Christian Koch

Software Engineer

Chicago, Illinois, United States15 yrs 10 mos experience

Highly Stable

Key Highlights

Led major replatforming to Elixir, saving millions annually.
Developed innovative peer-to-peer messaging system.
Optimized CI/CD processes, enhancing development efficiency.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a SaaS-focused Principal Engineer with expertise in distributed systems and cloud architecture.

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Skills

Core Skills

ElixirDistributed SystemsWeb DevelopmentDevopsContinuous IntegrationCloud ComputingArchitectureSoftware DevelopmentE-commerceProduct Management

Other Skills

Amazon Web Services (AWS)KubernetesAWSTwilio APIsCircleCIGitHub ActionsGitSQLProfessional MentoringTelemetryContent Distribution NetworksMongoDBData AnalysisFinancial AnalysisJenkins

About

As a Principal Engineer, I lead platform engineering initiatives that drive innovation, scalability, and business impact. With over 15 years of experience, I specialize in building resilient, high-performance systems that elevate user experience and streamline operations. My expertise spans Elixir, Ruby on Rails, and the Phoenix Framework, enabling me to architect and deliver solutions that adapt to evolving business needs. I'm deeply engaged with the cutting edge of AI-assisted engineering, leveraging emerging tools and methodologies to enhance productivity, code quality, and developer experience.

Experience

15 yrs 10 mos

Total Experience

5 yrs 1 mo

Average Tenure

8 mos

Current Experience

Gearflow

Principal Software Engineer

Sep 2025 – Present · 8 mos · Remote

Cars commerce

Principal Engineer

Sep 2019 – Sep 2025 · 6 yrs · Chicago, Illinois, United States · Remote

Spearheaded a full-system replatforming from legacy technologies to Elixir, driving strategic cost savings of tens of millions per year while optimizing team efficiency with a 75% reduction in headcount needed to support the tech stack.
Lead the development and implementation of a peer-to-peer messaging system leveraging Twilio APIs to create a seamless user communication experience across web and mobile apps.
Built and led high-performing engineering teams, fostering a culture of ownership, accountability, and innovation that has improved operational efficiency and delivery speed across multiple initiatives.
Optimized our CI/CD pipelines (CircleCI and Github Actions) for speed and reliability.
Influenced company-wide engineering strategy, leveraging deep technical expertise to align technical roadmaps with business goals, ensuring scalable architectures and sustainable growth.

Amazon Web Services (AWS)KubernetesElixirDistributed Systems

Ncsa next college student athlete

2 roles

Lead Technical Architect

Promoted

Oct 2016 – Sep 2019 · 2 yrs 11 mos

Amazon Web Services (AWS)GitCloud ComputingArchitecture

Senior Software Engineer

Oct 2014 – Oct 2016 · 2 yrs

Solving engineering challenges, using java, ruby on rails, docker, AWS, and any other technology as needed to find the best solution.

Amazon Web Services (AWS)GitCloud ComputingSoftware Development

Cad enterprises

Partner, Chief Information Officer

Jul 2010 – Jan 2015 · 4 yrs 6 mos · Greater Chicago Area

CAD Enterprises is an ecommerce marketing and product sales company. We specialize in identifying niche under-competitive markets where we believe we can leverage our web expertise to position a new product line competitively. We operate a family of websites selling a range of products across the home goods market, including mattresses, eco-friendly cleaning suppliers, and health care durable goods.

GitSQLE-commerceProduct Management