Vitaliy Sazonov
Open to workBackend & AI Engineer — Python / Django
Python/Django backends, automation and AI systems that hold up in production.
Profile
Backend engineer with 10+ years of commercial experience (writing code since school). Focused on Python / Django, multi-tenant SaaS cores, payment systems, business-process automation and AI/LLM integrations. I design systems that survive production: ADR discipline, queues and background jobs, Docker/CI-CD, clean REST/OpenAPI, strict data isolation and adapter layers over external services. For the last 5 years I have designed and run my own production products end-to-end; experience leading a development team.
Core skills
Languages
Backend
Data
Async / messaging
Infra / DevOps
AI
Frontend (as needed)
Practices
Own products
2020 — present (solo / R&D). End-to-end production systems — architecture, backend, infrastructure, releases.
appKit — multi-tenant SaaS platform
Django, DRF, PostgreSQL, CeleryA platform to launch sites, Telegram bots and mini-apps from pluggable modules. Project → Site → Modules tenancy with strict per-site data isolation; modules (shop/orders, booking, CMS, reviews, pricing, loyalty) and adapters for external services (payments, Telegram, storage, notifications) selected per site by config; per-site RBAC; dual auth (JWT for admins, Telegram HMAC for mini-app clients); three Next.js frontends on one API.
PayKit — self-hosted payment gateway
Django, DRF, PostgreSQL, CeleryA single multi-tenant API (payments / refunds / payouts / disputes) over provider adapters; monotonic state machine with advisory locks; outbox of signed webhooks; merchant-scoped isolation; OpenAPI as the source of truth.
lingvo — AI translator + meeting notes
Django, DRF, Celery, PostgreSQLTwo products on one backend: realtime translation (STT → MT → TTS via Pipecat + LiveKit) and AI meeting notes (action items, decisions, RAG brief over pgvector); payments behind adapters.
fileforge — file conversion API
Django, DRF, PostgreSQL, CelerySelf-hosted conversion service (images ↔ PDF): async job pipeline (202 + Celery), magic-byte validation, API keys, S3, signed webhooks, Node and Python SDKs.
croply — image optimization gateway
Django, DRF, Celery, S3Multi-tenant optimization gateway (any → WebP/AVIF) over an external service, with its own tenancy, quotas, S3 storage and token encryption (Fernet).
seo-audit — automated site auditor
Django, DRF, PostgreSQL, CelerySEO / Tech SEO / Performance / AI-ready auditor: URL → crawl → 726 canon checks → weighted scoring → PDF report; checks as data (checks.yaml registry), not code.
vault-keeper — secrets & infra manager
Django, DRF, PostgreSQL, RedisInfrastructure and secrets manager (a simpler take on HashiCorp Vault): encrypted secrets with versioning and rollback, SSH-tunnel command generation, full audit log.
project-planner — AI project docs generator
Django, DRF, Claude API, n8nSaaS that turns an AI interview into full project docs (ADRs, sprints, task specs, CLAUDE.md, machine context) ready for AI assistants and CI/CD.
Experience
Independent / Founder
2020 — presentBackend & AI Engineer
- Designing and running my own production products end-to-end (see Own Products): appKit, PayKit, lingvo, fileforge, croply. Full-time on own products since 2023; alongside employment before that.
Umbrella IT
May 2021 — Oct 2023Backend / Web Developer
- Complex CRM and business systems, queues, DevOps, deployment.
- Interactive catalog: resumable large-file uploads (TUS protocol), PDF processing, Google Cloud Push/Pull queues; MySQL → PostgreSQL data migration.
- Commodity exchange: implemented broker ↔ dealer deals, background jobs (Celery / Celery-beat), CSV import/export via Django admin, compliance changes.
- Logistics tracking: containerization (Docker), DRF REST API, third-party tracking API integration, webhooks, Swagger docs, deployment.
- CRM for agribusiness (frontend): client dashboard, registration/auth and admin-impersonation login, Docker build, CI/CD pipeline.
Python · Django · DRF · Celery · PostgreSQL · Docker · React · Vue · Quasar · TypeScript
Aktiv Plus (saleads.pro)
Oct 2017 — Feb 2020Backend Developer
- Automated multi-channel campaign systems for business: SMS, MMS, Email, Web Push, PWA — deliverability and scaling.
Python · Django
Mibok · Global Solutions
Aug 2016 — Oct 2017Bitrix / PHP Developer
- Bitrix/PHP web development: modules and components, markup integration, events and agents, access control, site security and performance.
DealerPoint
Jul 2014 — Feb 2016Developer (Swift)
- EXTTAP — a messenger and business tool for assigning and tracking tasks across contacts.
Work Solutions
Oct 2013 — May 2014Junior Bitrix / PHP
- First commercial role on Bitrix Framework: modules and components, markup, mail templates, events, agents, access control and site search.
Education
Don State Technical University (DSTU) · 2014
Computer Science — Software for Computing and Automated Systems.
Languages
Russian — native · English — B2 (Upper-Intermediate)