There is also a blog post in Turkish on https://blog.selcukcihan.com/web-development/reactris/ on the development process.
Personal Web Archive
https://archive.selcukcihan.comThis is an app that I use to save any web pages, articles, etc. that I think are or would be useful. I can't read all the articles right away as I stumble upon them, so this app serves as my online library.
The app uses OpenAI to summarize and tag articles. It app fetches the metadata of the page and extracts OpenGraph data to provide a preview of the page, including its title. Summarization and tagging happen asynchronously, whereas OpenGraph data extraction is immediate.
The app uses OpenAI to summarize and tag articles. It app fetches the metadata of the page and extracts OpenGraph data to provide a preview of the page, including its title. Summarization and tagging happen asynchronously, whereas OpenGraph data extraction is immediate.
Software News Curator
https://github.com/selcukcihan/software-chatterThis application integrates with the Twitter API to fetch trending software-related tweets. The back end is serverless on AWS using Lambda (Node.js) and S3, while the front end is on Vercel using Next.js. It also has a single page, which is statically rendered at build time.
Tweeted About
https://github.com/selcukcihan/tweeted-aboutThis is a Next.js app hosted on Vercel. It fetches a Twitter user's tweet contexts to render an infographic demonstrating which topics they have been tweeting about the most. The back end is serverless on AWS and uses API Gateway, Lambda (Node.js), and S3.
Twitter Friends Map
https://github.com/selcukcihan/twheat-mapA side project that displays the locations of the people you follow on Twitter. The front end is written with React. The back end is serverless on AWS with Node.js runtime. It's a simple project demonstrating how a fully serverless application can be built.
Education
2008 - 2010
Master's Degree in Computer Engineering
Bogazici University - İstanbul, Turkey
2003 - 2008
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Engineering
Bogazici University - İstanbul, Turkey
Certifications
JUNE 2022 - JUNE 2025
AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
SEPTEMBER 2019 - SEPTEMBER 2025
AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
SEPTEMBER 2019 - SEPTEMBER 2022
AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
JUNE 2019 - JUNE 2022
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Skills
Libraries/APIs
Node.js, REST APIs, OpenAI API, Stripe, React, Stripe API
Tools
Amazon CloudWatch, Amazon Simple Queue Service (SQS), Amazon Cognito, AWS IAM, Git, Amazon CloudFront CDN, Codex, Claude Code, AWS CloudFormation, AWS Step Functions, AWS AppSync, Pytest, Auth0
Languages
Python, JavaScript, Python 2, Java, SQL, Python 3, Scala, C#, Perl, C++, C, TypeScript, GraphQL
Paradigms
Unit Testing, Microservices, DevOps, Agile, REST
Platforms
Amazon EC2, Linux, AWS Lambda, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Docker, Unix, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Algolia, Vercel
Storage
Amazon DynamoDB, Amazon S3 (AWS S3), NoSQL, Relational Databases, PostgreSQL, Oracle SQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Elasticsearch, Datadog
Frameworks
Django, Spring, Serverless Framework, Spring Boot, Flask, AngularJS, Jest, Next.js, Play
Other
Amazon Kinesis, Back-end, API Gateways, Architecture, Amazon RDS, Integration Testing, Cloud Architecture, Technical Leadership, API Integration, APIs, Cloudflare, Amazon API Gateway, Web Scraping, Data Analytics, Serverless, Graph Theory, Distributed Systems, Wireless Networking, Computer Vision, Computer Science, Agentic Coding, Large Language Models (LLMs), Full-stack Development, Full-stack
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