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Álvaro GONZÁLEZ SÁNCHEZ

Backend & Data Engineer | Python · FastAPI · AWS · Docker
Leuven 3010, Belgium [email protected] gonzalezsanchez.dev linkedin.com/in/gonzalezsanchez Driver's licence B – Own vehicle

Profile

Backend and Data Engineer with a strong background in Python, API development and cloud-based data architectures. Experienced in building scalable backend applications, processing time-series data and automating complex workflows. Combines software engineering with an analytical engineering mindset and years of experience in modelling and data-intensive projects. Driven to build robust, secure and performant systems within a dynamic team.

Work Experience

Python Developer & Data Engineer 08/2025 – present
Self-employed
  • Deepening knowledge and experience in Python, data engineering and cloud architectures through personal projects and targeted training.
  • Development of the IoT Monitoring Platform (see Projects).
Freelance Data Engineer 02/2025 – 07/2025
Self-employed — Peru & Bolivia
  • Data analysis and software development for projects in South America (environmental and water sector).
  • Processing and analysis of discrete and continuous datasets using Python.
Programmer 03/2023 – 01/2025
Link / Manage Count-e — Leuven
  • Backend development and maintenance of a school management system with a complex relational database (350+ tables).
  • Automation of administrative business processes in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams.
  • Worked with large structured datasets and contributed to the stability and extensibility of the system.
Groundwater & Surface Water Advisor 03/2022 – 12/2022
Antea Group Belgium
  • Analysis of hydrological data and groundwater flow modelling.
  • Spatial analyses using ArcGIS Pro and QGIS.
  • Advisory reports for policymakers and companies on water management.
Family care 2019 – 2021
Researcher – Hydrodynamic Modelling 05/2013 – 08/2019
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
  • Hydrodynamic modelling of the Zeeschelde estuary.
  • Development of numerical models in Fortran.
Special Academic Staff (BAP) 11/2009 – 04/2013
Vrije Universiteit Brussel — Brussels
Assistant Hydrology & Hydraulic Engineering 06/2009 – 07/2009
Soresma — Belgium
Hydraulic Engineer 08/2006 – 08/2007
Zorrilla Construcciones — Bolivia
Research Assistant & Programming Assistant 07/2004 – 07/2006
Universidad Mayor de San Simón — Bolivia

Projects

IoT Monitoring Platform — Project 1a: Serverless Ingestion · 12/2025 – 01/2026
Python · AWS Lambda · API Gateway · DynamoDB · CloudFormation · GitHub Actions
  • Serverless REST API for real-time ingestion of sensor events (temperature, humidity, occupancy, motion) with threshold-based anomaly detection.
  • Clean layered architecture (models → services → repositories). Full infrastructure provisioned with CloudFormation. Deployed to AWS via CI/CD.
  • GitHub: github.com/GonzalezSanchez/iot-monitoring-platform
IoT Monitoring Platform — Project 1b: Containerised Ingestion · 01/2026 – 02/2026
Python · FastAPI · Docker · nginx · AWS DynamoDB · React · Cloudflare · GitHub Actions
  • Same business logic as 1a, redeployed as a containerised FastAPI application — demonstrating the separation of domain logic from infrastructure.
  • Live at iot.gonzalezsanchez.dev on a home server via Docker Compose + Cloudflare tunnel. React dashboard with 30s auto-refresh and live event submission.
  • Docker images built and pushed to GitHub Container Registry on every merge to main.
IoT Monitoring Platform — Project 2a: Behavior Analyzer · 02/2026 – 04/2026
Python · AWS Step Functions · Lambda · Aurora Serverless v2 · EventBridge · Terraform · Secrets Manager · GitHub Actions
  • Serverless ETL pipeline: extracts historical sensor data from DynamoDB, detects occupancy schedules, temperature trends and anomalies, stores results in Aurora Serverless v2 (PostgreSQL).
  • Full infrastructure provisioned with Terraform. Runs on-demand to minimise AWS costs (~$15/month while deployed, scales to zero when idle).
  • 215 tests across three projects (pytest + moto); 80%+ coverage enforced on every push via GitHub Actions.

Education

MSc Water Resources Engineering
KU Leuven
2009 · Magna cum laude
Enterprise Java Developer
VDAB
2021–2022
BSc Engineering
Univ. Mayor de San Simón (Bolivia)
2004
Specialisation Environmental Management
Universidad de Beni (Bolivia)
2007
Effective Scientific Communication (6 ECTS)
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
2014
Statistics for PhD Students (6 ECTS)
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
2012

Certifications (2025 –)

LinkedIn · Apache Airflow
LinkedIn · Claude AI: Data Analysis, Programming, MCP
LinkedIn · Build with AI: API with CI/CD in Claude Code
LinkedIn · Docker Compose
LinkedIn · Build REST APIs with FastAPI
LinkedIn · Building RESTful APIs with Flask
HarvardX · Intro to Data Science with Python
Microsoft · Power BI: Data Models & Reports

Full list on LinkedIn.

Skills

Backend & Development
Python, FastAPI, Flask, Java (Spring Boot), REST APIs, ETL pipelines, OOP, TDD
Cloud & DevOps
AWS (Lambda, API Gateway, DynamoDB, Aurora Serverless v2, Step Functions, EventBridge, Secrets Manager, CloudWatch, SNS, CloudFormation), Terraform, Docker, Docker Compose, Kubernetes, Nginx, Cloudflare, GitHub Actions, CI/CD, IaC
Data Engineering
Pandas, NumPy, PySpark, SQL (PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB), Power BI, Tableau, Scikit-learn, Apache Airflow, ETL
GIS
ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS API for Python, QGIS, FME
Other
Git, Scrum/Agile, JUnit, Maven, HEC-RAS, MODFLOW, Fortran

Languages

Spanish — Native
English — C1
Dutch — C1
German — A2
French — A2