Delectatech

• Joined Delectatech, an AI-driven startup in the food service industry, as a backend developer with the opportunity to expand into AI and data science.
• Initially onboarded in data engineering, later transitioned toward full-stack development while supporting AI-related initiatives.
• Realized a personal preference for software engineering over data science, focusing on backend and AI implementation rather than data pipelines.
• Worked across multiple frameworks—Symfony, FastAPI, and NestJS—and contributed to React and Angular frontends.
• Built and maintained CI/CD pipelines with Jenkins and GitHub Actions, automating testing, image building, and deployment workflows.
• Managed distributed systems involving RabbitMQ, Redis, Elasticsearch, and Dockerized environments.
• Implemented AI-powered and agentic solutions using PyTorch, PydanticAI, and LangChain, including generative AI integrations.
• Adapted to the fast-paced startup environment, balancing shifting priorities and incomplete projects with high learning velocity.
• Took on DevOps and project management duties, leading a small cross-functional team through rapid development cycles.
• Currently focusing on cloud scalability and international expansion initiatives.

By the end of 2022, I was contacted by a recruitment consultant working for Delectatech, an AI startup in the food service industry. The role was similar to what I was already doing (a backend position using Symfony) but it came with the chance to work in AI and data science, something I had been seeking for some time. I saw an opportunity to pivot my specialization, so I left Perception and, in 2023, started a new journey.

During the first few weeks, I was onboarded by a senior data engineer who introduced me to the company's data and AI operations. I was also trained on the backend and frontend of our SaaS platform. My role would involve both areas: the full-stack application as part of my formal responsibilities, and the data processes as part of my desired career path.

In practice, I ended up leaning more toward full-stack development. The senior data engineer left the company shortly after I joined and was replaced by two juniors who had been onboarded at the same time as me. They've grown into their roles and now handle all data-related tasks.

It was enlightening to realize that, after actively pursuing a role in AI and data science, I actually preferred software development. Now, the Data team handles most of the data work, and I only step in when more hands are needed, or focus on strictly AI-related tasks such as generative AI implementation and model training.

Work in a startup is highly dynamic. Priorities change constantly, and you need to manage frustration over unfinished projects while finding satisfaction in the tasks you complete and the lessons you learn. Learning opportunities are plentiful. At Delectatech, I've faced challenges ranging from pesky, hard-to-debug issues to distributed AI-powered processing of large data volumes.

It's also common in startups to take on multiple roles. What began as a backend-focused position has evolved into a full-stack role with AI-related tasks. I've moved from Symfony and PHP to FastAPI with Python and NestJS with Node. Building on the server knowledge I gained during my studies and at Perception, I've built CI/CD pipelines with Jenkins and GitHub Actions to improve iteration speed, execute automated tests, and build Docker images for deployment on VPS instances.

The wide range of roles and challenges has helped me build a diverse technology stack. I've worked on projects in React and Angular on the frontend and with three different backend frameworks. I've used both relational and non-relational databases, such as PostgreSQL and MongoDB, along with specialized data-storage systems like Redis for caching and Elasticsearch for fast retrieval of data. I've also implemented distributed task handling with RabbitMQ and developed agentic AI solutions using PyTorch, PydanticAI, and LangChain.

The company is now expanding internationally, which brings a new set of challenges we're actively tackling. I'm currently learning cloud technologies to help us scale efficiently and adding some more DevOps responsibilities to my skill set. I've also taken on more responsibility as a project manager for fast-paced project iterations, leading a small cross-functional team of developers, data specialists, and product professionals.