Denis Saatciu, Developer in Tirana, Tirana County, Albania
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Denis Saatciu

Verified Expert  in Engineering

Database Developer

Tirana, Tirana County, Albania

Toptal member since April 21, 2022

Bio

Denis is a professional data engineer with 15 years of experience, a master of science degree, and a PhD in computer science. He is specialized in understanding business logic like finance, business process workflow, and product design. His primary technical work is focused on database design, programming of complex business logic at the database level, data warehouse design, ETL, and data migration. Denis is result-oriented and can adapt quickly and become productive in a short period.

Portfolio

Freelance
Azure SQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Algorithms, Data Migration, ETL, Azure Synapse...
Smart Processes
Microsoft SQL Server, Business Analysis, Product Design, IT Project Management...
Facilization
Microsoft SQL Server, Management, IT Consulting, Databases...

Experience

  • ETL - 15 years
  • Database Design - 15 years
  • SQL - 15 years
  • Data Warehouse Design - 11 years
  • Microsoft Power BI - 2 years
  • Windows PowerShell - 2 years
  • Azure Data Factory (ADF) - 1 year
  • Azure SQL - 1 year

Availability

Part-time

Preferred Environment

SQL, Azure SQL, Microsoft SQL Server

The most amazing...

...system I've done is based on a GL excel report of the previous year. The design and development of all logic are in SQL for budgeting, payment, and accounting.

Work Experience

Data Engieneer

2022 - PRESENT
Freelance
  • Redesigned old databases to accommodate new logic and performed migration from the old schema to the new one. The team and I designed a data warehouse and ETL SQL stored procedures to feed the DW.
  • Rewrote SQL stored procedures and functions in the existing system to improve quality and execution time. Reduced server load up to 50%.
  • Designed a data warehouse in Azure Synapse Serverless and an Azure Data Factory pipeline to run the programmed ETL procedures.
Technologies: Azure SQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Algorithms, Data Migration, ETL, Azure Synapse, Windows PowerShell, Databases, Database Design, Data Warehouse Design, Data Warehousing, Microsoft Power BI, SQL, Azure Data Factory (ADF), Business Intelligence (BI), Data Architecture, Azure, Data Modeling

Senior IT Consultant and Database Developer

2018 - 2021
Smart Processes
  • Designed a grant management and accounting product for a local NGO and a budget monitoring and execution product for municipalities.
  • Programmed SQL stored procedures to do all necessary calculations. Implemented data migration procedures from legacy systems and built generic reporting systems.
  • Acted as project manager and product designer for various projects collaborating with international NGOs, such as Unicef and Save the Children.
  • Led the design of a card management product in a local bank and a product for university management.
Technologies: Microsoft SQL Server, Business Analysis, Product Design, IT Project Management, Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN), Data Warehouse Design, Data Warehousing, SQL, ETL, Leadership, Data Architecture, Data Analytics, Data Modeling

Senior IT Consultant and Database Developer

2014 - 2018
Facilization
  • Developed a DW for a parcel owner contracting data used by the Trans Adriatic pipeline. The system sources data from Albanian Cadaster and gathered in the field. ETL was on SQL and the system in ArcGIS.
  • Analyzed and designed a Bad Loan Management System for a non-banking financial institution. Built all calculation procedures in SQL and acted as the project's PM.
  • Designed a Factoring System for a non-banking financial institution. Built all calculation procedures in SQL and acted as the project's PM.
  • Analyzed and designed a Permanent Control System for a local bank in Albania. Built all calculation procedures in SQL and acted as the project's PM.
  • Planned and supervised the staff's progress and quality of work.
  • Ensured that software development projects were sufficiently staffed with capable staff, scheduled development team deliverables, and ensured developers had clear and concurrent instructions.
  • Ensured sufficient quality assurance controls were being followed and led software development work.
  • Gathered, analyzed, and interpreted functional and non-functional requirements to determine an architectural solution.
Technologies: Microsoft SQL Server, Management, IT Consulting, Databases, Data Warehouse Design, Business Analysis, ICT Training, Data Warehousing, SQL, ETL, Leadership, Data Architecture, Data Analytics, Data Modeling

PhD

2011 - 2014
Doctoral Studies
  • Built a system in PHP that scanned and categorized meteorological data from 1990 to 2010 for Albania.
  • Developed store procedures in SQL server to statistically analyze the data series and implemented correction techniques for the data.
  • Designed a DW to build a unique reporting system for meteorological data, from old data, entered manually, to the new system's data.
  • Developed a system in PHP in collaboration with the RD department of the Bank of Albania for designing computer models in probability density estimation.
Technologies: Microsoft SQL Server, PHP, Business Intelligence (BI), Data Modeling

Consultant and Database Developer

2006 - 2011
Tetra Solutions
  • Designed a DW and built a reporting system in Oracle BI from an Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) implementation and a Loan Management System as a source.
  • Built procedures and functions on Oracle and SQL Server to produce reporting systems for government institutions like the Albanian State Police, Anti Money Laundry Institution, and National Food Authority.
  • Worked as a junior consultant on customizing a logistics module in the Anti Money Laundry system using Oracle EBS.
Technologies: Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle BI, Databases, Data Warehouse Design, IT Consulting, Data Warehousing, SQL, ETL, Business Intelligence (BI), Data Architecture, Data Analytics, Data Modeling

Experience

Healthcare Industry Data Warehouse

Managed the design of a DW in Azure SQL for a healthcare company in the US.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities
• Developed a layer of views that selected data from CSV files.
• Built ETL procedures to get data from views and insert data in tables stored as parquet files.
• Used Azure Data Factory pipelines to run the ETL procedure and Azure Synapse Serverless.

Database Model and Data Warehouse Design for A Canadian Truck and Battery Renting Company

The system manages the registration of trucks and batteries rented to different clients. Led the design of a DW and development of all ETL procedures

Measure data were transmitted automatically by the devices. The old system used Master Data Services to manage the data, which concluded in a not consistent database.

As part of the project, I redesigned the database model, implemented it in Azure SQL, and built the migration procedures from the old system to the new migration procedures, which required data cleansing and data gap-filling.

Grant Management System and Accounting

Managed the design of a Grant Management and Accounting System for a local NGO.

The system was developed using an in-house BPMN platform and included the application, grant, and payments registration.

Planned the budget and accounting systems, built all of the system's logic, and designed all the processes and workflow.

I also developed all calculation procedures in SQL and designed the reporting system using XML and XLT.

Financial Planning Tool | Municipality Performance Monitoring and Budget Execution

Designed a system to register budget planning and execution for municipalities. The system registered municipalities reports for incomes and expenses for budgetary programs.

I designed a model to register all products and indicators used to evaluate the municipality's performance. The systems used allowed reporting on several periods for every financial year.

I used an in-house BPMN platform to design and develop the system. Built all SQL stored procedures for the calculation and created them to generate new reports from existing ones.

Developed a reporting system using SQL functions that produce data in XML and designed reports using XML/XLT.

Non-performing Loan Management System for A Financial Institution

Designed a system for management of a Non-performing loan portfolio for a FI.

I was the business analyst for the product and designer of product mockups. I built the calculation procedures in SQL and acted as the project's PM in a team of four developers

Permanent Control System for A Local Bank

Designed a permanent control system for a second level bank.

I was the business analyst and designer of product mockups, and I built the calculation procedures in SQL and the generation of the scheduled controls.

Acted as the project's PM in a team of four developers.

Parcel Affected Management System and Pipeline Contracts Generator

I designed a DW that accommodates data from different sources like Albanian cadaster and data entry from field visits for parcels affected by the Trans Atlantic pipeline. The DW was synchronized with the central DW with data from all countries involved by the Tropical Agriculture Platform (TAP).

I designed a system that used data from the DW and built a generic design for the generation of over 40,000 contracts developed in PHP.

Factoring System for A Financial Institution

I designed a factoring system for a financial institution. Part of the business analyzes teams to model factoring types used by the institution and product mockups designs.

I built the calculation procedures in SQL and acted as the project's PM.

Albania Disaster Risk Mitigation and Adaptation Project

I developed a system in PHP to scan booklets used for meteorological data for the period 1990 to 2010 in Albania.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities
• Building a database to accommodate the data.
• Creation of a system to register data based on scanned photos.
• Development of SQL procedures to convert data in time series.
• Development of SQL procedures that used statistics theory to mark suspicious data or correct wrong data.

Implementation of A Data Warehouse and A Business Intelligence System on A Financial Institution

The institution used local software for loans management and implemented Oracle EBS as the ERP.

I designed a DW in Oracle ad built the ETL to get the data from both sources. Used Oracle BI to create all reports for the institution.

Anti-money Laundering System at A Financial Intelligence Unit

Implemented SN-Sphere, a product created to analyze transactions, and built a model to convert table data to a tree model.

Used by the government to analyze banking and notary transactions.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities
• Installation and configurations of Oracle DB servers.
• Installation and configurations of Windows Server 2003.
• Installation and configurations of application software SN-Sphere
• Analysis and development of a database schema.
• Analysis and development of a reporting system.
• Data cleansing and migration from legacy systems.
• Troubleshooting problems related to infrastructure technology and application software.
• User training on the anti-money laundering application software (SN-Sphere).

Resource Management Information System in An Albanian State Police

Implemented an E-Business Suite ERP for the Albanian State Police in the finance, logistic, and HR department.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities
• Installation and customizing of Oracle applications servers and Oracle DB servers.
• Consultation in implementing the inventory and logistics modules of Oracle EBS.
• Troubleshooting of databases and Integrated Analytics Systems (IAS).
• Data migration from legacy systems.
• User pieces of training on Oracle EBS logistics module and Oracle technology.

National Plan for Approximation of Legislation

A system used by the Ministry of Integration to register all actions and activities needed to improve Albania's legislation based on EU best practices.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities
• Database analyzing and building using Microsoft SQL Server.
• Application analysis and building with PHP.
• Reporting system analysis and building with Crystal Report and Arcana Report Commander.

Education

2011 - 2014

PhD in Computer Science

University of Tirana - Tirana, Albania

2009 - 2011

Master's Degree in Computer Science

University of Tirana - Tirana, Albania

2003 - 2008

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science

University of Tirana - Tirana, Albania

Skills

Tools

Microsoft Power BI, Oracle Warehouse Builder (OWB)

Languages

SQL, PHP, XML

Paradigms

Database Design, ETL, Business Intelligence (BI), Management, Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN), Key Performance Metrics

Storage

Databases, Microsoft SQL Server, Azure SQL

Frameworks

Windows PowerShell

Platforms

Oracle, Azure, Azure Synapse

Other

Algorithms, Data, Modeling, Query Optimization, IT Consulting, ICT Training, Data Warehousing, Data Architecture, Data Analytics, Data Modeling, Business Analysis, Azure Data Factory (ADF), Leadership, Oracle BI, Data Warehouse Design, Product Design, IT Project Management, Data Migration

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