Backend Engineer · Pakistan
I build systems
that stay up.
Usman Zahid. Backend engineer with a focus on APIs, servers, and production infrastructure. I take a system from design through deployment and keep it running once it is live.
I work well across the full scope of a backend product: architecture, implementation, deployment pipelines, and operations. The goal is always a working, stable system in production, not just working code on a laptop.
What I do
API design, service architecture, data pipelines. Systems that hold up under real traffic, recover from failure, and remain readable long after the initial build.
Deployment is part of the job. Containerised services, CI pipelines, server configuration, production monitoring. A feature is done when it is running reliably, not when the PR is merged.
I can cover the frontend when the project requires it. Enough to deliver a complete, shippable product without needing a hand-off.
How I think
Backend work that is doing its job tends to be quiet. Fast responses, consistent data, graceful failure handling. That is the standard I hold things to.
I approach problems at the system level: component boundaries, data flow, failure modes, operational cost. Production behaviour matters as much as correctness on paper.
Proven tools over interesting ones. Straightforward solutions over layered abstractions. The goal is a system the next engineer can understand and operate.
Stack
The tools change with the job. These are the ones I reach for most.
Currently
Available for backend engineering roles and consulting. I am interested in products where the backend is a first-class concern, not an afterthought.
Get in touch if you are working on something that fits.