Solutions Architect & Principal Engineer
I build production systems hands-on. Architecture that never ships is a slide deck — the design has to survive contact with the runtime.
Fifteen-plus years progressing from telecom engineering and global delivery leadership to hands-on design of cloud-native, API-first systems. I bring enterprise delivery discipline and measurable outcomes to every layer of the stack.
Fluent across API-first design (OpenAPI), Docker and Kubernetes microservices, Infrastructure-as-Code, PostgreSQL/SQL data architecture, LLM gateway and model-routing infrastructure, and technical governance via architecture decision records.
What I'm brought in to own
Founder & Principal Engineer
Founded and architected a cloud-native, multi-service AI platform, owning system design and hands-on implementation across the application, data, infrastructure, and AI layers.
- Defined technical strategy and reference architecture for a multi-service platform with API-first / contract-first design (OpenAPI) and enforced data contracts across services.
- Architected the relational data layer with SQL schema governance, migration discipline, and read-replica durability across PostgreSQL-compatible tiers.
- Containerized microservices with Docker; authored Kubernetes (Kustomize) manifests and Podman/Quadlet systemd units for reproducible environments.
- Implemented automated CI/CD with secret scanning, dependency and vulnerability scanning, SBOM generation, and API contract-parity checks.
- Designed AI infrastructure: a provider-neutral LLM gateway, model-routing policy, and evaluation gates (LLMOps).
- Established engineering governance: architecture decision records, documentation authority, and tiered API/testing standards.
A control-plane-first AI gateway: schema-first PocketBase data plane, Go execution backend, provider-neutral model routing (OpenRouter / Together / LiteLLM), OpenAPI + Bruno contract verification, and an operator cockpit UI — built on the R.O.C.K.S. framework (Rules, Objectives, Constraints, Knowledge, State).
Early independent implementer of Google Cloud's open, vendor-neutral Open Knowledge Format (OKF v0.1) — markdown + YAML-frontmatter knowledge bundles for AI agents. Not affiliated with Google.
The tools, named
- Languages
- Go · Python · Rust · JavaScript / TypeScript · SQL
- Frontend
- React · Vite · Node.js / npm · HTMX
- Containers & Orchestration
- Docker · Docker Compose · Podman · systemd Quadlet · Kubernetes (Kustomize)
- Infrastructure & DevOps
- Infrastructure-as-Code · CI/CD pipelines · Network policies · Secret & vulnerability scanning · SBOM · Observability
- APIs & Data
- API-first / OpenAPI · REST · PostgreSQL / SQL · Schema governance · Database replication
- AI Infrastructure
- LLM gateway & model routing · LLMOps · Self-hosted inference · Evaluation gates
- Business Intelligence
- KPI dashboards · Executive reporting · Forecasting · Operational analytics
The enterprise delivery record
Professional Services Manager
07/2017 — 09/2025- Headed the Global Professional Services organization, overseeing $20M–$30M in ARR across retail, franchise, municipal, and healthcare deployments.
- Reduced project overruns by 30% and delivery timelines by 33%.
- Launched a near-shore Tier 1 provisioning team, lifting project throughput 25% at 95% CSAT.
- Built the KPI dashboards and continuous-improvement frameworks that still shape the org's processes.
Professional Services Supervisor
12/2015 — 07/2017- Ran RFP and vendor selection to launch the company's first outsourced provisioning team.
- Designed PS frameworks across Voice, Data, and Project Management for the Elite and Advanced segments.
Voice / Data Provisioner III
09/2014 — 12/2015- Deployed multi-site contact center solutions integrating SIP trunking, IVR, and third-party platforms.
- Managed 50+ concurrent deployments at >99% SLA compliance, driving $100K+ new MRR per quarter.
Customer Service & Support Engineer II
03/2013 — 09/2014- Resolved 75+ weekly tickets including critical P1 outages in a high-volume NOC.
- Worked LECs and carriers to restore MPLS faults at 99.99% uptime.
J-Curve Technologies — Tier 2 VoIP Specialist
08/2011 — 03/2013- Supported 10+ enterprise Broadsoft VoIP clients across diverse CRM and ticketing stacks.
- Resolved 90% of inbound escalations while cutting Tier 3 volume 40%.
Credentials
- Cisco CCNA (2022)
- CompTIA Security+ (2021)
- CompTIA Network+ (2021)
- AWS Cloud Practitioner
- HashiCorp Terraform Associate
- Red Hat RHCSA
- Kubernetes (KCNA → CKA)
East Valley Information Technology School — High School Diploma, concentration in Information Technology
Take the paperwork with you
Every format lives on the résumé hub. Prefer the ninety-second version? Browse the tiles.
Open channel
Tom Melchionna · Lone Tree, CO · remote-friendly