Hello, I am
Sérgio Hilgert
I'm a passionate
I am an experienced software engineer with a strong background in building and scaling complex software solutions.
About me.
Code and a Dash of Adventure 🚀
Hi there! I'm Sérgio, a Software Engineer from São José dos Campos, Brazil. With nearly a decade of experience, I've had the privilege of leading teams and projects, mentoring fellow engineers, and cultivating an environment where technical excellence and collaboration thrive.
When I'm not wrangling code or solving complex problems, you'll likely find me hitting the pavement running, cruising on my skateboard, or immersing myself in epic video game adventures.
Fun Facts
Education & Skills
- 2014-2017
Technologist
FATEC - SJC
- 2011-2013
Technician High School
UNIVAP
My skills
I’m a software engineer who’s built and scaled fintech systems that handle millions of transactions without breaking a sweat (or a database). From crafting payment platforms that outsmart acquirers to leading teams that deliver rock-solid systems, I thrive on solving complex problems and driving growth.
Rails is hands-down my strongest skill, though I’m actively leveling up my front-end and infrastructure game to match my Rails expertise. 💪💻
My tech arsenal
Experience.
Tech Lead
As a Senior Software Engineer and founding team member, I designed and built the core payment system that supported the company’s rapid growth, scaling from zero to hundreds of thousands of clients and processing millions of transactions. Leveraging expertise in Ruby on Rails, React, PostgreSQL, Kubernetes, AWS, and Terraform, I ensured performance, security, and seamless integration with other services.
I collaborated with cross-functional teams to align tech with business goals, mentored engineers, and fostered a culture of excellence. I also optimized cloud infrastructure using Kubernetes and AWS and implemented Terraform for reliable, repeatable deployments.
Head of Engineering
As Head of Engineering, I led six engineering leaders and guided a team of 30 engineers at Quero Bolsa, Brazil's largest educational marketplace with over 1 million monthly visits. We managed a complex data lake and microservices ecosystem, ensuring scalability and performance.
I focused on engineers' career growth with tailored development plans, mentorship, and a culture of excellence. I also drove technical strategy, aligned engineering efforts with business goals, and optimized processes for productivity and quality.
I oversaw system architecture, technology choices, and risk management, ensuring long-term scalability and reliability. I championed modern tools and fostered a collaborative, high-performing engineering culture.
Engineering Manager
Led a squad of six engineers, balancing leadership with hands-on development, ensuring project alignment with business goals. Spearheaded the migration to Kubernetes, improving scalability and deployment efficiency, and maintained seven key projects using Ruby on Rails, Vue, AWS, Kubernetes, and Grafana.
Designed a cash flow management system that processed hundreds of thousands of requests and optimized costs. Introduced Apache Kafka to enhance microservice communication and trained teams for adoption.
Improved management processes, streamlined workflows for other Engineering Managers, and delivered technical talks to promote best practices across the company.
Tech lead
As Technical Lead, I oversaw the company’s payment system, leading the adoption of an intelligent platform that dynamically switched payment acquirers, optimizing costs and performance. I also led the "Parcelamento" project, enabling installment payments without a credit card, improving payment accessibility.
I managed two critical financial products, ensuring high-quality delivery and continuous improvement. With a tech stack including Ruby on Rails, Elixir, Node.js, VueJS, PostgreSQL, and AWS, I built scalable systems, promoted best practices, and mentored engineers, focusing on security, compliance, and reliability.
Junior Software Engineer
As a Junior Software Engineer, I contributed to web app development using Ruby on Rails, PostgreSQL, JavaScript, jQuery, and VueJS. I helped build features, debug issues, and ensure smooth functionality, collaborating with senior engineers and cross-functional teams.
I focused on learning best practices, version control, and agile methods, participating in code reviews and mentorship. I also helped maintain documentation and followed development standards for maintainability and performance, while continuously growing my technical skills.
Intern Software Engineer
As an Intern Software Engineer, I supported web app development with Java, JavaScript, Spring Boot, and PrimeFaces. I assisted in coding, debugging, and testing features while gaining hands-on experience with UI development and RESTful services.
I developed a machine learning project using a Naive Bayes algorithm to classify car license plates, enhancing my skills in algorithms and data processing.
Services.
Backend Development
This is my strongest skill, I love to work with backend and create organized and scalable softwares. My main experience is with Ruby on Rails.
Frontend Development
Have worked with ReactJS and VueJS and created responsible web applications. Also have experience with SEO and web vitals.
Site Reliability Engineering
I have experience with AWS, Terraform and Kubernets. I've also implemented observability tools such as Grafana and Prometheus.
Tech Lead
I have a proven track record of leading teams and projects, mentoring engineers, and fostering a culture of technical excellence and collaboration.
Contact me.
Feel free to get in touch.