alex@seymer:~$ whoami --verbose
{
  "role": "Data Engineer",
  "stack": ["PostgreSQL", "R", "Svelte", "Docker", "Linux", "git"],
  "superpower": "I understand the data – not just the pipeline",
  "location": "Salzburg, AT · remote-ready"
}
alex@seymer:~$

Data Engineer
with a research backbone.

I build data pipelines, warehouses, and platforms that are rigorous by design — because I spent 15 years doing quantitative research before writing a single ETL job. Based in Salzburg, open to remote across the DACH region and beyond.

What I build

⚙️

Data Pipelines & ETL/ELT

Design and implementation of robust data pipelines, harmonization of heterogeneous sources into unified data lakes and warehouses — with statistical taxonomies baked in from the start.

PostgreSQL R Data Lake DWH
🗄️

Data Warehouse & Modeling

Standardization and taxonomic structuring of data at scale. From raw ingestion to analytics-ready models — built with reproducibility and long-term maintainability in mind.

Medallion Data Modeling Governance SQL
🖥️

Full-Stack Development

Technical lead for frontend-to-database product delivery. Svelte frontends with a PostgreSQL backend, interactive Shiny dashboards, and HTML/CSS-based data applications. Working intensively with AI-assisted development tools (Cursor) since late 2025.

Svelte HTML/CSS Shiny PostgreSQL Cursor
🔬

Statistical Analysis & Research

20+ years of quantitative methods, survey design, and multivariate modeling. I can tell you not just how to store the data, but what it actually means.

R / Markdown SPSS SEM/AMOS Survey Design
🐳

Infrastructure & DevOps

10+ years of self-hosted environments, containerized applications, and version-controlled workflows. Production-grade Linux administration including mail servers, web hosting, and Docker-based service stacks.

Docker Linux git LaTeX
📊

Data Visualization

From exploratory analysis charts to production dashboards and interactive web apps. Communicating complex data to technical and non-technical stakeholders alike.

Shiny ggplot2 R Markdown D3-ready

Projects

2024 – present · Software Development

Data Platform & Web Application — Technical Lead

Technical lead for a full-stack software project delivering a Svelte/CSS/HTML frontend with a PostgreSQL backend. Architected and implemented a complete data pipeline for harmonizing and standardizing heterogeneous inputs into a data lake, with further processing into a data warehouse aligned to a statistical taxonomy.

Svelte PostgreSQL ETL Pipeline Data Lake Data Warehouse Statistical Taxonomy
live
2021 – 2023 · Survey Data Infrastructure

Values in Crisis Austria — Data Collection & Open Dataset

Responsible for Austrian data collection across three survey waves and for harmonizing all country samples into an integrated international dataset in cooperation with AUSSDA and partner institutions across 18 countries. Built reproducible R pipelines for data processing and quality control. Dataset openly available for reuse.

R Data Harmonization Survey Pipeline Open Data AUSSDA
research
2021 · International Data Integration

Values in Crisis International — 18-Country Data Harmonization

Harmonized 18 independent national survey samples into a single integrated cross-national dataset in cooperation with AUSSDA. Designed and documented the integration schema for long-term reproducibility.

R Cross-national Harmonization Schema Design AUSSDA
research
2016 – 2018 · Evaluation Research

PUMA Recruitment Experiment Evaluation — Statistik Austria

Statistical evaluation of large-scale recruitment experiments for Statistik Austria (Q2 and Q4/2016). Designed analysis pipelines in R, delivered reproducible reports and policy-facing documentation.

R Experimental Design Policy Analysis Statistik Austria
research
Ongoing · Interactive Applications

Shiny Data Applications & Self-Hosted Infrastructure

Production Shiny applications for dynamic data visualization and form-based data entry. Operates a personal self-hosted stack: git server, email, web, Docker-based services — all on managed Linux infrastructure.

R Shiny Docker Linux Server git self-hosted
live

Experience

2024 – present

Technical Lead, Software & Data Engineering

Stadt Salzburg

Leading full-stack development and data architecture on a software project for the City of Salzburg. Responsible for frontend (Svelte), database (PostgreSQL), and data pipeline design including lake-to-warehouse processing. Since September 2025 working at sustained high output with AI-assisted development in Cursor — shipping code daily across the full stack.

2020 – 2024

Senior Scientist

Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg (PLUS)

Quantitative social research, survey data infrastructure, and international data harmonization. Led the Values in Crisis Austria study (3 survey waves, open dataset). Member of the AUSSDA User Advisory Board; co-editor, Österreichische Zeitschrift für Soziologie.

2023 – 2024

Researcher & Data Engineer

Johannes Kepler Universität (JKU) — Digitize! Project

Data acquisition, pipeline development, and analysis within the Digitize! research project. Produced an Open Educational Resource (OER) on data methods.

2008 – 2020

Researcher & University Lecturer

Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg · Paracelsus Medical University · FH Salzburg

12 years of applied quantitative research and teaching across three institutions — building data pipelines, analytical models, and study infrastructure from scratch long before it was called "data engineering."

Key projects during this period:

  • ForStrat-Cockpit (2015–17) — FFG-funded project with industry partners and government ministries; developed a collaborative, software-based, semi-automated decision-support system for research strategy evaluation.
  • Values in Crisis Austria (2021–23) — End-to-end ownership of three survey waves: instrument design, data collection, quality control, harmonization, and open data release via AUSSDA.
2017 – 2023

Scientific Consultant

Self-employed — PMU · SALK · Statistik Austria · Promente

Independent consulting for research design, data collection, and statistical analysis for medical, social, and public-sector clients. Delivered reproducible R-based pipelines and policy-facing reports.

Selected mandates:

  • PAiS Study (2016–18, PMU) — Study on family caregivers of dementia patients in Salzburg; end-to-end data management, mixed-methods analysis, and publication pipeline.
  • Bundesliga Study (2020, PMU) — Implemented a geo-tracking system for 146 professional football players across five clubs, including app development for data collection. Statistical analysis for COVID-19 risk monitoring; results published in Scientific Reports.
  • PUMA Evaluation (2016–17, Statistik Austria) — Statistical evaluation of large-scale recruitment experiments (Q2 & Q4/2016); reproducible R-based analysis and reporting for national statistics authority.
2006 – 2008

Parliamentary Assistant

European Parliament, Brussels

Supported the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, combining policy analysis with international stakeholder coordination.

About me

I am a data engineer with an unusual origin story: I spent 15 years as a quantitative social scientist before moving into engineering roles. That background means I care deeply about what data represents — not just how it flows.

My engineering skills grew organically from research necessity: when you need reproducible pipelines, harmonized cross-national datasets, and interactive dashboards for non-technical stakeholders, you build them yourself. Over time, Docker, PostgreSQL, Svelte, and Linux server administration became core tools, not sidelines.

I hold a PhD (Dr. phil.) from Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg and an MSc from KU Leuven. I teach at the Paracelsus Medical University, where I was voted Teacher of the Year in 2020. I speak German (native) and English (professional).

I am based in Salzburg, Austria and open to roles across the DACH region, fully remote, or internationally remote.

20+
years working with data
17+
peer-reviewed publications
daily
AI-assisted development in Cursor — sustained high-output shipping since Sep 2025
12
years of R & reproducible pipelines
10+
years of Docker & self-hosted infra

Let's talk

I am actively looking for Data Engineering roles — full-time or freelance — in Salzburg, remote across Austria, or internationally remote. If you are building data infrastructure and need someone who understands the data as deeply as the pipeline, let's have a conversation.

Available for new opportunities
  • Data Engineer (full-time or freelance)
  • Analytics Engineer / Data Platform roles
  • Salzburg on-site or hybrid
  • Remote Austria or DACH region
  • International remote
  • Part-time considered (min. 60%)