Thomas (Dipl.-Inf.) Karcher
Lead Developer & Integrator | Process Platform Orchestration
Experience
Lead Developer & Integrator | Process Platform Orchestration
- Focus: Developing a central platform to manage user flows and data between survey tools and marketing systems.
- Technology: Laravel middleware with Keycloak integration.
Software Architect & Data Modeler | Audit-Compliant Data Management
- Focus: Modeling complex state machines and data structures for technical documentation in regulated environments (medical technology).
- Success: Audit-compliant replacement of manual, paper-based approval processes.
System Architect & AI Implementer | Deduplication & Test Automation
- Focus: Reducing redundancies in large test suites. Using NLP for preselection of test cases to be automated.
- Success: Major decrease in maintenance effort through the DRY principle and AI-supported analysis.
Summary
Thomas is an experienced system architect, consultant and project manager with over 20 years of experience, specializing in the analytical exploration of complex issues and their implementation into robust, maintainable architectures. He acts as the technical conscience in projects and as a bridge between the business domain and development. He speaks both the developers' language and management's, translating complex technical matters into clear business decision-making foundations.
His working style is that of a cloud realist: he advises companies on agnostic architecture to avoid unnecessary costs and to align the choice between managed services (PaaS/SaaS) and container-based solutions (IaaS) with the actual workload. His specialty is orchestrating workflows and reducing complexity, backed by measurable successes in AI-driven test automation.
Thomas stands out for his balanced and calm demeanor and is known for his pragmatic, systemic approach to problem-solving. He combines risk awareness, skepticism and prudence with curiosity and inventiveness. This combination enables him to show both determination and a willingness to question structures and drive change.
In his interactions with colleagues and stakeholders, he is polite, respectful, trustworthy and diplomatic, which enables effective collaboration at all levels. His ability to communicate complex issues clearly and continuously weigh costs, benefits and potential risks is crucial to the successful implementation of his projects and their alignment with business strategy. In critical project phases, he remains calm and analytical instead of spreading panic. He deescalates conflicts and focuses the team on actionable steps.
Skills
Analytics, Data Modeling & Database Expertise
- Translator Function: Rapid Capture Of Technical Requirements And Transformation Into Precise Data Models That Are Stable And Scalable.
- Sql Mastery: Solid Knowledge In Relational Modeling, Complex Sql Queries, Performance Tuning And Stored Procedures (Ms Sql, Postgresql, Mysql).
- Architecture: Designing Long-lasting Data Structures As The Foundation For Reliable Applications.
Applied Ai & Test Automation
- Ai-driven Efficiency: Implemented An Nlp-based Deduplication (E.g. Using Sentencetransformers) In Test Automation.
- Outcome: Reduced The Test Steps To Be Automated To 40% And Cut Implementation Effort By 30% Through Parameterization.
- Benefit: Significant Reduction In Maintenance Costs And Increase In Code And Test Quality (Dry Principle).
Agnostic Architecture & Code Governance
- Cloud Realism: Advising On The Choice Between Cloud-specific Managed Services (Paas/saas) And Flexible, Container-based Components (Iaas) For Cost And Performance Optimization.
- Developer Mentoring: Establishing Code Governance By Introducing And Enforcing Best Practices: Version Control (Git), Ci/cd And Deployment Automation.
- Infrastructure: Rapid Provisioning Of Test Instances (Jira Cloud, Keycloak, Databases) Via Docker For Rapid Prototyping.
Complex Integration & Workflow Orchestration
- System Integration: Connecting Heterogeneous Systems (E.g. Laravel As Process Controller Between Limesurvey And Mautic) Into End-to-end, Stable Workflows.
- Identity Management: Secure Integration Of Authentication Solutions (Keycloak, Shibboleth, Oidc Concepts) Into Web Applications.
- Document Control: Technical Implementation Of Audit-compliant Workflows (Approvals, Versioning, Signatures) For Regulated Environments.
- Core Stack: Java (Spring Boot), Php (Laravel Expert), Python (Data/ai), Groovy (Automation), Typescript.
Technical Skills And Tools (Excerpt)
- Atlassian & Collaboration: Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket, Scriptrunner
- Automation & Ci/cd: Git, Github Actions, Ci/cd Pipeline Automation, Docker, Jenkins
- Programming Languages: Java, Javascript/typescript, Groovy, Python, Php, C#
- Interfaces & Iam: Rest, Xml, Graphql, Keycloak, Oidc/saml, Sap Rfc
- Databases: Postgresql, Mysql, Ms Sql, Stored Procedures
- Data Analysis/ml: Pandas, Torch Sentencetransformer
- Specialized Software: Polarion, Lynx (A-dato), Sap Dvs And Ectr, Enterprise Architect
- Mentoring & Coaching
Languages
Education
Diploma in Computer Science · Computer Science
Profile
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