Kumbukani Kachingwe

Kumbukani Thapelo Kachingwe-- Boksburg, Gauteng Summary Dynamic IT professional with over 10 years of hands-on experience in software engineering, cloud architecture, DevOps, and cybersecurity, complemented by AI/ML research expertise. Recognized for delivering scalable, high-performance solutions and leading cross-functional teams to drive business growth and streamline operations. A visionary catalyst for digital transformation across Africa with a proven ability to balance strategic leadership and hands-on execution to solve complex challenges.Key Highlights Scalable Architecture Development: Led microservices-based architecture projects, improving system scalability by 40% and reducing deployment times by 25% using Docker, Kubernetes, and AWS ECS. Enterprise Cybersecurity: Implemented ISO 27001-compliant cybersecurity measures, achieving zero breaches over 18 months and securing sensitive infrastructure. E-Commerce Optimization: Enhanced platform performance, increasing online sales by 200% and reducing page load times by 45% through React.js, Node.js, and AWS CloudFront. AI Integration: Pioneered machine learning adoption in environmental conservation, achieving 95% accuracy in species identification with TensorFlow and scikit-learn. Hybrid Cloud Solutions: Reduced cloud spending by 30% while maintaining performance with AWS and GCP integration. DevOps Leadership: Championed DevOps practices, halving build and deployment times and enabling daily software releases through Jenkins, Terraform, and CI/CD pipelines. Blockchain Optimization: Improved transaction efficiency by 20% through Python automation for blockchain nodes and crypto wallet services. Database Migrations: Spearheaded large-scale migrations, improving query performance by 35% and reducing costs with PostgreSQL and MongoDB. Team Leadership: Mentored development teams, increasing productivity by 25% and fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.Technical Proficiencies Languages: Python, Java, JavaScript, C# Web Technologies: React.js, Angular, Vue.js, Node.js, Django, Flask Cloud Platforms: AWS, GCP, DigitalOcean DevOps Tools: Docker, Kubernetes, Jenkins, Terraform, Ansible, GitLab CI Databases: PostgreSQL, MongoDB, SQL Server, MySQL Cybersecurity: Nmap, Metasploit, Splunk, Palo Alto Firewalls, ISO 27001 Compliance AI/ML: TensorFlow, scikit-learn, natural language processing Methodologies: Agile, Scrum, Kanban, DevSecOps Experience Software Engineer NTC Global • Alberton, Gauteng 02/2024 - Present Engineered and deployed scalable microservices using Python with Flask and FastAPI, resulting in a 40% increase in system throughput and supporting 1,000 concurrent users with an average latency of 50 ms. Designed and implemented secure RESTful APIs utilizing Flask-RESTful and FastAPI with OAuth 2.0/JWT authentication, facilitating seamless integration with 5 third-party services and expanding market reach by 30%. Developed robust data pipelines using Python, Apache Airflow, and AWS S3/Redshift, automating ETL processes which reduced manual processing time by 50% and improved data processing speed by 25%. Implemented centralized logging and monitoring solutions using Python with Prometheus, Grafana, and Elasticsearch, achieving a 40% reduction in mean time to detection (MTTD) and a 30% reduction in mean time to resolution (MTTR), thereby enhancing system uptime. Automated infrastructure provisioning and management with Python using AWS CDK and CloudFormation, achieving infrastructure-as-code capabilities that reduced deployment time by 35% and cut infrastructure costs by 20%. Led code reviews and mentored junior developers on Python best practices, PEP 8 style guidelines, and test-driven development (TDD), improving code quality by 45% (measured by a decrease in bug reports) and increasing team velocity by 25%. Integrated Redis caching into key API endpoints, reducing average API response times from 200 ms to 100 ms, a 50% improvement, which resulted in a 15% increase in user engagement and a 10% boost in conversion rates. Developed automated unit and integration tests using Pytest and Mock, achieving 95% test coverage, which led to a reduction in production bugs by 60%, thereby enhancing software reliability and minimizing maintenance costs. Streamlined key DevOps processes through Python scripting (e.g., build automation, deployment orchestration), reducing build times by 30% and increasing deployment frequency from weekly to daily, significantly accelerating time to market. Created and maintained reusable Python libraries deployed via PyPI/internal repositories, promoting code reuse across 10 projects, which reduced development time by 25%, enhancing overall development efficiency and consistency. Freelance Software Engineer Masterworks • Remote 09/2023 - 01/2024 Delivered high-performance RESTful APIs using Django REST Framework, achieving an average response time of 120 ms and supporting 500 concurrent requests, resulting in a 95% client satisfaction rating based on client surveys. Created insightful data visualizations using Python libraries such as Matplotlib, Seaborn, and Plotly, enabling datadriven decision-making and leading to a 30% improvement in sales conversions. Optimized complex SQL queries within Python applications using database profiling tools and query optimization techniques, reducing average database response times by 40%, from 200 ms to 120 ms, significantly enhancing application performance. Automated data scraping processes using Python with BeautifulSoup and Scrapy, improving data acquisition efficiency by 50% and reducing manual data entry time by 10 hours per week, while ensuring compliance with website terms of service and robots.txt. Integrated secure payment gateways using Python SDKs for Stripe and PayPal, ensuring PCI DSS compliance and reducing fraud rates by 25%. Improved server efficiency by automating routine tasks and scheduling jobs using Python scripts with cron and Celery, reducing server load by 30% and freeing up 15 hours of engineering time per week. Developed and deployed Dockerized Python applications using Docker Compose and Kubernetes, simplifying deployment across development, staging, and production environments, and reducing deployment time by 40%. Built real-time webhook listeners with Python and Flask, enabling instant event processing and triggering automated actions such as sending notifications to users, resulting in a 20% improvement in process efficiency. Configured and maintained CI/CD pipelines using Jenkins and custom Python scripts, increasing deployment frequency from weekly to daily while reducing deployment failure rates by 15%. Delivered real-time notifications to users using Python with WebSocket protocols and Socket.IO, improving user engagement by 35% and providing timely updates on critical events. Cyber Security Engineer CraftGroup • Gaborone, Botswana 03/2022 - 08/2023 Automated vulnerability assessments using Python scripting and tools like Nessus and OpenVAS, saving 10 hours of manual effort weekly and increasing assessment frequency by 50%. Developed custom Python-based tools for penetration testing and threat simulation, including automated scanning and report generation features, enabling more comprehensive security testing and identifying 15 previously unknown vulnerabilities. Analyzed security logs using Python and the Splunk SDK, automating correlation and analysis of 500 GB of logs daily, reducing incident response times by 30% and improving threat detection accuracy by 25%. Implemented secure data pipelines using Python with encryption libraries like PyCryptodome and secure protocols (e.g., TLS 1.3), ensuring data integrity and confidentiality in transit and at rest, achieving compliance with regulatory standards such as GDPR and HIPAA. Automated intrusion detection workflows using Python and the ELK Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana), improving response efficiency by 40% through automated alert triage and escalation processes. Conducted Python training workshops for 3 teams (with 20 participants each), focusing on secure coding practices, common vulnerabilities (e.g., OWASP Top 10), and secure development lifecycle (SDL) principles, leading to a 60% reduction in security-related code defects in subsequent projects. Built real-time security monitoring dashboards using Python and visualization libraries like Plotly and Dash, providing actionable insights into key security metrics (e.g., intrusion attempts, and malware detections) and enabling proactive threat mitigation. Deployed Python-based scripts for malware detection and analysis, integrating with threat intelligence feeds (e.g., VirusTotal) and reducing false positives by 20%, improving the efficiency of security operations and reducing alert fatigue. Automated firewall rule management and optimization using Python scripting and network automation libraries (e.g., Netmiko and Paramiko), reducing manual configuration errors by 35% and improving firewall rule efficiency by 25%. Designed and implemented a centralized log aggregation solution using Python and Elasticsearch/Fluentd, increasing system visibility across 50 servers/applications and reducing troubleshooting time by 30%. Full Stack Developer River Villa Hotel • Gaborone, Botswana 01/2022 - 07/2022 Developed Python-based backend services using Django for hotel management, automating key processes such as reservations, check-in/check-out, and room management, increasing booking efficiency by 50% and reducing administrative overhead by 15 hours per week. Designed and implemented optimized database schemas using PostgreSQL and SQLAlchemy, improving average query performance by 35%, from 100 ms to 65 ms, and reducing database load by 20%. Automated data synchronization between hotel management systems (e.g., Property Management System (PMS), Customer Relationship Management (CRM)) using Python scripts and APIs, reducing manual data entry errors by 40% and ensuring data consistency across platforms. Built robust and secure user authentication and authorization systems using Python with OAuth 2.0 and JWT libraries (e.g., Authlib, PyJWT), protecting sensitive user data and ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations such as GDPR. Integrated secure payment processing using Python with Stripe APIs, reducing average transaction processing time by 15%, from 20 seconds to 17 seconds, and improving transaction success rates by 10%. Enhanced reporting tools using Python and data visualization libraries like Pandas and Plotly, providing stakeholders with actionable insights into key business metrics (e.g., occupancy rates, revenue, customer demographics) and enabling data-driven decision-making. Developed real-time notification features using Python with WebSockets and Socket.IO, providing instant updates to staff and guests on key events (e.g., booking confirmations, room availability changes), improving communication efficiency by 30% and enhancing the guest experience. Automated AWS resource management (e.g., EC2 instances, S3 buckets, RDS databases) using Python with Boto3, reducing downtime by 20% through automated failover and recovery procedures while optimizing cloud costs by 15%. Enhanced UI responsiveness by optimizing backend performance with Python profiling tools (e.g., cProfile) and code optimization techniques, reducing average page load times by 25% and significantly improving user experience. Developed and executed comprehensive integration tests using Python testing frameworks like unittest and Pytest, achieving 90% test coverage and ensuring the reliability and stability of backend services. Software Engineer Kiron Multi-Media • Gaborone, Botswana 08/2021 - 02/2022 Developed a custom, Python-based CRM system using Django and PostgreSQL, streamlining sales processes and increasing sales team efficiency by 40%, measured by a rise in closed deals from 15 to 21 per week. Implemented real-time data analytics pipelines using Python with Pandas, NumPy, and Apache Kafka, processing 50 GB of data per day and providing actionable insights on sales trends and customer behavior to stakeholders via interactive dashboards. Created secure RESTful APIs using Python with Flask and OAuth 2.0 authentication, facilitating seamless integrations with 5 third-party tools (e.g., marketing automation platforms and payment gateways), thereby expanding business partnerships. Optimized database queries within Python applications using profiling tools like pgAdmin and query optimization techniques, reducing average database latency by 30%, from 100 ms to 70 ms, significantly improving application responsiveness. Automated email notifications using Python with SMTP libraries and Jinja2 templating engine, personalizing communications and improving user engagement by 25%, measured by an increase in email open rates from 20% to 25%. Developed scalable microservices using Python with Docker and Kubernetes, enhancing system modularity, improving fault tolerance, and enabling independent deployments, leading to a 35% reduction in deployment time. Enhanced web scraping capabilities using Python with Scrapy and Beautiful Soup, automating the collection of critical market data from 10 websites and increasing data acquisition efficiency by 50%, while adhering to website terms of service and robots.txt rules. Integrated Python solutions for content management using Wagtail CMS, automating content updates and reducing update times by 50%, freeing up content creators' time for other strategic initiatives. Implemented a Python-based recommendation engine using machine learning algorithms (e.g., collaborative filtering) and libraries like scikit-learn, boosting customer retention by 20% through personalized product recommendations. Wrote custom Python scripts to automate the migration of 1 TB of data from legacy systems (e.g., Oracle) to modern platforms (e.g., AWS S3), ensuring data integrity and minimizing downtime during the migration process, reducing migration time by 40%. Full Stack Developer Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust • Mulanje, Malawi 12/2018 - 06/2021 Designed and implemented Python-based environmental monitoring systems using sensors and data loggers with Flask, increasing data collection and processing efficiency by 200%, enabling real-time monitoring of temperature, humidity, and pollution levels. Built RESTful APIs using Python with FastAPI, enabling real-time integration of GIS data from ArcGIS and PostGIS, facilitating seamless data sharing and analysis across multiple applications, which improved collaborative efforts by 30%. Leveraged Python's TensorFlow and Keras libraries to develop image recognition models for species identification in conservation efforts, achieving 95% accuracy in identifying 50 species and reducing manual classification time by 60%. Automated reporting pipelines using Python and libraries like Pandas and ReportLab, reducing reporting time by 50% and generating weekly summaries and monthly analyses for stakeholders, thereby improving communication and decision-making. Developed Python-based IoT solutions for field data collection using Raspberry Pi and MQTT protocols, enabling remote monitoring of soil moisture and air quality parameters while reducing the need for manual data collection by 70%. Integrated Python with Mapbox GL JS to develop interactive spatial analysis tools, enabling visualization and analysis of geospatial data such as habitat mapping and improving spatial analysis efficiency by 40%. Built interactive data visualization dashboards using Python with Plotly and Pandas, providing stakeholders with realtime insights into deforestation rates and wildlife populations, facilitating data-driven decision-making. Enhanced public-facing portals using Python backend logic with Django and a CMS like Wagtail, improving user experience, increasing website traffic by 25%, and providing access to 10 environmental datasets. Designed and trained machine learning models using Python with scikit-learn, improving classification accuracy for species classification by 15%, leading to more effective conservation strategies. Created reusable Python modules documented using Sphinx and deployed via PyPI/internal repositories, promoting code reuse across 5 projects and reducing development time for new projects by 30%. Biometric Registration Kit Technician Malawi Electoral Commission • Blantyre, Malawi 05/2018 - 11/2018 Automated diagnostics for 150 biometric kits using Python scripts, verifying 5 key functionalities (e.g., fingerprint scanning, image capture, data storage) and ensuring 100% operational readiness, reducing manual testing time by 20 hours per week. Streamlined data transfer between biometric kits and central servers using Python-based encryption with libraries like PyCryptodome and secure protocols (e.g., TLS 1.3), reducing data transfer errors by 20% and ensuring data confidentiality and integrity during transmission. Developed Python-based diagnostic and troubleshooting tools for biometric kits, automating the identification and resolution of common hardware and software issues, reducing troubleshooting time by 40% and minimizing downtime during registration events. Implemented Python-based logging and monitoring systems using libraries like logging and tools like Sentry/ELK Stack, providing detailed error tracking, improving debugging efficiency by 30%, and enabling proactive identification of potential issues. Built Python scripts for automated batch data uploads from biometric kits to central databases, improving data upload efficiency by 30% and reducing manual data entry time by 15 hours per week. Configured Python tools and scripts for automated and secure data backups to cloud storage locations, ensuring data availability and minimizing data loss in case of hardware failures or other incidents, achieving a recovery time objective (RTO) of 2 hours. Developed Python-based reporting tools using libraries like Pandas and visualization tools like Plotly, generating automated reports on key registration metrics (e.g., registration rates, demographic data, error rates) and providing stakeholders with actionable insights. Enhanced biometric kit calibration workflows using Python automation, reducing manual calibration time by 50% and improving calibration accuracy by 25%, ensuring consistent and reliable data capture. Integrated Python solutions for real-time data analysis of biometric data using libraries like NumPy and SciPy, providing immediate feedback on data quality and enabling timely intervention in case of anomalies. Reduced biometric kit setup times by 40% by developing and deploying Python-powered deployment and configuration scripts, automating tasks such as software installation, network configuration, and device registration. Registration Officer National Registration Bureau • Lilongwe, Malawi 05/2017 - 03/2018 Streamlined registration processes, increasing daily registration output by 15% through process optimization and staff training. Conducted data integrity checks on over 10,000 records, improving accuracy and reducing errors in the national database by 20%. Reduced processing times by 25% by implementing efficient workflows and best practices for data capture. Trained 15 team members on the use of digital registration tools, improving team efficiency and reducing data entry errors by 30%. Performed routine audits of captured data, ensuring compliance with government regulations and improving data quality by 10%. Implemented improved data entry techniques, reducing data entry time by 20% and increasing overall project efficiency. Facilitated smooth communication between registration teams and central offices, ensuring timely resolution of technical and logistical issues. Enhanced public awareness about the registration process, leading to a 10% increase in citizen participation. Managed secure storage of sensitive personal data, ensuring 100% compliance with national data protection laws. Provided comprehensive customer service support to registrants, maintaining a 95% satisfaction rate through effective issue resolution and guidance. Software Engineer Electrocard Systems • Blantyre, Malawi 11/2015 - 02/2017 Automated KPI tracking and reporting using Python scripts and libraries like Pandas and Plotly, enhancing reporting accuracy by 25% and reducing manual reporting time by 10 hours per week, providing stakeholders with timely insights into key business performance indicators. Built Python tools for A/B testing using statistical libraries like SciPy and frameworks like Statsmodels, automating data analysis and identifying optimal feature configurations that resulted in a 15% improvement in conversion rates. Developed Python-based customer feedback systems using Flask and integrating with survey platforms like SurveyMonkey, improving customer satisfaction scores by 20% by enabling efficient collection and analysis of feedback. Integrated Python data analysis tools and libraries like Pandas and Scikit-learn for market research, automating data collection, cleaning, and analysis from 5 sources (e.g., social media, market reports), providing insights into market trends and competitor activities. Streamlined product roadmap updates and communication using Python-based solutions that automated data extraction from project management tools like Jira and Asana, generating formatted reports that reduced manual update time by 8 hours per week and improving stakeholder communication. Enhanced resource allocation processes using Python automation and optimization algorithms, improving resource utilization by 30% and reducing project costs by 15%. Created Python scripts for automated competitor analysis, scraping data from competitor websites using Beautiful Soup and analyzing it with Pandas, identifying key market opportunities and informing product strategy, leading to a 10% increase in market share. Built interactive, Python-driven dashboards using Plotly, connecting to data sources like SQL databases and REST APIs, providing stakeholders with real-time insights into key product metrics and facilitating data-driven decision-making. Automated product launch workflows using Python scripts and orchestration tools like Airflow, automating tasks such as deployment and marketing campaigns, reducing launch delays by 15% and improving time to market. Developed a Python solution for API integration with payment systems like Stripe and PayPal, automating transaction processing and improving integration efficiency by 40%, while ensuring secure data transfer compliant with PCI DSS standards. Network Administrator Electrocard Systems • Blantyre, Malawi 04/2015 - 10/2015 Automated network monitoring using Python with libraries like Netmiko and monitoring tools like Nagios, proactively identifying network issues and reducing overall network downtime by 25%, improving system availability and minimizing service disruptions. Wrote Python scripts for bandwidth analysis and optimization using libraries like Scapy and network monitoring tools, identifying bandwidth bottlenecks and optimizing network traffic flow, resulting in a 30% improvement in network throughput and reducing latency by 15 ms. Developed Python tools for secure configuration backups of network devices (e.g., routers, switches, firewalls) using libraries like Paramiko, automating the backup process, ensuring configuration integrity, and reducing recovery time in case of device failures by 40%. Enhanced network diagnostics using Python-based solutions that automated device checks and diagnostic tests, reducing mean time to diagnose (MTTD) network issues by 35% and improving overall troubleshooting efficiency. Automated log analysis workflows using Python and log management tools like the ELK stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana), streamlining log collection, parsing, and analysis, and reducing incident response time by 20%. Streamlined firewall rule updates and management using Python scripts and network automation libraries, automating rule deployment across 50 devices, ensuring consistent configurations and reducing manual configuration errors by 30%. Built Python scripts for automated patch management of network devices and servers, automating patch deployment and verification, which reduced security vulnerabilities by 50% while minimizing system downtime during patching cycles. Developed Python solutions for network traffic pattern analysis using libraries like Scapy and Wireshark, identifying network anomalies and security threats while optimizing performance based on traffic patterns. Enhanced Odoo ERP integration with network infrastructure using Python APIs and custom scripts, automating data exchange between Odoo and network management systems, improving data consistency by 25% and streamlining business processes. Improved disaster recovery plans using Python-based simulations that automated failover procedures, reducing recovery time objective (RTO) by 50% and significantly enhancing overall disaster recovery preparedness. IT Support Specialist Thyolo Active Youth Orginasation • Thyolo, Malawi 11/2013 - 02/2015 Provided technical support to over 100 users, resolving 95% of issues within 24 hours, significantly improving overall user satisfaction. Diagnosed and fixed hardware and software problems, reducing downtime for critical systems by 30% and ensuring smooth operations. Conducted routine IT system audits, identifying vulnerabilities and implementing fixes that improved system security by 20%. Assisted in the installation and maintenance of network infrastructure, improving connectivity and reducing network issues by 25%. Implemented and maintained data backup solutions, ensuring that 100% of critical data was recoverable in case of system failures. Trained users on IT best practices, increasing system efficiency and reducing user-related errors by 20%. Reduced IT support request volumes by 15% by developing and disseminating self-help guides and documentation for common issues. Played a key role in planning and executing IT system upgrades, improving overall system performance and user satisfaction. Provided remote troubleshooting assistance using tools like TeamViewer, reducing the need for on-site interventions by 30%. Maintained and updated the organization's inventory of IT assets, ensuring proper tracking and reducing asset loss by 10%. Skills Python, JAVA, Javascript, GIT, APIS, AWS, SQL, Azure, Microsoft excel, Customer service, Time management, Project management, Collateral Development, Communication skills, Leadership Education Information Technology University of Malawi • Blantyre , Malawi 06/2013 Awards Certificate of Recognition from UNDP