Nick Pappas
Fullstack & Platform Engineer
Python / FastAPI, TypeScript, Geospatial (STAC/COG), CI/CD
Profile
Fullstack and platform engineer with four years of experience building and operating Python/FastAPI services, geospatial platforms and data pipelines. I own delivery from API design through containerised deployment and production operation, and I have integrated complex systems across organisations for EU-funded programmes.
Experience
Software & Integration Platform Engineer
- Designed, built and operate the backend and geospatial infrastructure for FEDERATES (European Defence Fund), integrating satellite-data services with distributed simulation systems across partner organisations. Also serve as Product Owner.
- Built the organisation's HLA/RTI distributed-simulation capability from the ground up, using Pitch pRTI and RPR-FOM; established tooling and reference implementations reused across projects.
- Designed and operate containerised microservices with Docker and Traefik, centralised identity and SSO through Keycloak, and Azure DevOps CI/CD pipelines with automated quality gates.
- Built and operate satellite-imagery processing pipelines, from ingestion to STAC-catalogued products served through a FastAPI-based geospatial platform using eoAPI, COG and pgSTAC.
- Delivered a cross-organisation IPsec VPN for secure data exchange between partner sites.
- Contribute backend, integration and production-operations engineering to DECISMAR, AXIS2 / HELEO, EOAfrica and SeaiGrass; mentor junior engineers on backend development, containerisation and CI/CD.
Skills
- Languages
- Python (primary), TypeScript / JavaScript, SQL, Bash
- Backend & web
- FastAPI, async Python, REST APIs, React, Leaflet, PostgreSQL / PostGIS
- Geospatial
- eoAPI, STAC, Cloud-Optimized GeoTIFF (COG), pgSTAC, GeoServer, GDAL / rasterio
- DevOps & infrastructure
- Docker / Compose, Traefik, Keycloak, Azure DevOps CI/CD, Git, Linux, Self-hosted operations and monitoring, Kubernetes (foundational)
- Quality
- Automated testing, SonarQube, Ruff, Code review, Mentoring
- Integration
- Distributed simulation (HLA/RTI), Cross-organisation systems integration, Satellite processing pipelines
Selected projects
- Self-hosted engineering infrastructure
- Built and operate a personal homelab with Docker and Traefik, GitLab CE and self-managed CI runners, Tailscale networking and automated monitoring.
- pappanick/demos
- Claude Code plugins. Fusion runs a local panel of AI models where one judges and the others plan, review and build.
Education
MSc Information Systems (Software Engineering major)
The American College of Greece (Deree). Coursework completed; thesis pending.
Languages
- Greek
- Native
- English
- Full professional / C2 (Cambridge)