Shahid Raza

Milton Keynes,MIK

Summary

Data Engineer and Full Stack Cloud Engineer with 8+ years of experience designing and delivering scalable data pipelines, cloud-native applications, geospatial platforms, APIs, and enterprise software solutions across public sector, rail, utilities, and commercial environments. Strong expertise in Python, PySpark, JavaScript, TypeScript, React.js, Angular, FastAPI, REST APIs, Azure Data Factory, Azure Databricks, Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure SQL Database, Azure Data Lake Gen2, Power BI, AWS, Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD, DevOps, GitOps, and cloud architecture.

Experienced in building ETL and ELT pipelines, data transformation workflows, analytics-ready datasets, reporting solutions, backend APIs, microservices, frontend applications, satellite data processing workflows, geospatial data services, and offline and online GIS mobile applications. Skilled in working with structured, semi-structured, geospatial, and Earth Observation datasets using Python, PySpark, SQL, GDAL, Rasterio, Xarray, Zarr, Cloud Optimised GeoTIFF, and STAC API.

Proven ability to deliver end-to-end solutions across data engineering, full stack development, cloud infrastructure, and geospatial platforms. Strong technical leadership experience, including mentoring developers, leading engineering teams, collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders, translating business requirements into scalable technical solutions, and delivering high-impact products in agile environments.

Overview

years of professional experience

years of post-secondary education

Work history

Software developer

Telespazio

Luton

2024.07 - 2026.06

Designed, developed, and maintained Data engineering pipelines for Earth Observation, geospatial, operational, and reporting datasets, supporting ingestion, processing, validation, transformation, storage, and analytics-ready data delivery.
Built and orchestrated data workflows using Azure Data Factory, Azure Databricks, PySpark, Python, Prefect, and Azure Synapse Analytics to support scalable batch processing, data transformation, and operational reporting requirements.
Developed data pipelines to process satellite and geospatial datasets from CHRIS/PROBA-1, Sentinel-1, and Sentinel-2 missions, supporting download, validation, transformation, enrichment, and product generation.
Used Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure SQL Database, Azure Data Lake Gen2, and Power BI to support data storage, querying, analytics, dashboarding, and business reporting use cases.
Built analytics-ready datasets and reporting outputs to support Defra DSP3 operational reporting, data quality checks, pipeline monitoring, and stakeholder visibility.
Developed ETL and ELT pipelines for structured, semi-structured, geospatial, and satellite data using Python, PySpark, Xarray, NumPy, GDAL, Rasterio, Zarr, and Cloud Optimised GeoTIFF formats.
Created scalable data processing workflows for Level 0 to Level 1 Earth Observation products, converting radiance data into reflectance products with improved geolocation, masking, and analysis-ready outputs.
Produced EOPF-aligned and ESA-style data products, including Cloud Optimised GeoTIFF and Zarr outputs, enabling downstream scientific analysis, data discovery, and machine learning use cases.
Created time-series Zarr datasets by stacking Sentinel imagery over time, supporting temporal analysis, trend detection, and machine learning workflows.
Implemented parallel processing using ThreadPoolExecutor, ProcessPoolExecutor, and PySpark-style distributed processing concepts to improve performance for large-scale geospatial and satellite datasets.
Improved data quality through data validation, masking, georeferencing, image enhancement, metadata enrichment, telemetry usage, and ancillary data integration.
Built automation and scheduled reporting workflows using Python and Prefect, improving repeatability, operational efficiency, and reliability of data pipeline execution.
Developed and maintained backend data APIs using Python, FastAPI, REST APIs, JavaScript, Elasticsearch, and STAC FastAPI to support catalogue search, metadata discovery, data access, and reporting services.
Extended STAC FastAPI to improve Earth Observation data discovery, catalogue search, metadata access, and geospatial data retrieval workflows.
Designed and deployed cloud-native data platform services using Docker, Kubernetes, AWS EKS, Amazon ECR, Helm, Kustomize, ArgoCD, and GitOps workflows.
Configured AWS EC2 and Amazon S3-based processing workflows for historical Sentinel imagery, optimising compute and storage placement by keeping processing workloads in the same AWS region.
Reduced cloud infrastructure and data access costs by evaluating Sentinel Hub, Google Earth Engine, and AWS EC2/S3-based processing approaches, selecting a more cost-effective processing architecture.
Built observability and monitoring for data platform services using Prometheus, ELK Stack, Elasticsearch, Kibana, Logstash, AWS CloudWatch, and CloudWatch Canaries, including downtime detection, alerting, and pipeline visibility.
Integrated Apache Pulsar as a distributed messaging system to support event-driven data platform workflows, asynchronous processing, and microservice communication.
Implemented secure service-to-service communication using Linkerd service mesh with mutual TLS, improving platform security across distributed services.
Contributed to frontend and reporting application maintenance using React.js, Next.js, APIs, Elasticsearch-backed services, and Power BI dashboards.
Supported optimisation and execution of C++ satellite data processors within containerised cloud processing environments.
Collaborated with cross-functional teams across data engineering, cloud engineering, platform engineering, backend, frontend, DevOps, infrastructure, and Earth Observation domains to deliver scalable, maintainable, and production-ready data solutions.

Senior Associate

Cognizant

Milton Keynes

2017.11 - 2024.06

Led development teams delivering Data engineering, GIS, web, mobile, and enterprise application solutions for clients including DEFRA, Network Rail, Anglian Water, 3M, Walmart, and Mattel.
Delivered data engineering solutions for DEFRA, designing and implementing ETL pipelines using Azure Synapse Analytics, PySpark, Azure SQL Database, Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2, Serverless SQL Pool, Dedicated SQL Pool, Data Flows, and T-SQL.
Built and optimised ETL and data transformation workflows to ingest, process, validate, and transform structured, semi-structured, geospatial, and business datasets for downstream analytics and reporting.
Processed and transformed datasets in formats including CSV, JSON, TSV, and PSV, preparing curated data outputs for Power BI reporting, analytics, and business decision-making.
Used Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure SQL Database, Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2, PySpark, Data Flows, and T-SQL to support scalable data processing, querying, storage, and analytics workloads.
Developed data models, SQL queries, transformation logic, and stored procedures using T-SQL, Azure SQL Database, Serverless SQL Pool, and Dedicated SQL Pool to support reporting and analytical use cases.
Built CI/CD workflows using Azure DevOps, supporting automated deployment of data pipelines, database scripts, and application components across development and production environments.
Created automation scripts using shell scripting to monitor enterprise system health, improve operational visibility, and reduce manual support effort.
Worked as a technical lead and GIS subject matter expert, delivering data-driven geospatial applications for UK rail, utilities, field operations, asset management, and enterprise GIS platforms.
Designed and developed GIS-focused web and hybrid mobile applications using Angular, React.js, JavaScript, Ionic, Cordova, HTML, SCSS, Bootstrap, and Material UI.
Built offline and online mobile GIS applications for Android and iOS, supporting map visualisation, asset creation, asset identification, measurement tools, redlining, layer selection, and offline map workflows.
Integrated geospatial libraries and platforms including OpenLayers, Leaflet, Google Maps API, Esri JavaScript API, ArcGIS Runtime SDK, and Esri .NET SDK.
Developed mobile applications using Cordova, Ionic, Xamarin Forms, C#, XAML, Java, Android SDK, and native Android components.
Delivered React.js applications using functional components, React Hooks, React Router, Redux Toolkit, OpenLayers, and reusable UI components.
Built Angular-based enterprise web applications with Microsoft SharePoint integration using Microsoft Graph API, supporting content creation, moderation, approval workflows, and role-based user access.
Managed task allocation, code reviews, knowledge-transfer sessions, graduate training, onboarding, performance support, and technical mentoring for development teams.
Collaborated with cross-functional teams, business users, data teams, GIS specialists, and client stakeholders to deliver scalable, maintainable, and business-focused technology solutions.

Education

Bachelor of Engineering - Computer Engineering

Sinhgad School of Engineering

Pune, India

2013.08 - 2017.08

Skills

Programming and API Development: Python, FastAPI, JavaScript, TypeScript, REST APIs
Data Engineering and Analytics: PySpark, Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Databricks, Azure Data Factory, Azure SQL Database, Azure Data Lake Gen2, Power BI, ETL Pipelines
Cloud and Infrastructure: AWS EC2, Amazon S3, Amazon EKS, Amazon ECR, AWS IAM, Azure Infrastructure, Cloud-Native Architecture
Frontend and Full Stack Development: Reactjs, Angular, Nextjs, HTML, CSS, SCSS, Bootstrap
DevOps and GitOps: Docker, Kubernetes, ArgoCD, Helm, Kustomize, GitHub, Azure DevOps CI/CD

Geospatial and Earth Observation: STAC API, Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, CHRIS/PROBA-1, COG, Zarr, EOPF-aligned products
Geospatial Libraries and Tools: GDAL, Rasterio, Xarray, NumPy, OpenLayers, Leaflet, Google Maps
Mobile and GIS Applications: Ionic, Cordova, Android, iOS, Xamarin Forms, offline/online GIS mobile apps
Monitoring and Messaging: Prometheus, ELK Stack, Elasticsearch, Kibana, Logstash, AWS CloudWatch, Apache Pulsar
Leadership: Technical leadership, mentoring, code reviews, team coordination, cross-functional delivery

Websites

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shahid-raza-1995-mar/

Timeline