Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
Generic

Julie Zhu

Software Engineer

Summary

  • 10+ years of end-to-end experience designing, building, and delivering enterprise-grade backend and full stack solutions.
  • Advanced proficiency in Java (Spring Boot), Node.js (Express, NestJS), and JavaScript (React, React Native), enabling robust, scalable, and maintainable software. Expert in building cloud-native architectures on AWS (EKS, RDS, S3, Lambda), leveraging Docker, Kubernetes, and GitHub Actions for DevOps, CI/CD automation, and zero-downtime deployments.
  • Deep expertise in data modeling, analytics, performance optimization, and multithreaded/concurrent programming with PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis, Elasticsearch, Cassandra.
  • Delivered modern single-page and mobile applications using React, Redux, Next.js, React Native; implemented scalable, high-concurrency APIs and real-time systems.
  • Proven track record in testing (unit, integration, TDD/BDD), developing CI/CD pipelines, and driving DevOps culture for rapid, reliable releases.
  • Strong advocate for Agile/Scrum methodologies and best practices in the SDLC, with a focus on continuous improvement and high-quality delivery.
  • Applied a wide range of design patterns (e.g., Singleton, Factory, Observer, Decorator, etc.) to architect scalable, maintainable, and testable codebases.
  • Strengthened security and compliance with OAuth2, JWT, robust authentication/authorization best practices. Orchestrated high-reliability event/messaging systems (Kafka, RabbitMQ), championed real-time observability with ELK/EFK stack.
  • Demonstrated impact on business KPIs, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction; recognized for mentoring and accelerating onboarding.
  • Excel at cross-functional collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and driving initiatives from concept through production.

Overview

11
11
years of professional experience

Work History

Lead Backend Engineer

The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.
01.2022 - Current
  • Architected and delivered a microservices-based platform using Java (Spring Boot) and Node.js (NestJS), modularized with design patterns (Factory, Observer, Strategy) for codebase scalability.
  • Led development of REST and GraphQL APIs for onboarding, account management, and AML/KYC, integrating with partner systems and internal business domains.
  • Built distributed workflows with event-driven architecture using Kafka and RabbitMQ, handling asynchronous event propagation and real-time messaging across 40+ microservices.
  • Designed and optimized PostgreSQL schemas for critical business domains, enabling high-throughput, multi-tenant storage with TB-scale datasets.
  • Developed advanced analytics pipelines with MongoDB and integrated Redis for ultra-fast caching and state management during high-concurrency account activities.
  • Automated system deployments on AWS EKS and RDS, leveraging Docker and Kubernetes for seamless rollouts and auto-scaling.
  • Built and managed CI/CD pipelines using GitHub Actions and Jenkins, achieving zero-downtime releases and supporting blue/green and canary deployments.
  • Engineered secure service-to-service and partner authentication with OAuth2, JWT-based authorization, and API Gateway enforcement.
  • Implemented full-spectrum testing: JUnit and Mockito for backend, integration tests for distributed workflows, end-to-end scenarios for user flows, and regression/contract testing with automated frameworks.
  • Championed TDD and BDD adoption, raising test coverage above 90% and shifting testing left for every feature.
  • Monitored and analyzed real-time production metrics using ELK/EFK Stack, with custom Prometheus/Grafana dashboards and automated alerting for SRE and business teams.
  • Delivered modern admin portals and analytics dashboards with React and Redux, exposing operational insights and fraud analytics to risk, support, and compliance teams.
  • Designed and implemented multi-threaded, high-concurrency onboarding and fraud detection pipelines using Java thread pools and async processing for low-latency SLAs.
  • Facilitated Agile ceremonies (Scrum, sprint planning, retros, backlog grooming), led cross-team code reviews, and championed best practices in SDLC, story mapping, and continuous delivery.
  • Mentored and onboarded 8+ engineers, authored runbooks, system diagrams (with Miro, draw.io), and process docs to accelerate team ramp-up.
  • Led disaster recovery and failover simulations, coordinating SRE, QA, and DevOps to maintain 99.99% uptime.
  • Drove post-incident reviews and risk mitigation, improving observability and test automation after each high-severity event.
  • Acted as a bridge between product, engineering, and compliance, converting complex regulatory requirements into testable, maintainable, and scalable technical deliverables.

Full Stack Engineer

Chewy
01.2020 - 12.2021
  • Developed core REST and GraphQL APIs for retail operations in Java (Spring Boot) and Node.js (Express), using modular design patterns for future extensibility and testability.
  • Built high-volume, low-latency order, inventory, and customer flows with event-driven systems powered by Kafka and RabbitMQ, ensuring reliable event handling and idempotency.
  • Designed robust, normalized schemas in PostgreSQL for transactional data, and horizontally scaled MongoDB for unstructured user activity, supporting sub-second search and analytics.
  • Integrated Redis for real-time session management, inventory cache, and flash sale support, handling millions of concurrent user actions.
  • Orchestrated seamless, scalable deployments on AWS EKS, Docker, and Kubernetes, standardizing environment creation and release pipelines with CI/CD (GitHub Actions, Jenkins).
  • Led adoption of automated end-to-end testing (Cypress), unit (JUnit, Jest), and integration tests across all business modules, establishing regression suites and quality gates.
  • Implemented TDD and BDD for major features, driving early feedback and reducing post-release bugs by 65%.
  • Established and managed blue/green, canary, and feature flag deployment strategies, minimizing production risk and enabling A/B testing at scale.
  • Developed and maintained operational dashboards and user interfaces in React, Redux, and Next.js, surfacing analytics and real-time order status to support, finance, and business teams.
  • Instituted observability standards with ELK/EFK Stack, created actionable alerts, and improved root cause detection for SRE/on-call teams.
  • Built robust authentication and role-based authorization using OAuth2 and JWT, securing all APIs and frontend resources across devices and channels.
  • Led collaborative SDLC improvements: facilitated Scrum, ran story mapping and backlog grooming, drove sprint reviews, and advocated for continuous delivery and user story refinement.
  • Coordinated cross-functional launches, working with QA, PMs, SRE, and UX to ensure successful, on-time product deliveries.
  • Mentored new hires and junior developers, organized peer code reviews, and created onboarding guides and best practice documentation (with Miro/draw.io diagrams).
  • Automated operational tasks and post-deployment verifications using scripting and cloud-native tools, supporting rollback and rapid hotfixes.
  • Supported diversity and inclusion initiatives by leading mentoring circles and inclusive code review workshops.
  • Managed multiple concurrent high-profile projects, balancing technical delivery with operational excellence and user experience.

Full Stack Engineer

Target Technology Services
06.2017 - 12.2019
  • Designed, developed, and scaled backend microservices using Java (Spring Boot) and Node.js (Express), modularized with Factory and Strategy design patterns for flexible campaign logic.
  • Led architecture and integration of REST and GraphQL APIs for coupon, loyalty, and payment workflows, exposing consistent interfaces to internal tools and external partners.
  • Implemented and optimized data storage with PostgreSQL (for transactions, campaign history) and MongoDB (for unstructured analytics/events), enabling real-time querying and dashboarding.
  • Leveraged Redis for high-concurrency session management and hot data caching, supporting flash sales and seasonal campaign surges without service degradation.
  • Engineered real-time offer activation and fraud monitoring workflows using Kafka and RabbitMQ, applying Observer and Strategy patterns for plug-and-play event handlers.
  • Built modern campaign analytics and admin tools in React, Redux, and Bootstrap, supporting responsive and accessible UI for business and marketing teams.
  • Automated deployments and rollbacks on AWS (EKS, RDS, S3) using Docker, Kubernetes, and CI/CD pipelines (Jenkins, GitHub Actions) to ensure rapid, reliable releases.
  • Instituted unit testing with JUnit and Mocha, integration and end-to-end testing using Cypress, achieving 85%+ coverage and shifting regression cycles left.
  • Practiced TDD and BDD for all critical flows; used automated test frameworks to validate coupon logic and payment integrations at every commit.
  • Defined and enforced API security and RBAC using OAuth2 and JWT, integrating with Target’s single sign-on and partner access policies.
  • Deployed and maintained ELK/EFK Stack for centralized logging and proactive error/incident detection, with custom Grafana dashboards for SRE, product, and analytics.
  • Drove process improvements in SDLC: led Agile/Scrum ceremonies, coordinated sprint demos, retrospectives, and organized user story mapping with cross-functional partners.
  • Authored onboarding guides, process diagrams, and system architecture visuals using Miro and draw.io to facilitate ramp-up for new hires and business stakeholders.
  • Enhanced system performance and scalability through async processing, thread pools, and event-driven designs, reducing latency and handling 100K+ daily active campaign users.
  • Collaborated with InfoSec and QA on continuous security reviews, vulnerability assessments, and PCI/GDPR compliance, automating key tests into CI pipelines.
  • Supported business continuity via disaster recovery drills, backup automation, and cross-team incident reviews, achieving 99.99% availability even during peak sales events.
  • Received company recognition for delivering a new promotions engine 3 weeks ahead of Black Friday and for improving system reliability metrics year over year.

Full Stack Engineer

Micro Center, Inc.
06.2014 - 05.2017
  • Developed core integration modules in Java (Spring Boot, multithreading) and Node.js (Express), applying Singleton and Factory patterns to standardize partner API logic and error handling.
  • Built and maintained transactional and reporting APIs (REST, SOAP) for inventory, pricing, and order sync, using PostgreSQL and MySQL for reliable storage and analytics.
  • Enhanced data ingestion and async reporting jobs using thread pools and event-driven jobs, supporting overnight processing of 10M+ records with strong fault tolerance.
  • Contributed to foundational unit and integration testing (JUnit, Mocha), building the team’s first comprehensive regression suite and code review checklist.
  • Automated build, test, and deploy flows with Jenkins and Maven; set up continuous integration for nightly regression, static analysis, and coverage reporting.
  • Refactored legacy UIs with AngularJS, Backbone.js, and jQuery; improved front-end maintainability, accessibility, and page load speed for finance and logistics dashboards.
  • Implemented and maintained campaign and access controls using OAuth2, JWT, and RBAC, supporting secure onboarding of new partners and APIs.
  • Established centralized logging and monitoring with ELK Stack, and built out operational dashboards for business, SRE, and partner management teams.
  • Collaborated with QA and product owners to define acceptance criteria, user stories, and test cases for every feature.
  • Documented and diagrammed (with Miro, draw.io) all system architectures, API flows, and partner integration guides, enabling faster onboarding for both devs and partners.
  • Supported the introduction of Agile/Scrum to the team: participated in sprint planning, retros, demos, and improved backlog processes for predictable delivery.
  • Provided L2/L3 on-call support for partner integrations, writing playbooks and root cause analyses after major incidents.
  • Contributed to onboarding and mentorship: taught summer interns about async patterns, thread safety, and OOP, and ran code walkthrough sessions for new hires.
  • Upgraded observability and alerting, reducing incident response times and increasing reliability during critical holiday shipping periods.
  • Played a key role in automating partner onboarding, cutting average integration time from 8 weeks to under 3 weeks, and increasing business satisfaction metrics.
  • Assisted in SDLC audits, process improvement reviews, and cross-functional retrospectives, helping to drive a culture of continuous improvement and learning.

Education

Master’s in Information Science -

University of Pittsburgh

Bachelor’s in Mathematics - undefined

Northwest University

Skills

  • Languages: Java (Spring Boot, multithreading), Nodejs (Express, NestJS), JavaScript (React, React Native)
  • Cloud & DevOps: AWS (EKS, RDS, S3, Lambda), Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD (GitHub Actions), Jenkins, DevOps automation
  • Databases: PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis, Elasticsearch, Cassandra
  • Architecture: Microservices, Event-Driven, REST, GraphQL, API Gateway, Design Patterns (Singleton, Factory, Observer, Strategy, etc)
  • Testing / QA: JUnit, Mockito, Jest, Mocha, Selenium, Integration Tests, End-to-End Testing, TDD, BDD, Automated Test Frameworks
  • Messaging/Eventing: Kafka, RabbitMQ
  • Frontend: React, Redux, Nextjs, React Native
  • Security: OAuth2, JWT
  • Observability: ELK/EFK Stack
  • Tools: Git, Miro, drawio
  • SDLC / Agile: Scrum, Sprint Planning, Code Reviews, Agile Ceremonies, Continuous Delivery, User Story Mapping, Backlog Grooming
  • Multithreading / Concurrency: Java concurrent programming, thread pools, async processing, event-driven systems, high-concurrency API design, thread safety

Timeline

Lead Backend Engineer

The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.
01.2022 - Current

Full Stack Engineer

Chewy
01.2020 - 12.2021

Full Stack Engineer

Target Technology Services
06.2017 - 12.2019

Full Stack Engineer

Micro Center, Inc.
06.2014 - 05.2017

Bachelor’s in Mathematics - undefined

Northwest University

Master’s in Information Science -

University of Pittsburgh

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Julie ZhuSoftware Engineer