Hello, I'm

Dhanush Garikapati

Software Development Engineer

Building high-throughput backend services, distributed systems, and robust full-stack web applications with FastAPI, Node.js, React, and Python.

Dhanush Garikapati Profile Picture

About Me

Engineering Focus

I build scalable, secure backend systems and high-throughput microservices. Applying SDLC practices to optimize performance and solve complex architecture challenges.

Education

M.S. in Data Science GPA 4.0/4.0
University of Maryland, College Park
B.S. in Computer Science GPA 3.5/4.0
Vellore Institute of Technology

My Story & Passion

Completed my graduate studies at the University of Maryland, my expertise involves software engineering. I design and implement reliable software systems, write highly testable and clean code, and optimize complex SQL, PostgreSQL databases.

I love solving distributed systems problems, orchestrating data pipelines with Apache Spark/Airflow, and developing end-to-end applications that are performant and user-focused. I thrive on debugging, performance tuning, and creating robust APIs.

Core Backend & REST APIs
Distributed Data Pipelines
Database & Query Optimization
Microservices & Docker Containerization

Technical Skills

Languages

Python
Java
C++
C#
Bash
JavaScript
TypeScript

Backend Frameworks

FastAPI
Node.js
Express.js
.NET
RESTful APIs
Microservices
Session Management

Systems & Cloud

Apache Spark
Apache Kafka
Apache Airflow
GraphQL
gRPC
AWS
Azure
GCP

Databases

PostgreSQL
MySQL
MongoDB
Qdrant (Vector DB)
Database Design
Indexing
ETL Pipelines

Developer Tools

Git / GitHub
Linux / Bash
Docker
Kubernetes
VS Code / Cursor
CI/CD Pipelines

Engineering Practices

OOP
Data Structures & Algorithms
Unit & Integration Testing
Asynchronous Processing
Performance Tuning
Logging & Debugging

Professional Experience

Research Assistant

Jan 2026 -- May 2026
University of Maryland, College Park, MD
  • Designed and deployed a scalable distributed data processing pipeline using Apache Spark, enabling high-volume ingestion, transformation, and reliable workflow execution.
  • Built backend services and automation scripts with Python and REST APIs, implementing validation, logging, and fault-tolerant error handling to improve system reliability and maintainability.

GIS Data Analyst Intern

Jun 2025 -- Aug 2025
Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA), Baltimore, MD
  • Designed and deployed a scalable data processing pipeline for high volume data ingestion and transformation using Python, SQL, and ArcPy.
  • Built an interactive tracking dashboard integrating geolocation services and API responses to visualize asset conditions dynamically.
  • Designed high-throughput preprocessing workflows handling +100k data records using parallel processing and batching, improving system efficiency.

Software Engineering Intern

Jan 2024 -- June 2024
IBaseIT, Hyderabad, India
  • Consulted with clients and developed 8 full-stack websites using JavaScript, React.js, HTML, CSS, and Node.js, translating requirements into responsive interfaces.
  • Worked closely on backend/API integrations, and developed brand-aligned user experiences tailored to client business goals.

Featured Projects

Attrition Prediction & Explainable AI

Built an end-to-end machine learning pipeline using Random Forest and XGBoost to predict employee attrition. Integrated SHAP and LIME frameworks to provide model interpretability and explain local and global risk factors.

Python XGBoost SHAP LIME

Hate Speech Detection

Developed a natural language processing classifier using machine learning to detect and categorize hate speech in text streams. Evaluated models on accuracy, precision, and recall using TF-IDF and word embeddings.

Python NLP PyTorch Scikit-Learn

ClearShot AI

Developed a generative AI pipeline that integrates Stable Diffusion, ControlNet, LoRA fine-tuning, and Real-ESRGAN for automated product photography enhancement. Built a Gradio web application for interactive pipeline execution.

Stable Diffusion ControlNet LoRA PyTorch Gradio

Certifications

Docker
GitHub
AWS Cloud
Azure
Azure AI
Snowflake
Python
AI Agents
ArcGIS

Contact Me

Let's discuss opportunities, projects, and collaborations.