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Sergey Hovakimyan

AI-Augmented Software Engineer

Glendale, California · 13+ years · TypeScript & React · Agent-Orchestrated Delivery · Financial Systems

Portrait of Sergey Hovakimyan

Summary

Senior software engineer, 13 years in. For the past year most of my code has been written by agents — my work is deciding what should happen, reviewing what comes back, and proving it holds.

What I’m best at is landing in an unfamiliar domain and getting genuinely useful in it, fast. Financial systems at BuildOps is the latest — I knew nothing about accounting periods, close or ledger integrity a year ago, and now I spec and review changes in that area and coordinate its releases. Before that, five years of consulting at EPAM put me in a new industry every few months: streaming media, social platforms at scale, healthcare, consumer finance software, EV infrastructure, tolling and mobility.

I’ve led as well as built — front-end teams of up to 12 engineers, 20+ technical interviews, and engineers I mentored who are seniors and leads now. Earlier, the Renderforest Video Maker rewrite, now used by 10M+ people. Outside work I founded Ashoon and co-founded Kamui, both built end to end with the same agent-driven workflow.

Key Highlights

Experience

BuildOps — IC5 Software Engineer · AI-Augmented Practice

Santa Monica, California · April 2025 — Present

  • Breadth, then depth: Most of my work is in the React/TypeScript web app across the wider product; more recently I joined the team behind financial operations — accounting periods and close semantics, enforcement across object types and fiscal years, ledger integrity, reporting. New domain, learned properly: I now spec and review changes there and coordinate its releases.
  • AI-Orchestrated Engineering:Operating full-stack frontend work on BuildOps’ vertical SaaS platform through AI-augmented workflows since mid-2025. Orchestrating coding agents, custom skills, and slash commands rather than writing implementation by hand.
  • Agents, Skills & Commands: Designed and shipped reusable Claude Code agents, skills, and slash commands for the team — covering code review, accessibility audits, architecture analysis, design-to-code translation, and repo conventions. Captured team practice as durable tooling so quality scales with headcount.
  • AI-Driven Architecture & Research: Use deep-research and design-review agents to evaluate options and pressure-test trade-offs before any implementation lands. Reduces wasted refactors; keeps architectural decisions auditable and reviewable.
  • AI-Paired Testing & Code Review: Tests, refactors, and PR reviews are agent-paired by default — the agent proposes, the human owns the merge. Maintains rigor while compressing the test-and-review loop.
  • Accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA) at CI Quality: Built AI-led audit workflows that surface a11y issues before they ship — bringing audit-grade scrutiny into every feature, not just compliance cycles.
  • Design-to-Code via MCP: Wired Figma and design-system integrations through MCP, turning design hand-offs into production components without manual boilerplate.
  • Review and release ownership: Reviewed 268 pull requests for other engineers, and own release coordination for financial operations — cutting releases, verifying candidates, and tracking behaviour through to production. Every change human-reviewed before merge.
  • Across the stack: Work spans 9 repositories — the React/TypeScript web app, the financial core service, backend services, database migrations and end-to-end test suites. AWS SDK migration verified against a local emulator; cross-repo full-stack changes shipped as single units of work.
  • Stack: TypeScript · React · Node.js · PostgreSQL · Playwright · Claude Code · MCP · custom agents/skills/commands.

Independent — Founder & Freelance Engineer (part-time)

Remote · April 2021 — Present

  • Ashoon (founder) — AI customer-messaging platform that auto-replies across Instagram, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and website chat in 30 languages, taking orders and booking appointments from a DM. Next.js, NestJS, Prisma/PostgreSQL, pgvector for RAG, Redis/BullMQ, Stripe. ashoon.com
  • Kamui (co-founder) — Point-of-sale platform for independent retail: orders across in-store, pickup and delivery, dispatch with live driver tracking, QR inventory, local printer agents, and an AI assistant. Multi-tenant isolation enforced with Postgres row-level security. kamui.digital
  • Ashoon Studio — Web-design studio shipping brochure sites with booking integration and local SEO for U.S. small service businesses. Astro, Tailwind, Cloudflare Pages. ashoon.online
  • Toptal Network — Member of the vetted talent network since 2021; intermittent part-time client engagements alongside full-time work.
  • Why it matters: both products were built end-to-end through agent-assisted development — the same practice applied to my day job, on problems I owned from scratch.

EPAM Systems — Software Engineering Team Leader

Glendale, California · November 2023 — April 2025

  • Built Scalable Micro-Frontend Architecture: Designed a Micro-Frontend system using React, Redux, and TypeScript. Improved modularity and cut code dependencies by 30%, leading to faster builds and easier integrations.
  • Led a Cross-Functional Team: Managed an 12-person front-end team across EPAM Systems projects. Improved delivery times by 20% through streamlined workflows and close collaboration with other teams.
  • Improved Accessibility and Internationalisation: Ensured compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA and global standards. This extended our project reach to 15+ countries, boosting international engagement by 30%.
  • Developed Streaming Features for Major Client: Contributed to feature development and performance improvements for a streaming platform. Helped deliver key milestones 15% ahead of schedule, supporting client demand during peak times.
  • Created a Productive Team Culture: Held regular team meetings and 1:1s to set goals and give feedback. Increased team engagement and productivity by 20% through a focus on continuous improvement.
  • Interviewed and Onboarded Talent: Interviewed 15+ candidates for technical and cultural fit. Mentored new hires, cutting onboarding time by 30% and improving team retention.
  • Contributed to Business Development: Assisted in creating project proposals and presenting to clients. Helped secure one major account, expanding the project pipeline by 20%.

EPAM Systems — Lead Software Engineer

Glendale, California · March 2022 — November 2023

  • Led Front-End Projects: Directed front-end development on multiple projects, collaborating with cross-functional teams. Improved project delivery speed by 15% through effective coordination and streamlined workflows.
  • Architected and Integrated Micro-Frontend Systems: Designed and implemented a scalable Micro-Frontend Architecture, reducing build times by 20% and simplifying future development across teams.
  • Enhanced Accessibility and Global Standards: Improved accessibility and internationalisation, achieving full WCAG compliance. This expanded the app’s reach by 25%, increasing accessibility for global users.
  • Cultivated a Growth-Oriented Team Culture: Organised regular check-ins and 1:1s, increasing team productivity by 20% by focusing on progress tracking and goal setting.
  • Recruited and Built Strong Teams: Conducted 20+ technical interviews, leading to a 30% reduction in new-hire onboarding time by focusing on both technical and cultural fit.
  • Developed Advanced Social Media Application Features: Delivered complex features and optimisations for major social media applications, boosting user engagement by 15%.
  • Ensured Code Quality and Reliability: Performed code reviews and testing, reducing deployment errors by 25% and maintaining high standards of quality.
  • Mentored and Developed Junior Talent: Mentored junior developers, resulting in a 30% improvement in their performance and skill levels, strengthening overall team capabilities.

EPAM Systems — Lead Software Engineer

Armenia · November 2020 — March 2022

  • Promoted to Lead Role: Transitioned from Senior Software Engineer to Lead, expanding responsibilities to include team leadership and project management on high-stakes client projects.
  • Delivered Client-Centric Solutions: Collaborated with multiple EPAM Systems clients to deliver tailored software solutions, resulting in a 95% client satisfaction rate through high-quality, customised deliverables.
  • Led Front-End Development: Managed a front-end team across several projects, ensuring alignment with client goals. Improved project delivery times by 20% through structured planning and close cross-functional collaboration.
  • Fostered a Culture of Continuous Improvement: Held regular team meetings and 1:1 sessions, boosting team productivity by 15% by tracking progress, setting clear goals, and providing feedback.
  • Enhanced Accessibility and International Reach: Implemented accessibility and internationalisation features, increasing user reach by 20% and achieving full compliance with global standards.
  • Mentored Junior Developers: Provided guidance and support for junior team members, improving team capability by 30% and reducing onboarding time for new hires.

EPAM Systems — Senior Software Engineer

Armenia · September 2020 — November 2020

  • Developed Reusable Components: Contributed to engineering reusable front-end components within a multicultural Scrum team, enhancing product efficiency and streamlining development.
  • Enhanced Toll Road Payment System: Assisted in designing a toll-road payment system, optimising payment processing speed and improving user satisfaction.
  • Participated in Recruitment: Supported the interview process for project-specific roles, helping to select top candidates and reduce time-to-hire by 10%.
  • Improved Application Performance: Contributed to application optimisation, achieving a 10% reduction in load times, enhancing user experience.
  • Maintained Code Quality: Conducted code reviews and testing to ensure high code standards, reducing potential deployment issues by 15%.

Renderforest — Team Lead and Senior Software Engineer

Armenia · May 2019 — September 2020

  • Led Product Overhaul for Video Maker: Managed a cross-functional team of 5 engineers, QA, and designers to rewrite Renderforest’s flagship Video Maker product, boosting product performance by 40% and enhancing user engagement through advanced new features.
  • Enhanced a Widely-Used Product:Contributed to the Video Maker’s success, which serves over 10 million users and has generated 30 million+ projects, making it the company’s most popular tool.
  • Launched a Cross-Platform Media Library: Developed and launched a Media Library, enabling efficient user media management across all Renderforest products, which improved user workflow by 25%.
  • Standardised Development with NPM Module: Created a shared component library as an NPM module, which improved code consistency and reduced development time on new products by 20%.
  • Optimised Agile Workflows: Supported the team in Agile practices, leading to a 15% increase in on-time deliverables and consistently high-quality outputs.
  • Mentored Junior Developers: Guided junior team members, resulting in a 30% improvement in their project contributions and overall team capabilities.

EventGeek — Senior Software Engineer

Armenia · December 2018 — April 2019

  • Collaborated with an agile team to achieve daily, weekly, and monthly development targets, ensuring timely and efficient project completion.
  • Focused primarily on the Front-End development of the EventGeek application, contributing to its user interface and user experience enhancements.
  • Created several core components that were utilised across different parts of the product, improving consistency and reusability.

apolloBytes — Team Lead and Senior Software Engineer

Armenia · April 2017 — December 2018

  • Led the Cloud Fleet Manager project as a Team Leader and Senior Software Engineer, managing a team of up to 5 people.
  • Rewrote 10 modules of Cloud Fleet Manager into React, achieving a significant performance improvement over the previous Silverlight application.
  • Mentored team members by sharing resources, expertise, values, skills, perspectives, attitudes, and proficiencies, facilitating their professional growth.
  • Established best practices for coding, testing, and deployment, ensuring high-quality deliverables and streamlined processes.
  • Conducted regular team meetings and one-on-one sessions to track progress, set goals, and provide constructive feedback.
  • Developed the cryptoeye.eu product as a Node.js developer, focusing on creating cryptocurrency candles.

apolloBytes — Senior Software Engineer

Yerevan, Armenia · December 2016 — April 2017

  • Worked as a Senior Software Engineer at ApolloBytes, a company specialising in large-scale web applications.
  • Collaborated with a team of software engineers on the main product: Cloud Fleet Manager, serving prominent clients such as Hanseaticsoft, Maersk, Atlantic Lloyd, and Nordic Hamburg.
  • Developed and maintained 28 interrelated modules of Cloud Fleet Manager in parallel, with at least 5 modules in development at any given time.
  • Rewrote several modules of Cloud Fleet Manager from Silverlight into React, ensuring compatibility with modern browsers and enhancing performance.

Cyclop Technologies — JavaScript Developer

Yerevan · July 2016 — December 2016

  • Collaborated with a team of developers on the “MegaMarket” product, tailored for the local market, enhancing its user experience and functionality.
  • Utilised JavaScript (React/Redux) to improve the front-end development, ensuring high performance and responsiveness of the “MegaMarket” product.
  • Contributed to the development of innovative websites, implementing best practices for code quality and performance.
  • Participated in team meetings to discuss project progress, address challenges, and devise effective solutions.

Freelance, self-employed — Web Developer

Remote · December 2013 — July 2016

  • Created and developed various web projects for international clients, ensuring requirements were met and projects were delivered on time.
  • Communicated directly with clients from around the world to understand their needs and provide tailored web solutions.
  • Gained extensive experience in remote work, effectively collaborating with teammates from different countries.
  • Delivered high-quality, responsive, and user-friendly web solutions, adhering to best practices in web development.
  • Ensured projects followed best practices in web development, including security and performance optimisation.

Instigate Mobile CJSC — Junior Web Developer

Armenia · August 2013 — November 2013

  • Collaborated with a team on the “Armath” product, primarily utilising jQuery to enhance functionality and user interface.
  • Assisted in the development and maintenance of the “Armath” product, contributing to its overall improvement and user experience.
  • Participated in code reviews, helping to improve coding standards and ensure high-quality code.

Education

National Polytechnic University of Armenia · 2013 – 2017
Bachelor’s degree, Computer Science and Information Technology — Cyber Security

Technical Skills

Languages
JavaScript · TypeScript · Hack
Web Technologies
React.js · Node.js · Redux · React-Router · GraphQL · Next.js · Nest.js · SASS · Styled-components · Tailwind CSS
State Management & Middleware
Redux Thunk · Reselect
Development Practices
Micro-Frontend Architecture · TDD · BDD · Unit Testing · Algorithms · Code Reviews · Scrum · CI/CD · Performance Optimisation
Tools & Databases
PostgreSQL · MongoDB · Git · Jest · Playwright · Webpack · Babel
Top Skills (LinkedIn)
Lit · Leadership · JavaScript

Languages

English (Full Professional) · Armenian (Native or Bilingual) · Russian (Full Professional)