Available for Full-Time Backend Roles

    Building scalable backend systems for real-world workloads 

    I build

    Backend Software Engineer with 2.5+ years of experience building APIs, distributed workflows and AI-integrated applications using Python, FastAPI, Node.js, PostgreSQL, Redis and AWS.

    Bhubaneswar, India · Open to Relocation · Remote

    Download Resume View Projects
    Ashish Kumar Sahoo — Backend Software Engineer
    SYSTEM: ONLINE BACKEND
    Ashish Kumar Sahoo // PYTHON · NODE
    ROLES: 4 // API LATENCY: -40%
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    2.5+Years Experience
    4Professional Roles
    AWS + Python + Node.js
    AI / RAG
    01About

    About Me

    I'm a Backend Software Engineer focused on building reliable APIs, distributed systems and AI-integrated applications.

    My experience spans Python/FastAPI, Node.js/TypeScript, PostgreSQL, Redis and AWS, with a particular focus on performance optimization, asynchronous processing and production backend architecture.

    I've also worked on AI/RAG systems, open-source security tooling and Web3 applications.

    ashish@portfolio — zshidle
    $
    02Impact

    Measurable Production Impact

    ~0%AI Response Latency Reduction
    Before
    8s
    After
    2s
    ~0%Core API Response-Time Reduction
    Before
    1.2s
    After
    700ms
    0Professional Engineering Roles
    03Specializations

    Core Specializations

    01

    Backend Engineering

    Scalable REST APIs, asynchronous processing, background workers, database optimization, caching and distributed backend systems.

    Technologies

    PythonFastAPINode.jsTypeScriptPostgreSQLRedis
    02

    Distributed Systems

    Event-driven workflows and cloud-native backend services designed for reliability, scalability and performance.

    Technologies

    AWS LambdaSNSS3Step FunctionsQueuesDocker
    03

    AI Backend Systems

    Production-oriented AI applications combining RAG, semantic search, document processing, LLM APIs and response caching.

    Technologies

    RAGLLM APIsVector DBsRedisPostgreSQL
    04Approach

    How I Build Backend Systems

    Performance

    Caching, query optimization, asynchronous processing.

    Scalability

    Stateless APIs, queues, background workers and horizontal scaling.

    Reliability

    Idempotency, retries, rate limiting and event-driven workflows.

    Maintainability

    Reusable backend patterns, API documentation, testing and CI/CD.

    05Experience

    Professional Experience

    2.5+ years building scalable backend systems, distributed workflows and AI-integrated applications.

    Upwork

    Freelance Software Engineer

    Aug 2024 – Present
    • Reduced AI response latency by ~70%, from 8s to 2s, by moving heavy document retrieval workloads to asynchronous AWS SNS/Lambda workers.
    • Built a stateless RAG API with FastAPI for concurrent user handling, with documents stored securely in AWS S3.
    • Accelerated new project delivery by building a reusable Node.js backend template with standard REST API routing, authentication, and database connections.
    PythonFastAPINode.jsAWSS3SNSLambdaRAG

    Aarna Protocol

    Software Development Engineer

    Nov 2023 – Aug 2024
    • Orchestrated a daily reward computation workflow for thousands of transactions using AWS Step Functions with Python, eliminating database locks during settlement.
    • Engineered an automated data pipeline parsing real-time webhook events for mapping and storing transaction records into PostgreSQL.
    • Mitigated external API rate limits during high-volume periods with a Redis-based retry queue and request debouncing, ensuring zero data loss.
    PythonFastAPIAWSStep FunctionsRedisPostgreSQLWebhooks

    BSBS Tech Pvt. Ltd.

    Software Developer

    Mar 2023 – Nov 2023
    • Reduced core API response times by ~40% (1.2s to 700ms) by combining read-through Redis caching with SQLAlchemy query optimization to resolve N+1 bottlenecks.
    • Implemented a read-through Redis caching layer for frequently accessed user configuration data, improving transaction processing speed.
    • Engineered scalable payment settlement APIs in Python/Django, processing cross-platform transaction data with validated schemas.
    PythonDjangoSQLAlchemyRedisPostgreSQL

    NFThing

    Software Developer Intern

    May 2022 – Nov 2022
    • Built an automated metadata indexing pipeline using background job queues to process 2,000+ digital assets stored in AWS S3.
    • Developed idempotent scheduled synchronization jobs to prevent duplicate database records.
    • Implemented analytics dashboards for reporting on indexed digital assets.
    Node.jsAWS S3Background QueuesPostgreSQLJavaScript
    06Projects

    Engineering Case Studies

    Production systems with quantified performance outcomes.

    Flagship Project · AI · Backend~70% latency reduction

    AI Live Chat Agent

    RAG-based semantic document search and AI conversations

    Node.jsPostgreSQLRedisBullMQCerebras AIDocker

    Problem

    Large document collections made synchronous retrieval and AI responses slow, averaging 5-8 seconds per request.

    Solution

    Built a RAG-based backend with asynchronous processing using BullMQ workers, Redis caching for semantic search results, and PostgreSQL for document storage.

    Result

    Reduced average response time from 5-8s to ~2s by moving heavy document retrieval to asynchronous workers.

    View GitHub

    Architecture

    Client
    ↓
    API Gateway
    ↓
    Application Layer
    ↓
    Redis────PostgreSQL
    ↓
    Background Queue
    ↓
    BullMQ Workers
    ↓
    Cerebras AI + RAG
    ↓
    Cached Response

    Why Redis? In-memory caching for frequent retrieval results and response cache.

    Why BullMQ? Moves document-processing work outside the synchronous request path with retries.

    Why PostgreSQL? Structured document metadata and relational queries.

    Backend / Security / Open Source30+ weekly downloads

    Codevigil

    Security-focused open-source tool for detecting vulnerable repositories

    Node.jsTypeScriptCLINPMSecurity

    Problem

    Developers needed an automated way to scan repositories for dependency vulnerabilities without complex CI/CD setup.

    Result

    Open-source tool on npm with 30+ weekly downloads, actively used by developers for security auditing.

    GitHubnpm
    Web3 / PaymentsWeb3 Payments

    FluidPass

    Decentralized event payment system using real-time token streaming

    SuperfluidPolygonSolidityTypeScriptNext.js

    Problem

    Standard token subscriptions required active monthly approvals, triggering high network fees and user churn.

    Result

    Won the R2W3-II hackathon for real-time subscription payments.

    Web3 / BlockchainBlockchain

    On-chain Credit Score

    Decentralized credit scoring system using on-chain transaction data

    SolidityEthers.jsNode.jsTatum SDK

    Problem

    No standardized decentralized credit scoring mechanism existed for on-chain lending protocols.

    Result

    Delivered a functional on-chain credit scoring prototype for lending protocols.

    07Writing

    In-Depth Engineering Blogs

    Practical write-ups on backend engineering, performance and system design — published on Medium.

    View all on Medium
    System Design · Database 4 min read

    Stop Crashing Your Servers: The Ultimate Guide to Pagination (Offset vs. Cursor)

    Ever watched your backend crash with an Out of Memory error under load? A deep dive into why pagination is your database's ultimate defense — and the exact difference between offset and cursor-based approaches, plus when to upgrade.

    Python · FastAPI 3 min read

    FastAPI for Node.js & Express Developers

    Think FastAPI is a whole new mindset? It's just new syntax. A complete beginner-to-intermediate guide that maps every Express concept to FastAPI — routing, middleware, validation, async, and JWT auth.

    Backend Fundamentals 5 min read

    Backend Foundations Recovery: Programming Fundamentals Every Backend Developer Must Master

    Every backend developer must master the programming fundamentals that underpin production systems. A recovery-focused primer on what separates resilient backend engineers from the rest.

    08Skills

    Technologies & Tooling

    A production-focused toolkit for building scalable, high-performance backend systems.

    Languages

    PythonTypeScriptJavaScriptSQL

    Backend

    FastAPINode.jsExpress.jsDjangoREST APIs

    Databases

    PostgreSQLMongoDBRedis

    AI & ML

    RAGLLM APIsSemantic SearchVector Databases

    AWS

    LambdaSNSS3Step Functions

    Infrastructure

    DockerNginxGitHub Actions

    Testing

    PyTestJest

    Additional

    ReactNext.js
    09Education

    Academic Background

    Postgraduate degree in Computer Applications — the foundation underpinning 2.5+ years of production engineering.

    Master of Computer Applications (MCA)

    Institute of Management and Information Technology

    Cuttack, Odisha, India

    CGPA 9.18 / 102020 – 2022
    • Graduated with distinction — top academic performance across the MCA cohort.
    • Focused coursework in Data Structures, Algorithms, Database Systems, Computer Networks, and Software Engineering.
    • Built foundational depth in system design and object-oriented programming that directly informed blockchain and backend engineering work.

    Core Coursework

    Data StructuresAlgorithmsDBMSOSComputer NetworksSoftware EngineeringOOP

    At a Glance

    Degree
    MCA
    Duration
    2020 – 2022
    Grade
    CGPA 9.18 / 10
    Location
    Cuttack, Odisha
    10Let's connect

    Open to Backend Engineering Opportunities

    Currently seeking full-time Backend Software Engineering roles. Prefer Python/FastAPI, Node.js/TypeScript, or AI-integrated backend systems.

    Connect on LinkedIn Email Me GitHub Download Resume