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rich-sykes/README.md

Rich Sykes

I'm a Senior Quantitative Developer and Cloud Engineer with a unique career path spanning automotive engineering, analytics and financial services. I have built high-performance, scalable systems for risk modelling, emissions optimization, and statistical analysis — always with a focus on automation, testability, and reliability.

🚀 What I Do

  • Cloud Architecture – Designed and deployed a cloud native platform for hosting credit risk models at Investec Bank using Azure Container Apps, Azure Function Apps, and Azure SQL.
  • CI/CD & DevOps – Built robust Azure DevOps pipelines including unit testing (PyTest), code coverage, vulnerability scanning (Wiz/Dependabot), and deployment automation.
  • TDD-First Engineering – Advocate of clean, test-driven development to maintain software quality in lean teams without dedicated QA or BAs.
  • Model Deployment – Automated model pipelines across Python and R, with experience in scaling parallelized optimization tasks in both finance and engineering domains.

🧰 Tech Stack

tech_stack = { 
    "Languages": ["Python", "SQL", "R", "MATLAB", "Bash"],
    "Cloud": ["Container Apps", "Function Apps", "Azure SQL", "Azure Monitor", "DevOps"],
    "Data": ["SQLAlchemy", "Pandas", "Pydantic", "FastAPI"],
    "DevOps": ["Azure DevOps", "Docker", "GitHub Actions"],
    "SDK Development": ["Python package design", "API client libraries", "developer tooling"],
    "Testing": ["pytest", "TDD", "code coverage tools", "CI security gates"]
}

🔍 I'm Currently Interested In:

  • ⚙️ High-performance Python APIs
  • 🧰 Python SDK development and developer experience optimization
  • 🏗️ Infrastructure as Code (IaC) with Bicep/Terraform
  • 📦 Model deployment best practices in regulated environments (IFRS9 & IRB)
  • 🔄 Smarter data pipelines and observability for risk systems
  • 🤖 AI-assisted code optimization and developer productivity tooling
  • 💬 Natural language to SQL interfaces for faster analytical insights and stakeholder interaction

🔦 Career Highlights

  • Architected, built, and tested a cloud-native risk model platform from scratch at Investec Bank. Handling data validation, exception reporting, and high-throughput deployment.
  • Automated engine testing on race-grade dynamometers at Prodrive Automotive Technology.
  • Built CO₂/NVH optimization platforms using advanced neural networks at Ford Motor Company.

👥 Leadership & Communication

  • Technical Translation – Communicate complex quantitative concepts to non-technical stakeholders and regulatory bodies
  • Cross-functional Leadership – Led multi-disciplinary teams across engineering, technology and risk integrating with business functions.
  • Stakeholder Management – Managed relationships with senior executives and both internal and external auditors.

[!TIP] Connect
📇 You can find me on LinkedIn

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