TYLER R FUGAZZIE
Cranford
Summary
AI-focused backend engineer with over 10 years of experience building and deploying production-grade AI systems using Python, Azure AI Services, and MongoDB. Strong background in Generative AI integration, language model APIs (OpenAI, Azure OpenAI), and prompt engineering. Proven track record of leading backend-heavy projects that deliver real-world AI applications across enterprise platforms. Expert in deploying applied AI, not just prototyping — with deep experience in Azure Document Intelligence, AI Search, FastAPI, and integrating LLM pipelines with secure, scalable backend systems.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
Work History
SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER
Capgemini
New York
06.2021 - Current
- Led architecture and deployment of production-ready LLM services using Azure OpenAI, integrating prompt engineering and LangChain to generate context-aware responses with minimal latency.
- Developed secure backend pipelines in FastAPI to support real-time communication between OpenAI API, MongoDB, and Azure Cognitive Services.
- Built custom prompt templates and chaining logic for dynamic task completion using Azure Document Intelligence and Azure AI Search with embedded documents.
- Delivered a multi-tenant backend for GenAI services using OAuth2, JWT, and Azure Key Vault with RBAC enforcement.
- Integrated vector similarity search via Azure AI Search and custom embedding pipelines, enhancing LLM performance on client-specific documents.
- Developed high-availability services using Docker, Kubernetes (AKS), and Helm, ensuring secure multi-environment deployment with Terraform.
- Integrated MongoDB Atlas into GenAI pipelines for context persistence and feedback loop learning.
- Designed production-grade RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) pipeline with OpenAI Embeddings, custom prompt orchestration, and streaming output.
- Optimized model invocation using token counting and request cost strategies based on Azure OpenAI pricing tiers.
- Authored modular service wrappers to dynamically select between OpenAI, Azure OpenAI, and fallback LLMs based on SLA and availability.
- Built custom tooling to index PDFs, forms, and structured documents using Azure Document Intelligence, transforming scanned data into usable context blocks.
- Automated infrastructure provisioning with Terraform, including VNET-injected Azure Functions, Storage, and Key Vault.
- Worked with Azure Private Endpoints to restrict GenAI APIs to internal-only access, securing critical inference routes.
- Benchmarked LLM latency using Locust and implemented fallback cache with Redis to minimize redundant calls.
- Created fine-tuned logging and monitoring layers with Datadog and Azure Application Insights, including model usage metrics.
- Led weekly code reviews and architecture planning sessions, mentoring 5+ engineers on GenAI backend best practices.
- Built REST/GraphQL hybrid gateway to support both traditional client apps and AI-powered microservices.
- Coordinated directly with product and compliance teams to meet strict audit requirements around AI data usage and retention.
SOFTWARE ENGINEER
Microsoft
Redmond
09.2017 - 05.2021
- Built backend services for enterprise AI platforms using Flask, Python, and Azure ML Studio, with production-grade deployments.
- Integrated early versions of Azure Cognitive Services (Vision, Language, Search) into customer-facing tools.
- Deployed machine learning models into production using Azure Container Instances, secured via OAuth2, and monitored with Prometheus.
- Created automation pipelines using Azure DevOps, Terraform, and Helm, supporting staging and canary releases.
- Designed feature extraction services for text classification models using PyTorch and scikit-learn.
- Built internal LLM evaluation frameworks to benchmark GPT-style models before public OpenAI integrations became available.
- Developed a semi-automated data labeling tool connected to MongoDB for NLP training workflows.
- Built internal Python SDKs to simplify GenAI endpoint integration for partner teams.
- Integrated document intelligence features with OCR-based pre-processing pipelines using Azure services.
- Worked on confidential POCs involving conversational AI, prompt tuning, and multilingual embeddings using open-source and proprietary models.
SOFTWARE DEVELOPER
Korn Ferry
Los Angeles
07.2014 - 08.2017
- Built internal tools for recruitment analytics using Python, Flask, and MongoDB, focused on performance insights and talent scoring.
- Developed backend scripts for ingesting and cleaning resume data from third-party APIs and job boards.
- Created internal dashboard APIs using FastAPI, including role-matching heuristics and score visualizations.
- Built early NLP models for resume parsing and keyword tagging using spaCy and NLTK.
- Integrated secure login using JWT and Azure Active Directory, managing user roles for internal HR tools.
- Prototyped LLM-like rule-based completion logic for CV enhancement, pre-GenAI era.
- Worked with Azure Blob Storage and Key Vault for secure document handling and secrets management.
Education
BACHELOR’s DEGREE - COMPUTER SCIENCE
New Jersey City University
Jersey City, NJ01.2014
Skills
- Python
- FastAPI
- Flask
- Nodejs
- TypeScript
- Bash
- PyTorch
- LangChain
- OpenAI API
- Azure OpenAI
- Prompt Engineering
- HuggingFace Transformers
- Vector Search
- Embeddings
- RAG Pipelines
- Azure AI Services
- Azure Cognitive Search
- Azure Document Intelligence
- Azure Functions
- Azure Blob Storage
- Azure Key Vault
- Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)
- MongoDB
- PostgreSQL
- Redis
- GraphQL
- GRPC
- REST APIs
- JWT Auth
- OAuth2
- Docker
- GitHub Actions
- Terraform
- Helm
- Kubernetes
- Datadog
- Prometheus
- Azure DevOps Pipelines
- NGINX
- Postman
- Pytest
- Unittest
- Playwright (API)
- New Relic
- Load Testing (Locust)
- Token-based Auth
- SSO
- Secrets Management
- RBAC
- TLS
- VNETs
- Azure Private Endpoints
Personal Information
Title: SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER
Timeline
SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER
Capgemini
06.2021 - Current
SOFTWARE ENGINEER
Microsoft
09.2017 - 05.2021
SOFTWARE DEVELOPER
Korn Ferry
07.2014 - 08.2017
BACHELOR’s DEGREE - COMPUTER SCIENCE
New Jersey City University