Ilya Hardzeenka

What Drives Me

I am driven by a passion for solving complex problems, leveraging technology to create innovative solutions, and leading teams to achieve excellence. My career has been a journey of continuous learning and growth, with each experience enriching my ability to deliver impactful results.

What truly motivates me is the ability to align technology with business needs, creating scalable and efficient systems that not only address immediate challenges but also lay the groundwork for future success. Whether it’s through designing robust architectures, mentoring teams, or collaborating with stakeholders, I thrive on creating solutions that drive real-world impact.

My Core Values

• Empowering Teams: I take pride in mentoring and guiding professionals, helping them unlock their potential and grow into effective leaders. Seeing my team members thrive is one of my greatest rewards.
• Continuous Learning: The tech world evolves rapidly, and I am committed to staying ahead. I read extensively, participate in industry discussions, and constantly seek opportunities to expand my knowledge.
• Problem-Solving: I am motivated by the challenge of solving complex technical and organizational problems. I approach these challenges with curiosity, creativity, and a results-oriented mindset.
• Collaboration and Communication: I believe that clear and open communication is key to successful projects. By fostering collaboration across teams and stakeholders, I aim to create an environment where ideas can flourish.
• Driving Innovation: I am passionate about exploring new technologies and methodologies to push the boundaries of what’s possible. Whether it’s implementing modern architecture paradigms or enhancing legacy systems, I am always looking for ways to innovate.

My Mission

My mission is to combine technical excellence with strategic thinking to deliver solutions that are not only functional but transformative. By leveraging my expertise in architecture, data systems, and leadership, I strive to bridge the gap between technology and business, driving meaningful progress and creating value.

This drive is what fuels my journey and inspires me to continue pushing forward, one challenge at a time.

My Journey

Student Time: 2007–2012

I studied at the Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics (BSUIR) from 2007 to 2012, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications Engineering. During this time, I built a strong technical foundation, particularly in programming, and gained proficiency in C++.

Alongside my academic studies, I secured my first part-time job at Geo Information Systems, applying theoretical knowledge to real-world projects. This experience marked the beginning of my professional journey and offered valuable insights into the practical aspects of programming and telecommunications.

Acquired Skills:

• C++ programming
• Development of low-level telecommunication processing algorithms

Achievements:

• Graduated with a Diploma with Honors, reflecting academic excellence and dedication.

First Job at IBM: Software Engineer (2012–2014)

At the conclusion of my Bachelor’s degree, I joined the IBA internship program in my hometown, marking the official start of my career. Initially, I focused on learning Java, but soon discovered my passion for Data Engineering and transitioned into this field. Simultaneously, I pursued and earned a Master’s degree in Information Technology from BSUIR through remote studies.

During this time, I contributed to IBM’s RM Metro project, which evolved into the Data Aggregator for IBM’s global HR domain. This was my first experience, where I actively drove the design and implementation of solutions in collaboration with IBM architects, gaining hands-on experience in systems integration.

Acquired Skills:

• Transitioned from Java to Data Engineering
• Proficiency in IBM stack technologies: DB2, Datastage, Cognos, MQ, and Message Broker
• Experience in data integration, dimensional modeling, and data architecture
• Strengthened collaboration and leadership skills during large-scale project execution

Achievements:

• Contributed to transforming RM Metro into the Data Aggregator project, a critical solution for IBM’s global HR systems
• Took on my first leadership role, driving technical design and implementation alongside IBM architects
• Earned a Master’s degree in Information Technology while gaining practical work experience

Rockwell Automation: Lead Software Engineer (2014–2017)

After my tenure with IBM, I joined Rockwell Automation as a Lead Software Engineer. Initially, I maintained a regional Data Warehouse (DWH) but soon transitioned to a major initiative to consolidate all regional warehouses into a Global Data Lake using the Hadoop (Cloudera) stack.

In this dual role as Team Lead and Data Architect, I managed a development team based in India, guiding them in re-implementing the functionality of existing regional warehouses within the global framework. This was my first significant experience with big data and architectural design, demanding leadership, data expertise, and effective cross-cultural collaboration.

Acquired Skills:

• Big Data Technologies: Hadoop (Cloudera), HDFS, Hive, Spark, Oozie, Impala
• Microsoft Stack: MS SQL, SSIS, SSAS, PowerBI
• Advanced data architecture, including data lake design and ETL pipelines
• Leadership and team management: Coordinating international teams to deliver complex projects
• Migration and consolidation strategies for scalable global solutions

Achievements:

• Successfully led a development team from India, ensuring effective collaboration and timely delivery
• Played a key role in designing and implementing the Global Data Lake, modernizing Rockwell’s data infrastructure
• Gained expertise in managing complex data migration and architectural projects

Back to IBM: Cloud/BigData Architect (2017–2021)

After completing my work at Rockwell Automation, I rejoined IBM in a strategic role to build their Cognitive Enterprise Data Platform (CEDP). This initiative aimed to consolidate IBM’s global data into a hybrid cloud environment. I transitioned into a Technical Delivery Lead role, overseeing scalable, secure, and efficient data systems.

Based on my experience, I established a Big Data Center of Excellence (CoE) at IBA, creating educational programs to train more than 50 engineers, 10 of whom became tutors under my leadership.

Acquired Skills:

• Cloud Technologies: IBM Cloud, Docker, Kubernetes
• Big Data Tools: Spark, Kafka, ElasticSearch, Hortonworks Hadoop ecosystem
• Data Governance: Designing and implementing frameworks for compliance, quality, and security
• DevOps and Pipelines: Building CI/CD pipelines with GitLab and IBM Toolchains
• Architecture: Viewpoints and Perspectives Framework, C4 modeling
• Leadership: Grew a team from 8 to 24, fostering professional development and optimizing performance

Achievements:

• Contributed to the design and implementation of IBM’s CEDP, enabling centralized and secure data access
• Key projects:
  • EPM Sales Analytics: Migrated legacy platforms to cloud-native infrastructure
  • DataHub: Built a data ingestion service integrating Apache Kafka and Hadoop
  • Watson Health: Created a HIPAA-compliant healthcare data platform
  • Security Center: Architected dynamic access controls for hybrid environments
• Established and scaled the Big Data CoE, training 50+ engineers

Profitero: Lead (Chief) Architect (2021–2024)

At Profitero, I started as a Solutions Architect and was quickly promoted to Lead (Chief) Architect, where I was responsible for driving the company’s technology vision, scaling its engineering capabilities, and aligning architectural initiatives with business objectives. This period marked a phase of immense growth, balancing technical innovation with strategic leadership.

Acquired Skills:

• Product Architecture: Designing scalable, secure, and efficient systems tailored to meet the demands of e-commerce analytics.
• Cloud Technologies: Expertise in AWS and GCP, integrating cloud-native solutions into data platforms.
• Management Skills:
  • Leadership and Mentorship: Mentored architects and technical leads, fostering a culture of innovation and professional growth.
  • Engineering Organization Design: Structured teams using frameworks like Team Topologies to optimize productivity and collaboration.
• Business and Strategy Alignment: Collaborated with C-level executives and VPs to align technical roadmaps with overarching business goals.

Achievements:

• Leadership and Team Growth: Mentored team members into senior and architectural roles, and successfully scaled the engineering team while fostering collaboration and productivity.
• Company Acquisition: Contributed to the company’s acquisition process by presenting and explaining how systems functioned, addressing potential concerns, and highlighting their strengths to showcase the value of the technical infrastructure.
• Cloud RFP Leadership: Drove the Request for Proposal (RFP) process for cloud migration, leading the technical evaluation and decision-making to ensure alignment with business needs.
• Cloud Migration Execution:
  • Designed and planned the migration of over 400 bare metal servers to Google Cloud using a lift-and-shift strategy within a challenging four-month timeline.
  • Monitored and tracked execution, ensuring deadlines and quality benchmarks were met.
• System Modernization on Cloud:
  • Initiated and led the modernization of legacy systems post-migration, aligning the transformation with product objectives to maximize value and efficiency.

At Profitero, I gained invaluable experience in balancing immediate tactical needs—such as cloud migrations—with long-term strategic goals, including system modernization and organizational growth. These achievements underscore my ability to lead transformative projects, align technology with business strategy, and drive impactful results.

Vonage: Staff Systems Architect (2024–Present)

At Vonage, I serve as a Staff Systems Architect, focusing on designing reliable architectures and implementing data intensive systems.

While it is still early in my journey, I am eager to take on new challenges and continue driving impactful solutions. My story continues.