Maurice Van Der Merwe

Cloud Architecture & Infrastructure

• Designed multi-account AWS environments with VPCs, load balancers, and NAT gateways.
• Implemented infrastructure-as-code using Terraform and CloudFormation.
• Configured dual-stack IPv6 networks, including NAT64 gateways and DNS updates.
• Developed scalable and fault-tolerant cloud solutions for enterprise applications.

Security & Compliance

• Architected AWS firewall solutions with advanced security group configurations.
• Implemented compliance frameworks aligned with AWS Well-Architected principles.
• Designed defense-in-depth strategies, including WAF and automated threat detection.
• Managed secure access controls and encryption for sensitive data.

Data Platform Engineering

• Built data pipelines for Snowflake integration with legacy systems.
• Developed RESTful APIs for data synchronization and lifecycle management.
• Optimized ETL workflows for real-time data processing using Kafka and EventBridge.
• Implemented secure data handling practices, including encryption and access controls.

Platform Engineering & DevOps

• Automated CI/CD pipelines with GitHub Actions and infrastructure-as-code.
• Modernized legacy systems with event-driven architectures and microservices.
• Implemented blue-green deployments and rollback strategies for production systems.
• Integrated testing frameworks for continuous quality assurance.

Nova Res Medical AI Research Platform

Chief Technology Officer (CTO) | 2025 – Present

Leading the development of Nova Res, a platform that helps clinicians and researchers by providing explainable, citation-backed insights using AI and real-time data.

• Built a FastAPI backend integrating Azure OpenAI, LangChain, and Neo4j knowledge graphs.
• Developed medical data services for PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov with real-time updates.
• Created an Angular frontend with interactive AI-driven features like citations and knowledge exploration.
• Designed a modular architecture for rapid iteration and HIPAA compliance readiness.
• Delivered a demo-ready MVP showcasing advanced AI capabilities for clinical use.

Technologies: FastAPI, Python, Azure OpenAI, LangChain, Neo4j, PubMed API, Angular

Smart Minions - AI Multi-Agent Orchestration Platform

Platform Architect & Lead Developer | 2025 – Present

Designed and built a platform that automates Jira story workflows using AI agents, with human-in-the-loop approvals.

• Integrated Jira for story ingestion and automated feature delivery.
• Created workflows for requirements analysis, code generation, and testing with human checkpoints.
• Built a universal LLM abstraction layer for seamless cloud provider switching.
• Developed a FastAPI backend and Angular frontend for workflow management.
• Delivered a production-ready platform for end-to-end Jira story automation.

Technologies: Python, CrewAI, FastAPI, Angular, Azure OpenAI, AWS Bedrock, Docker

ServiceNow and Foundry Integration Platform

Lead Developer & Technical Architect | Production Deployment

Delivered complete enterprise integration platform connecting Palantir Foundry with service management systems, replacing legacy infrastructure with modern, automated synchronization capabilities.

• Built React-based mapping UI with role-based access control (RBAC)
• Implemented comprehensive CI/CD pipeline with automated end-to-end testing
• Architected multi-environment deployment strategy (dev, staging, production)
• Result: 99.9% uptime serving enterprise users with scalable architecture supporting 10x future load

AWS Firewall & Security Architecture

Cloud Security Architect | Enterprise Deployment

Architected comprehensive AWS firewall solution establishing robust security posture across BMW's cloud infrastructure with multi-layer network protection and automated threat detection.

• Implemented deep packet inspection, DDoS protection, and application-layer security policies
• Deployed automated policy enforcement with real-time threat monitoring
• Established compliance monitoring and security event correlation
• Result: 90% reduction in security incidents, enhanced compliance, automated threat response

Enterprise IPv6 Dual-Stack Network Modernization

Chief Network Architect | Strategic Initiative

Led BMW's enterprise-wide IPv6 adoption strategy across multiple programs, implementing comprehensive dual-stack infrastructure preparing for 2026 IPv4 address restrictions.

• Configured IPv6 for Application/Network Load Balancers, NAT64 gateways, and PrivateLink endpoints
• Analyzed 5 AWS accounts identifying 478+ reclaimable IPv4 addresses
• Implemented dual-stack DNS, security groups, and WAF for both protocols
• Result: Zero-downtime migration, 15% latency reduction, $10K+ annual cost savings, 20+ year network readiness

Snowflake Sync 2.0 Data Platform

Data Platform Architect | Production Implementation

Transformed proof-of-concept into enterprise-grade data integration infrastructure establishing comprehensive sync capabilities between legacy systems and modern cloud data warehouse.

• Built RESTful APIs with EventBridge-based automated sync scheduling
• Implemented advanced timestamp conversion and Parquet format optimization
• Established enterprise-grade security with Secrets Manager and Private Link isolation
• Result: 40% processing efficiency improvement, 100% automated sync, unlimited scalability

AWS Infrastructure Cost Optimization

DevOps Lead & Cost Optimization Specialist

Led comprehensive cost reduction initiative optimizing AWS Glue resources, pipeline efficiency, and infrastructure right-sizing across development and production environments.

• Migrated pipelines to dedicated SLB_DEV account with optimized resource allocation
• Implemented format conversion automation and data processing workflow optimization
• Enhanced resource tagging, cost allocation, and governance through Infrastructure-as-Code
• Result: Significant annual cost savings through resource optimization and improved change management