Curriculum Vitae

My CV

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Zahara Schaefer - Professional CV · Full Stack Developer & Infrastructure Architect · hello@zaharaschaefer.com

Career Summary

Seasoned IT professional with a unique blend of expertise in full-stack development, systems administration, and infrastructure design. Proven track record in delivering high-performance, scalable solutions across cloud and on-prem environments. With hands-on experience in open-source technologies like Proxmox, NGINX, Docker, and Ceph, I have helped organizations optimize their operations, enhance system security, and automate workflows. My technical leadership in projects such as CRM integration, custom affiliate dashboards, and cloud infrastructure ensures efficiency, cost reduction, and operational success.

Past Experience

Principal Engineer

LayerEight Solutions · 2021 - Present

Oversaw the full-scale design, implementation, and maintenance of LayerEight Solutions' internal infrastructure. Focused on building resilient, scalable, and secure environments, incorporating DevOps practices and automation to ensure uptime and efficiency. Managed Kubernetes clusters, handled infrastructure monitoring, and developed custom internal tools to optimize resource utilization.

Key Projects:

Infrastructure Migration: Migrated legacy virtualized environments to containerized systems using Kubernetes, enabling better resource management and scalability.
Monitoring and Logging: Implemented centralized monitoring using Prometheus and Grafana, and established logging with Elasticsearch, Logstash, and Kibana (ELK Stack), improving real-time alerting and troubleshooting efficiency.
Network Security Enhancements: Configured Cloudflare for web application security, protecting services from DDoS attacks and providing SSL termination.

Director of IT

Client · 2022 - Present

Oversee all IT and integrations across the company's tech stack, ensuring smooth operation, security, and automation of internal and external systems. This includes actively monitoring and troubleshooting infrastructure, developing and integrating tools, ensuring backups, and recommending new technologies to improve operational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities:

System Monitoring & Security: Actively monitor the company's tech infrastructure for functionality, security breaches, and performance issues. Implement security measures, including automated backups, firewalls, and access controls.
Tech Development & Integration: Build and maintain tools and infrastructure, such as the custom affiliate dashboard, and automate workflows with n8n to enhance company operations.
Client Onboarding Streamlining: Simplified and automated client onboarding by transitioning from a manual form/intake submission to an optimized workflow.
CRM & Marketing Automation: Integrated CRM (ActiveCampaign) with tools like ClickFunnels and n8n to automate lead capture, nurturing, and reporting processes.
n8n Automation Implementation: Led the transition from Zapier to n8n for automating critical business workflows, significantly reducing costs and improving operational efficiency.
Third-Party Integrations: Integrated external services like Google Suite, RingCentral, and OnceHub to enhance collaboration, scheduling, and communication efficiency across departments.
IT Support & Troubleshooting: Provide ongoing tech support, troubleshoot tech issues across the infrastructure, and ensure systems run smoothly. Offer recommendations for tools and software to enhance performance.

Key Achievements:

Streamlined client onboarding by automating form submissions and eliminating manual steps.
Saved significant operational costs by transitioning from Zapier to n8n for automation tasks.
Optimized internal workflows and saved hundreds of manual work hours by automating repetitive tasks via n8n integrations.
Improved system security and performance by implementing automated backups, monitoring systems, and enhanced access controls.
Enhanced collaboration and communication efficiency by integrating RingCentral, Google Suite, and OnceHub across departments.

Systems Architect (Ceph Cluster)

Freelance Opportunities · May 2022 - Jun 2022

Led the design and deployment of a Ceph storage cluster for production environments using Cephadm and Ansible. Delivered a comprehensive architecture plan, including RBD volume exposure for Hetzner Cloud and AWS.

IT Professional (Server Maintenance & Troubleshooting)

Freelance Opportunities · Jan 2022 - Oct 2022

Provided comprehensive IT support for troubleshooting and maintaining virtualized environments, primarily using Proxmox and pfSense. Optimized system performance by diagnosing server freezes and enhancing security protocols.

Full-Stack Web Developer

Freelance Opportunities · Sep 2021 - Jan 2022

Developed and launched full-stack applications using React, Firebase, and Google Cloud Functions, delivering secure, scalable web platforms. Focused on building real-time capabilities and backend systems for client projects.

2D/3D Game Asset Creator & Website/Discord Bot Developer

Virtual X · Aug 2019 - Mar 2021

Played a key role in asset development and community management for Virtual X, creating 2D/3D game assets, developing a custom Discord bot, and managing backend website features.

Key Contributions:

Game Asset Development: Created detailed 2D/3D assets using 3ds Max 2019 & 2022 and Photoshop 2015 for modeling and texturing.
C# Object Scripting: Automated game object behaviors in C# using Unity, integrating mechanics into the game environment.
Discord Bot Development with Node.js: Developed a custom bot in discord.js (Node.js) offering features like moderation (mute, kick, ban), viewing game balances and achievements, and showcasing in-game profiles for players.
Website Management: Managed the admin dashboard and community interaction features, with backend built using PHP and SQL, ensuring seamless integration with the game's ecosystem.
Payment System Integration: Integrated PayPal and Patreon for subscriptions, donations, and in-game purchases.