Leli Michael

Leli Michael

Senior Backend Engineer (Python, FastAPI, Django)

Nairobi, Kenya

#OpenToWork

About

Senior Backend Engineer with 5+ years of experience designing and building scalable, fault-tolerant web applications and AI-driven security diagnostic tools using Python, FastAPI, and Django. Track record of architecting zero-retention risk assessment pipelines, high-throughput microservices, and HIPAA-compliant healthcare systems. Proficient in PostgreSQL database optimization, asynchronous processing (Celery, Redis), GeoDjango location services, and containerized cloud deployment on AWS.

What I'm looking for

I am seeking a Senior Backend Engineer or Backend Tech Lead role within a growth-oriented tech company or high-scale engineering team. I want to build scalable, fault-tolerant microservices, high-throughput data processing pipelines, and secure backend architectures using Python (FastAPI, Django), PostgreSQL, and Docker/AWS cloud environments. I thrive in remote or hybrid teams that prioritize strong system design, test-driven development, zero-trust/zero-retention security practices, and autom

Experience

Senior Backend Engineer

Guardian Message Check

May 2026 – Present

• Architected & Built Risk Analysis Engine: Designed and built a deterministic, AI-powered message risk analysis platform evaluating professional communications for legal, HR, and escalation risks before transmission. • Multi-Pass Pipeline & Prompt Isolation: Engineered a multi-pass analysis pipeline in FastAPI featuring strict prompt injection isolation, where downstream rewrite passes process structured diagnostic JSON rather than raw user input. • Zero-Retention Architecture: Implemented a zero-retention database model in PostgreSQL, ensuring payload contents exist solely in memory during execution to guarantee zero data persistence. • Deterministic Scoring: Developed a custom evaluation model to ensure reproducible risk scoring across identical inputs, eliminating standard non-deterministic LLM variance. • Cloud Infrastructure & CI/CD: Containerized microservices using Docker and automated seamless CI/CD testing and deployment pipelines via GitHub Actions onto AWS infrastructure.

PythonFastAPIDocker
Lyttis

Backend Engineer (Founder)

Lyttis

Jan 2024 – Present

• Core Platform Architecture: Designed and built a production-grade healthcare platform connecting patients with providers across Kenya using Django and REST APIs. • Geospatial & Payments: Implemented location-based search using GeoDjango and PostGIS, and integrated multi- currency payment gateways (M-Pesa Daraja API, PayPal, Paystack). • Compliance & Security: Designed a HIPAA-compliant drug database featuring role-based access control (RBAC) and complete audit logging. • Scalability & DevOps: Configured asynchronous background execution with Celery/Redis, containerized services using Docker, and automated CI/CD via GitHub Actions on AWS EC2. • Impact: Achieved 5,400+ monthly Google search impressions organically and drastically reduced operational manual overhead through automation.

DjangoPostGISCelery

Backend Engineer (Founder)

Pharmacy Inventory Desktop App

Dec 2023 – Present

• Offline-First Systems: Built and commercially deployed an offline-first inventory management system tailored for low-connectivity environments using FastAPI and PostgreSQL. • Cross-Platform Distribution: Developed frontend in React (Vite) and configured GitHub Actions matrix builds with PyInstaller to automate platform-native binaries (.exe, .deb, macOS). • Impact: Actively deployed across production pharmacies, generating recurring commercial licensing revenue while improving inventory accuracy.

FastAPIPostgreSQLReact

Backend Engineer

Plutus (Event Processing System)

Jan 2024 – Dec 2024

• High-Throughput Ingestion: Architected an asynchronous event ingestion and processing system capable of handling high-volume workloads. • Idempotent Workflows: Designed fault-tolerant, idempotent data pipelines using FastAPI and Async SQLAlchemy to prevent duplicate event ingestion.

FastAPIAsync SQLAlchemyEvent Processing
Kenyapharmtech

Founder & Publisher

Kenyapharmtech

Jan 2015 – Dec 2023

• Platform Growth: Founded and managed full web infrastructure for a pharmaceutical information platform serving thousands of daily organic users in Kenya.

Web InfrastructurePlatform Management

Education

Nairobi Technical Training Institute

Nairobi Technical Training Institute

Pharmacy

2006 – 2009

Certifications

Member

Kenya Pharmaceutical Association (KPA)

Licensed Pharmaceutical Technologist

Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Kenya (PPB)

Skills

RBACJWTCeleryNGINXLinuxGitHubAWSDockerAsync SQLAlchemyRedisPostgreSQLMicroservicesRESTful APIReactDjango REST FrameworkDjangoFastAPISQLJavaScriptPython

Languages

English (Full professional proficiency)Swahili (Native or bilingual proficiency)