> Backend Developer · 10+ years

Paolo
Montano

Vancouver, BC · Open to remote

> About

Paolo Montano

I build and maintain reliable backend systems, and care about writing code that's easy to reason about and built to last.

Currently at Hushmail — open to senior backend roles, Vancouver or remote.

> Skills

Languages & Frameworks

PHP, JavaScript, SQL, Bash, Zend Framework, Vue.js

Database & Storage

MySQL, SQLite, MongoDB, Redis

Tools & Practices

Git/GitLab, Docker, Ansible, Capistrano, Linux, REST APIs, Stripe, Payments, Caching, Cron jobs, Database Design, OOP, Code Review, automated testing & static analysis (PHPUnit, PHPStan)

> Experience

Software Developer · Hushmail

May 2019 – Present

  • Personally executed the team's full SVN→GitLab migration — evaluated GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket and presented the recommendation, then carried out the migration and established branching workflows for the 4-developer team; became the go-to resource for GitLab infrastructure and mirroring issues.
  • Implemented form ownership and account transfer logic for SecureForms, a HIPAA-compliant encrypted form product serving healthcare and legal clients.
  • Reworked authentication routing to redirect users to the correct web application based on account identity, resolving a longstanding source of user confusion.
  • Contributed to payment platform migration from eXact to Stripe, implementing product and discount setup, subscription migration, custom reseller billing logic, and a hybrid PayPal integration that retained PayPal as the payment method while moving subscription management to Stripe.
  • Became the team's go-to for third-party integration issues, particularly Stripe/PayPal billing sync and other external APIs.
  • Maintained and extended backend PHP systems supporting core privacy-focused email infrastructure.

PHP/MySQL Developer · AvenueHQ Inc.

Mar 2017 – Apr 2019

  • Maintained a real estate feed ingestion system consuming RETS data from CREB, FVREB, TREB, and CREA, processing thousands to tens of thousands of listings via scheduled cron jobs.
  • Designed and shipped a new internal API version with an extensible abstraction layer, simplifying feed-to-object transformation and allowing per-feed overrides without touching shared code.
  • Designed and implemented database schema enhancements to support evolving feed structures and listing data.

API Integrations Specialist · Eventbase Technology Inc.

May 2015 – Feb 2017

  • Integrated REST and SOAP APIs for mobile and web event applications used at premier enterprise events including Citrix.
  • Served as primary on-site technical contact for enterprise clients, resolving integration issues in real time at high-profile events.

Software Developer (Co-op) · Appnovation Technologies

Jan 2014 – Aug 2014

  • Built CMS features and custom modules for multiple client projects.
  • Developed and delivered a proof of concept integrating Tableau data visualizations into a CMS.

> Highlights

  1. 01

    SVN → GitLab migration at Hushmail

    Evaluated GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket and presented the recommendation, then personally carried out the team's SVN→GitLab migration and set up branching workflows for the 4-dev team. Became the go-to for GitLab infrastructure and mirroring issues.

  2. 02

    Stripe payment platform migration at Hushmail

    Shipped product and discount setup, subscription migration, custom reseller billing, and a hybrid PayPal integration that kept PayPal as a payment method while moving subscription management to Stripe.

  3. 03

    Cron-backed Stripe pricing cache at Hushmail

    Replaced per-request Stripe API calls — which rebuilt a short-lived Products/Prices array on nearly every page load — with a cron job that pulls Products, Prices, and Features into a file cache. Cleaned up Stripe Product/Price metadata and adopted Product Features along the way, cutting API calls and rate-limit risk, removing a request-path dependency on Stripe, and speeding up page loads.

  4. 04

    “Most Innovative” — AvenueHQ Hackathon 2018

    Won the Most Innovative award with a teammate for an automation that turns an MLS listing's photos into a ready-to-post video, giving real estate agents marketing content to share on social media.

  5. 05

    Extensible feed-ingestion API at AvenueHQ

    Designed a new internal API version with an abstraction layer that simplified RETS feed-to-object transformation and allowed per-feed overrides without touching shared code.

> Education

Diploma of Technology · British Columbia Institute of Technology

Jan 2013 – May 2015

  • Computer Systems Technology — Web and Mobile Option.
  • Focused on PHP, JavaScript, ASP.net, Android, and iOS development.