// senior php developer & team lead
Mikhail
Ekaterinichev
12+ years building fintech systems, leading engineering teams, and shipping production-grade software that handles real money.
About Me
I've spent over 12 years building software, with a deep focus on the financial sector — fintech platforms, banking systems, insurance, and credit services. The systems I work on process real transactions and real money, where reliability and precision aren't just nice-to-haves — they're requirements.
I'm equally comfortable writing code as I am leading a team. I've managed groups of 5+ engineers, owned hiring processes, and made the architectural calls that shaped how products evolved. Whether the role calls for hands-on development, technical leadership, or bridging the gap between dev and ops — I bring the full picture.
PHP is my primary language, but my toolkit extends to Python, Go, TypeScript, Kotlin, and Java. I pick up new stacks quickly because strong fundamentals transfer everywhere. I'm also a strong advocate for AI-augmented development — not generating throwaway code, but building proper validation pipelines where AI output is reviewed, tested, and production-safe.
What I Bring
Technical Leadership
Managing teams of 5+ engineers, conducting technical interviews, establishing code review processes, and leading sprint planning. I make architectural decisions that balance technical excellence with business reality.
Backend Architecture
High-load fintech systems built to handle real financial data reliably. Microservice and monolith architectures, message queues, database optimization, and caching strategies that keep things fast under pressure.
DevOps & CI/CD
Docker containerization, Ansible automation, GitHub Actions pipelines, and automated testing integration. I bridge the gap between development and operations — setting up workflows that let teams ship with confidence.
AI-Augmented Development
Practical integration of LLMs into development workflows: automated code review, intelligent task management, and quality-checked AI-assisted coding. Building processes where AI is a powerful tool with proper guardrails.
Tech Stack
$ core
$ infrastructure
$ languages
$ tools & practices
Experience
FlagmanCrowd
Team Lead
- Leading a team of 5 developers on a lending/crowdfunding platform
- Integrating AI into development workflows with automated code review pipelines
- Driving PHP 7.2 → 8.4 migration and CI/CD organization
- Hiring new engineers and building team processes
Freelance
PHP Developer
- Module development on Yii2 with PostgreSQL and Redis
FlexyTech
PHP Developer
- Developing and extending financial products with microservice architecture
- Working across Symfony and Yii2 stacks
AST LLC
Team Lead
- Led a team of 5 on a B2B mortgage insurance broker system
- Owned technical decisions, code review, sprint planning, and DevOps
Equifax Credit Services
PHP Developer
- "Bureau of Insurance Histories" — system architecture and database design
- Automated parsing pipelines and service-oriented processing
- Stack: PHP 7, Yii2, PostgreSQL, MySQL, ActiveMQ, Ansible
UniCredit Bank
PHP Developer
- Internal banking systems, intranet portal, reporting
- PDF document generation and stakeholder communication
Earlier Roles
PHP Developer
- Real estate web development (1C Bitrix)
- Logistics company — PDF processing systems
- IT consulting — counterparty verification service with ElasticSearch
Education
Moscow Financial-Industrial University "Synergy"
Information Security
2013
College, Moscow Humanitarian University
Software Engineering
2010
Let's Work Together
Available for remote work worldwide. Open to full-time, part-time, or project-based engagements.
Contracting as sole proprietor or through a foreign entity