Alex Pechauer
Principal Software Engineer & Technical Leader
Husband and father of two. Maker and creator. Hobbyist woodworker. Outdoor adventurer. Longboard enthusiast.
- Email apechauer@gmail.com
- GitHub AlexPechauer
- LinkedIn Alex Pechauer
About Me
I'm a Principal Software Engineer based in sunny Tucson, Arizona, where I live with my wife and two young sons. Outside of work, I love creating—whether that's writing software, building furniture in the garage, or printing toys and tools on my 3D printer. I also enjoy exploring the Southwest with my family and finding new ways to turn everyday moments into lasting memories.
My path to software engineering wasn't traditional. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology and spent years as a researcher, publishing 24 peer-reviewed papers with around 1,700 citations. But along the way, I fell in love with programming. I taught myself to code through late nights, side projects, and mentorship—and eventually transitioned into a career that combines problem-solving, creativity, and continuous learning.
Professionally, I focus on building secure, scalable systems in AWS, with a particular interest in distributed architectures, event-driven systems, and cost-efficient infrastructure. I've worked across the stack—from hands-on coding to engineering management—and thrive in environments where I can mentor others, collaborate closely across teams, and influence platform direction.
My goals are simple: to be the best father I can be, to share meaningful experiences with my family, and to keep honing my craft as an engineer and creator.
Key Achievements
Core Competencies
Backend & API Development
- TypeScript (Node.js) Expert
- C# & ASP.NET Expert
- RESTful APIs Expert
- Microservices Expert
- Event-Driven Architecture Expert
Distributed Systems & Eventing
- Apache Kafka Expert
- Kafka Connect Advanced
- Debezium Advanced
- PostgreSQL Expert
- SQL Server Advanced
Cloud Infrastructure & Operations
- AWS (ECS, Lambda, RDS) Expert
- CloudFormation & Terraform Expert
- Docker Expert
- GitLab CI/CD Advanced
- Jenkins Advanced
Production & Leadership
- Production Debugging Expert
- Performance Tuning Expert
- Technical Leadership Expert
- Team Mentorship Expert
- Agile & Roadmap Planning Expert
Featured Projects
Secure Device Connectivity Platform
Built and maintained production-grade distributed systems supporting 6M+ medical devices at Medtronic. Architected AWS-based event-driven platform using Kafka, Debezium, and PostgreSQL.
Pechauer Place Family Website
Django-based family website hosted on AWS, combining hobbyist engineering with practical DevOps. Features include user profiles, guestbook, and family management.
MAME Arcade Cabinet
Custom-built arcade cabinet for my brother featuring MAME emulation, custom controls, and retro gaming experience. Hardware and software integration project.
Professional Experience
Key Achievements
- Reduced deployment times by 70% through CI/CD pipeline improvements
- Improved developer onboarding with standardized Docker environments
- Decreased production incident rates through automated testing and alerting
- Led technical deep dives on event-driven architecture and PostgreSQL optimization
Key Achievements
- Managed team of 5 engineers delivering high-impact data analytics platform
- Mentored junior developers who earned promotions to mid-level roles
- Improved delivery velocity through Agile transformation
- Enhanced stakeholder communication and roadmap planning
Key Achievements
- Scaled backend processing throughput 4x through distributed services
- Built and optimized RESTful APIs and backend workflows
- Led production support and complex system debugging
- Acted as technical lead for architectural decisions
Key Achievements
- Developed client-facing ASP.NET portals and reporting tools
- Streamlined SQL queries for improved performance
- Enhanced operational reporting clarity and efficiency
Technical Leadership
Team Leadership
Presentations & Knowledge Sharing
- Technical deep dives on event-driven architecture
- PostgreSQL optimization workshops
- CI/CD best practices sessions
- Internal brown-bag sessions and onboarding workshops
Learning & Development
Current Focus Areas
- System architecture and design patterns
- Cost-efficient AWS infrastructure optimization
- Advanced PostgreSQL topics and optimization
- CS fundamentals (Big O notation, algorithms)
- Stream processing for large-scale event systems
Learning Platforms
- CodeSignal practice and algorithm challenges
- Engineering books and technical literature
- Hands-on experimentation with new technologies
Favorite Technical Books
- Designing Data-Intensive Applications by Martin Kleppmann
- Clean Code by Robert C. Martin
- The Pragmatic Programmer by Andrew Hunt & David Thomas
- System Design Interview by Alex Xu
- Database Design for Mere Mortals by Michael Hernandez