Wesley Kirinya, Developer in Nairobi, Nairobi County, Kenya
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Wesley Kirinya

Verified Expert  in Engineering

Software Developer

Location
Nairobi, Nairobi County, Kenya
Toptal Member Since
March 22, 2019

Wesley is a highly skilled developer with 20+ years of experience across a wide range of technologies and programming languages. He specializes in Java application development with deep expertise in C/C++ development and the interface between Java and C/C++. Wesley's professional background comprises experience in DevOps and infrastructure management, particularly on AWS, Azure, and GCP. He also has hands-on experience deploying applications to Kubernetes and working with OpenGL and sockets.

Portfolio

InfoIMAGE of California, Inc.
System Administration, DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM), Jenkins...
APPsolute Mobility
Amazon Web Services (AWS), SQL, DevOps, Linux, MySQL, Python, Shell Scripting...
Pezesha
Amazon Web Services (AWS), REST APIs, SQL, DevOps, MySQL, Docker, Kubernetes...

Experience

Availability

Part-time

Preferred Environment

NetBeans, Slack, Git, Visual Studio Code (VS Code), MacOS

The most amazing...

...thing I've developed is a 3D game engine, which required extensive knowledge in low-level math, AI, physics, multimedia, and network programming.

Work Experience

SysAdmin

2023 - PRESENT
InfoIMAGE of California, Inc.
  • Deployed new proxy infrastructure to handle 90+ sites.
  • Migrated 90+ sites from a mix of Apache, Nginx, and HAProxy environments to a more standardized, up-to-date, and secure Nginx environment.
  • Managed and updated SSL certificates and configurations for 90+ sites.
  • Configured and managed Postfix email servers that sent 1+ million emails monthly, ensuring that SPF and DKIM policies were in place for successful email delivery.
  • Worked daily with internal and external teams in resolving software bugs and maintaining security standards.
Technologies: System Administration, DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM), Jenkins, SSL Configurations, NGINX, Apache, HAProxy, Ansible, Terraform, IT Support, DMARC, Security, GitLab, System Architecture Design, DevOps, Docker, Postfix, Bash, Shell Scripting, Slack

Senior Infrastructure and DevOps Engineer

2019 - 2022
APPsolute Mobility
  • Migrated applications from standalone servers to Kubernetes.
  • Configured and automated network security using Python scripting and iptables.
  • Customized the Fail2ban setup for centralized firewall policies across standalone servers.
  • Built and maintained shell deployment scripts for standalone Linux servers.
  • Configured the infrastructure and applications monitoring and central logging using Nagios and ELK.
  • Implemented CI/CD pipelines for the front and back end and mobile applications.
  • Automated security policy checks using Docker and Nmap.
Technologies: Amazon Web Services (AWS), SQL, DevOps, Linux, MySQL, Python, Shell Scripting, Jenkins, Kubernetes, Docker, ELK (Elastic Stack), DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM), HAProxy, Nagios, NMap, Fastlane, CI/CD Pipelines, Containers, Proxy Servers, Networking, Node.js, Postfix, Security, System Architecture Design, DMARC, IT Support, Apache, NGINX, SSL Configurations, System Administration, Bash, Karate API Testing, GitLab, MacOS, Slack

Systems Architect

2019 - 2019
Pezesha
  • Led the in-house engineering team in critical projects for the company.
  • Spearheaded the migration of the company's live system from a monolithic to a microservice architecture.
  • Performed security assessments on the software and infrastructure.
  • Improved DevOps and software engineering processes and boosted the adoption of best practices among the internal engineering team.
  • Set up the site-to-site VPN and configured it with payment and third-party data providers.
  • Led the infrastructure set up to meet the requirements of the data science team.
Technologies: Amazon Web Services (AWS), REST APIs, SQL, DevOps, MySQL, Docker, Kubernetes, JSON Web Tokens (JWT), Microservices, VPN, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), System Architecture, CI/CD Pipelines, Containers, Networking, System Architecture Design, System Administration, MacOS, Slack

Senior Infrastructure and DevOps Engineer

2018 - 2018
Safaricom
  • Designed, created, and maintained the company's infrastructure on Azure.
  • Built and maintained DevOps processes for six projects using Azure DevOps.
  • Outlined and developed automated load testing and automated infrastructure provisioning for R&D purposes.
  • Handled troubleshooting for MongooseIM, an Erlang-based XMPP framework.
  • Led and contributed to product specifications and sprint planning sessions.
  • Performed code reviews for mobile and back-end applications.
  • Collaborated with remote engineers in Poland, the United Kingdom, and India.
Technologies: SQL, DevOps, Linux, MySQL, Docker, Azure, Kubernetes, Azure DevOps, Azure Cloud Services, CI/CD Pipelines, Containers, Proxy Servers, Networking, System Architecture Design, MacOS, Slack

Founder, CTO

2009 - 2018
Leti Arts
  • Spearheaded the team in performing requirements analysis while involving clients at each step. This led the company to achieve a 90% repeat business rate from satisfied clients.
  • Led the company into signing partnership agreements with Microsoft and Intel.
  • Researched and developed technologies for new products in online multimedia streaming, SIM cards, and the optimization of mobile internet connectivity.
  • Designed, created, and maintained the products' infrastructure on AWS.
  • Designed, created, and maintained DevOps processes using AWS CodePipeline and CloudFormation.
  • Integrated social media APIs, specifically Facebook and Twitter.
Technologies: Amazon Web Services (AWS), REST APIs, SQL, DevOps, Linux, MySQL, NoSQL, AngularJS, Android, Docker, OpenGL, J2ME, BlackBerry, Angular, C++, C, Java, CTO, System Architecture, CI/CD Pipelines, JavaScript, Amazon Elastic Container Service (Amazon ECS), Containers, AWS Fargate, Socket Programming, Proxy Servers, APIs, Networking, Network Programming, Mobile Applications, System Architecture Design, IT Support, SSL Configurations, System Administration, Bash, AWS CloudFormation, Multimedia Processing, NetBeans, HTML, Slack, VPN

Consultant CTO

2017 - 2017
Pezesha
  • Designed, created, and maintained software infrastructure on AWS.
  • Built and maintained DevOps processes using AWS CodePipeline and CloudFormation.
  • Led strategic planning to bridge business goals with product development.
  • Developed internal technical processes to ensure an efficient SDLC process.
  • Implemented a financial credit score model based on the data science team's requirements.
  • Migrated the infrastructure and DevOps processes from AWS to GCP.
Technologies: Amazon Web Services (AWS), REST APIs, SQL, DevOps, AngularJS, Docker, MySQL, Neo4j, Java, CTO, System Architecture, CI/CD Pipelines, Containers, APIs, System Architecture Design, System Administration

Consultant CTO

2015 - 2017
Bluewave Insurance Agency
  • Created the system architecture and designed and implemented the core web application.
  • Outlined, built, and maintained software infrastructure on AWS.
  • Used AWS CodePipeline and CloudFormation to build and maintain DevOps processes.
  • Worked with the CEO to align the technical and business roadmaps.
  • Managed integrations with third-party VPN and SOAP protocols to facilitate seamless connections with payment providers.
Technologies: Amazon Web Services (AWS), REST APIs, SQL, DevOps, MySQL, Docker, Angular, Java, CTO, System Architecture, CI/CD Pipelines, JavaScript, Amazon Elastic Container Service (Amazon ECS), Containers, APIs, System Architecture Design, IT Support, SSL Configurations, System Administration, AWS CloudFormation, NetBeans, HTML, VPN

Senior Software Engineer

2014 - 2016
BRCK
  • Articulated with the QA team in identifying and fixing bugs on the web product and the embedded device product.
  • Designed and built online analytic tools and administrator dashboards in Ruby, Ember.js, HTML, and CSS.
  • Ported shell script code to C programs to improve performance on the embedded device.
  • Designed and implemented a remote software update mechanism for the embedded device.
  • Designed and implemented a back channel that allowed two or more devices to communicate within WiFi proximity and exchange configuration information.
  • Handled 10-20 weekly customer service requests on our forums, online help desk, and phone.
Technologies: REST APIs, SQL, Linux, MySQL, CSS, HTML, Ember.js, Ruby, C++, C, OpenWRT, JavaScript, System Architecture Design, IT Support, MacOS, Unit Testing

Senior Software Engineer

2008 - 2009
GenKey
  • Built Java interfaces and C/C++ modules to wrap around a core C library the company's R&D team created.
  • Communicated new features and improvements among the R&D teams (based in Europe and the United States) and the front-end development team in Africa.
  • Built a common Java and C/C++ API for five fingerprint scanner devices.
Technologies: SQL, MySQL, C++, C, Java, NetBeans, Unit Testing

Founder, CTO

2005 - 2007
Gwimgrafx Studios
  • Built a custom 3D game engine using OpenGL and C++.
  • Released a 3D game based on the custom-made game engine.
  • Worked remotely with artists, providing specifications for the artworks and 3D models.
Technologies: OpenGL, C++, C, CTO, System Architecture, System Architecture Design, Mathematics, Calculus, Multimedia Processing

Sound Check

https://github.com/wibbly13/sound-check
Sound Check is an Android mobile application that leverages audible frequencies to determine a person's biographic and geographic information. The app operates on the premise that an individual's environment and lifestyle are connected to their biographic and geographic details, with sound being a crucial component. By collecting and analyzing a set of population's audible frequencies versus their biographic and geographic information, this application can classify an unknown person into a particular biographic or geographic category based on their audible frequencies.

To use Sound Check:
1. Install the soundcheck.apk file.
2. Once the app is installed, open the application. The first screen will contain instructions to open szynalski.com/tone-generator/ or any website that can generate tones of varying frequencies. Since the application aims to estimate your age based on frequencies you can hear, an external source is needed to generate the tones.
3. Once the website is open, follow the instructions on the application screens.
4. Congratulations! You will now have an estimate of your age, for example, "You are over 30 years old."

Time-tracking Software

A time-tracking human resource application deployed and used in Germany by agencies specializing in blue-collar workers.

I was part of the team that developed the application. My role was to build, maintain, and automate DevOps, tooling, and infrastructure, working closely with back-end, front-end, and test engineers and product owners. I developed Dockerfiles for the back end and CI/CD pipelines for the front end, which resulted in multiple web, Android, and iOS platform artifacts. I also deployed in mobile app stores' test tracks to support test engineers.

Credit Score Microservice

A microservice that was part of a larger project for a client whose business provided personal loans. The microservice performed credit scoring based on a person's financial transaction history and some biographic information.

My role was to design and build the application. I developed the application using Java and used a graph database, Neo4j, to store relationships about a person's data.

Microinsurance Platform

A project targeting the development of a platform that allowed a person to purchase and renew an insurance policy conveniently. The project involved the collection of KYC data as per insurance regulatory requirements, partnering with insurance companies, and integrating with payment providers.

My role in the project was to design and build the entire platform, handling full-stack development, DevOps, and infrastructure. I worked closely with the CEO to develop workflows and review requirements. I also worked closely with payment providers to set up site-to-site VPNs to secure payment processing.

Instant Messaging App

A project focused on an instant messaging application with convenient payment functionalities. Its core value was enabling payments at a social level, for example, splitting a bill at a restaurant.

I contributed to the project as a lead DevOps and infrastructure engineer, working closely with the rest of the engineering team to create pipelines that built and deployed web, MongooseIM server, and iOS and Android mobile applications. I developed scripts to automate the creation of a temporary disposable environment where engineers could test their features and fixes. I also created a custom load-testing tool.

My Social Mobile App

A mobile application that would perform text-to-speech translations of social media alerts and play the speech to users while listening to music or podcasts on their phones.

A use case was someone training in the gym while listening to music and wanting to be aware of the activity on their social media accounts. The speech alerts were detailed enough to indicate the type of activity and the name of the person who performed it.

I've contributed to the project by designing and building the application.

Languages

Python, Java, C++, SQL, Bash, C, HTML, JavaScript, Ruby, CSS, Assembler, Erlang

Libraries/APIs

REST APIs, OpenGL, Node.js

Tools

Jenkins, VPN, ELK (Elastic Stack), NMap, Fastlane, AWS SDK, Git, Amazon Elastic Container Service (Amazon ECS), NGINX, Apache, Ansible, Terraform, Postfix, Slack, Nagios, AWS Fargate, Karate API Testing, GitLab, AWS CloudFormation

Paradigms

Socket Programming, Azure DevOps, Unit Testing, Test-driven Development (TDD), Concurrent Programming, DevOps, Microservices

Platforms

NetBeans, Amazon Web Services (AWS), MacOS, Visual Studio Code (VS Code), Linux, Azure, Kubernetes, Android, Docker, OpenWRT, BlackBerry, J2ME, Google Cloud Platform (GCP)

Other

DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM), System Architecture, CI/CD Pipelines, Containers, Proxy Servers, Network Programming, IT Support, DMARC, System Architecture Design, Shell Scripting, HAProxy, Performance Analysis, CTO, APIs, Networking, Mobile Applications, System Administration, SSL Configurations, Security, Mathematics, Multimedia Processing, Text to Speech (TTS), Statistics, Calculus

Frameworks

Angular, AngularJS, Ember.js, JSON Web Tokens (JWT)

Storage

MySQL, Azure Cloud Services, Neo4j, NoSQL

Industry Expertise

Cybersecurity

2002 - 2005

Coursework for a Bachelor's Degree in Actuarial Science

University of Nairobi - Nairobi

FEBRUARY 2020 - FEBRUARY 2023

Certified Ethical Hacker

EC-Council

JANUARY 2020 - JANUARY 2023

AWS Certified DevOps Engineer Professional

AWS

NOVEMBER 2018 - PRESENT

Basic OTP

Erlang Solutions

Collaboration That Works

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