Markus Olsson
Staff-level Backend Engineer focused on high-throughput, data-intensive systems, backend architecture, and practical AI workflow enablement.
I design and build scalable backend systems with a strong focus on data modeling, system boundaries, performance, reliability, and operational efficiency.
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I build backend systems for demanding environments where throughput, reliability, and data flow matter. My core strength is designing services and platforms that hold up under real production load, especially in event-driven and data-intensive systems built with Java, Spring Boot, Kafka, MongoDB, and Elasticsearch.
Over time, my work has expanded beyond individual services into platform thinking: shaping shared foundations, improving developer workflows, and helping teams make better technical tradeoffs. I work across the stack when needed, but backend architecture, system design, and operational stability remain my center of gravity.
More recently, I have also focused on practical AI workflow adoption inside engineering teams. Not as hype, but as hands-on enablement: helping people use AI tools, shared skills, and structured workflows in ways that improve real day-to-day engineering work.
I also value mentoring, teaching, and knowledge sharing, and I have consistently taken roles where I help raise the effectiveness of the people around me.
Strengths & Philosophy
System Design & Data Architecture
I design backend systems with clear boundaries, durable data flows, and practical operational behavior. I care about how services fit together, how data moves through them, and how they behave under sustained production load.
Performance & Scalability
A recurring theme in my work has been performance-sensitive systems, from transaction-heavy services to continuous performance testing. I enjoy finding the bottlenecks that matter and designing systems that stay predictable as load grows.
Developer Enablement
I have spent a meaningful part of my career improving how other developers build, test, and work with systems. That includes shared libraries, local development tooling, onboarding support, training, and practical workflow improvements.
Problem Solving
I tend to work best on systems that are complex enough to require judgment, not just implementation. I like turning unclear or messy problems into solutions that are simpler, more reliable, and easier to operate.
Work Experience
- Early backend engineer in a small, high-ownership team building and operating critical systems for high-traffic gaming platforms.
- Built multiple production systems end-to-end, including transaction history and retry flows, a backoffice search platform, bonus engine, session and JWT service, tracking integrations, and a game statistics platform.
- Contributed to shared Spring Boot platform and library work used across services.
- Initially also handled infrastructure setup, including EC2 and Ansible-based provisioning.
- Built and operate a 24/7 performance testing platform running at roughly 1,000 TPS continuously, with targeted tests reaching 17,000+ TPS and 20,000+ TPS for critical workloads.
- Current responsibilities also include practical AI workflow enablement and shared internal skills for engineering teams.
Java Spring Boot Kafka MongoDB Elasticsearch Redis AWS Ansible Gradle Keycloak
- Worked across backend and frontend platform concerns with a strong focus on improving developer experience in a Spring Boot-heavy environment.
- Helped improve the integration between backend services and frontend teams during a broader platform transition.
- Co-built a hybrid rendering approach with server-side fallback for users without JavaScript.
- Built a Spring Boot mock library for local frontend development using JSON-driven mocked responses.
- Supported onboarding, tooling, troubleshooting, and training for frontend developers working against backend services.
- Contributed to backend feature development while helping improve the overall developer workflow.
Java Spring Boot REST JavaScript Jenkins Maven Mock tooling Hybrid rendering
- Long tenure across several teams, with the strongest focus on provider integration, shared platform development, and performance-sensitive backend systems.
- Built provider integrations and helped shape a more reusable integration platform with shared architecture and libraries.
- Contributed to a shared wallet model that improved consistency across integrations and reduced onboarding time for new providers.
- Worked on payment and wallet performance in transaction-heavy systems.
- Used AppDynamics and Splunk from an application and developer perspective to improve visibility and troubleshooting.
- Ran Java Academy training, supported internal technical learning, and spoke at meetups.
- Took part in evaluating Spring Boot during the transition away from GlassFish.
Java Spring GlassFish Oracle Database Splunk AppDynamics SOAP REST ActiveMQ Solace Hibernate JPA
- Developed a back-office system for a poker site, integrating multiple payment solutions.
Java JSF MySQL
- Co-founded a startup game studio post-graduation.
- Developed game prototypes and mechanics using C# and C++.
C++ C# Game Development
Technologies & Skills
Backend & Architecture
Data & Messaging
Cloud / Infrastructure / Operations
Frontend & Product Delivery
AI-assisted Development
Personal Projects
Built a Swedish grammar practice platform as a Spring Boot and Thymeleaf application, deployed with Docker on AWS. It started as a practical learning tool for SFI students and gave me a way to combine product thinking with hands-on backend and delivery work.
Visit Live SiteCurrently rebuilding Skriv Svenska as a standalone mobile and web application using Dart and Flutter. The newer version explores AI support in a practical way, with a focus on usability, language learning, and a cleaner product experience.
Visit Dev Preview (Note: Free tier, may spin down)Smaller Utility Projects
I regularly build smaller tools for real-world use cases, often as a way to explore technology through something practical. Examples include:
- A private React-based web app for my son's star-reward system.
- A native Android app (personal use only) to scan online marketplaces and alert me for specific Magic: The Gathering cards below a target price.
Speaking & Community
I care about helping others understand systems and technology more clearly, whether through mentoring, training, or public speaking. I have presented at:
- Local Development in a Cloudy World (Meetup Group Organizer & Speaker)
- ELK with Spring Boot in the Cloud (Meetup Speaker)
- Hybrid Rendering (Meetup Speaker)
- JCrete 2015 Unconference (Discussion Driver: Microservices)
Education
Programmer, Game Programming - Intensive C++ game development training (8+ hours/day).