System Engineering & Integration
Early Career: Politechnika Opolska
My journey into the world of systems began during my time as an IT Technician at Politechnika Opolska, where I also studied Computer Science. It was a valuable opportunity to gain hands-on experience alongside a small team of fellow students, and it’s where I started building my first proper professional networks.
I developed a keen interest in automation early on. I remember setting up PXE booting to automate Linux installations across the university’s computer labs, which significantly reduced the time required for OS deployments. We initially implemented centralised system management using custom-written scripts, which, while effective, became difficult to maintain as the environment grew. This led us to adopt Puppet for more robust configuration management, allowing us to enforce consistency and streamline updates across a large number of servers.
It was also during this period that I encountered my first HPC (High-Performance Computing) system. I had the opportunity to set up the environment for parallel computing, configuring the cluster and network interconnects. I even compiled my first parallel program in ANSI C using MPI (Message Passing Interface) libraries, which gave me a valuable introduction to high-performance computing concepts.
Lukas S.A.
My next career step led me to a more professional setting at Lukas S.A., where I joined the System Administration team. This was an intense and rewarding period of learning and working with a wide range of technologies, providing a significant step up in terms of scale and complexity.
I gained extensive experience with:
- Solaris: Administering and troubleshooting Solaris systems, including performance tuning and security hardening.
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux: Managing large RHEL deployments, implementing security policies, and automating system updates.
- Oracle Databases: Database administration, backup and recovery, and performance optimization.
- WebLogic (formerly BEA Systems): Application server administration and deployment.
- MQ message brokers: Managing messaging middleware for reliable communication between applications.
Beyond these, I also worked with various sophisticated internal systems, which required a deep understanding of their architecture and dependencies. The opportunities for growth within the company allowed me to progress from a junior to a senior professional, taking on increasing levels of responsibility and technical leadership.
European Central Bank (ECB)
My career further evolved when I joined the European Central Bank (ECB), initially in an operational capacity before moving into a dedicated System Engineering position. This role involved significantly more emphasis on design and architecture of large-scale systems.
My main responsibilities included:
- Designing, building, and maintaining Linux-based systems, with a particular focus on Red Hat Enterprise Linux for its stability and enterprise support.
- Implementing and managing Red Hat Satellite for centralised patch management, system provisioning, and configuration.
- Utilising Ansible for automation of complex tasks, Foreman for server lifecycle management (closely integrated with Satellite), and Puppet for configuration enforcement.
- Integrating our platform with various external systems, including:
- Managing Data Center operations and being responsible for hardware assets, from procurement and installation to decommissioning.
It was also during this time that I had the unique experience of maintaining legacy Solaris installations on SPARC architecture, which presented its own set of challenges and required a deep understanding of older systems. I also had the opportunity to work with other obscure and niche technologies, which broadened my skill set and problem-solving abilities.
ESA/ESOC
Then there was that utterly unforgettable chapter working for ESA/ESOC. It was an experience I must mention as being truly… unique. However, the full details of that particular adventure are a tale I shall reserve for a more personal setting.
My most recent career chapter, spanning over seven years and counting, began with my acquisition by Google. I joined their “running with screwdriver” team, and I absolutely loved my time as a Data Center Engineer, finding it both enjoyable and a fantastic learning experience. This role involved hands-on work with data center infrastructure, including hardware installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting.
My eagerness to expand my horizons led me to the Data Center Design and Capacity Planning team, where I took on a role as a Technical Program Manager. This shift allowed me to develop my program management skills, focusing on planning, coordination, and execution of large-scale infrastructure projects.
Being part of such an extraordinary player in the tech world has exposed me to a vast array of different technologies and has been an invaluable experience for gaining expertise and striving for excellence. I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside some of the brightest minds in the industry and learn from cutting-edge practices.
Most recently, I’ve moved to the Distributed Cloud team, where I’m delighted to be back working with my beloved Linux environments, now joined by my new friend, Kubernetes. This role allows me to combine my infrastructure knowledge with my passion for cloud technologies, working on deploying and managing Kubernetes-based solutions.
The future…
For now, my professional journey concludes here, but the story is far from over and will continue to unfold as I embrace future advancements in my career. Stay tuned for more updates!