Ardavan Shahrabi
Software Developer & Machine Learning Engineer
Ontario, Canada
Hi There!
I'm Ardavan Shahrabi, a Computer Science graduate from Dalhousie University with a passion for algorithms, full-stack development, and Machine Learning. I love turning complex challenges into elegant solutions and building software that makes a real impact.
My experience spans from winning a first-place hackathon building an AI-driven networking app, to conducting academic research in combinatorial pattern matching where I helped reduce computational time by over 50% for genomic data processing. I hold certifications in Cybersecurity and DevOps.
I'm driven by creating accessible, inclusive technology that simplifies complex tasks and empowers users. Let's connect and build something awesome!
Education
Sep, 2020 - May, 2024
Halifax, NS
Dalhousie University
Bachelor of Computer Science with honours (First Class Honours), (GPA: 3.93 / 4.3)
Skills & Technologies
Programming Languages
Frontend
Backend & Databases
DevOps & Tools
Experience
Sep 2025 - Present
London, UK (Remote)
Open-source Contributor
Atlas API – BrainGlobe
Implemented a hierarchical brain-structure query feature (get_structures_at_hierarchy_level) for BrainGlobe Atlas API (open-source neuroscience toolkit), enabling depth-based filtering of anatomical structures and proposing a fix for GitHub issue #623. Added robust input validation, error handling, and a test suite with 16 unit tests while keeping all 22 existing tests passing, improving reliability and establishing patterns for future contributors.
Aug 2025 - Present
Toronto, ON
Machine Learning Engineer (Volunteer) – NLP Team
Climate Resilient Communities
Integrated BERTopic topic modeling with MMR representation for climate anxiety analysis on 5,000+ social media posts. Resolved complex Python dependency conflicts (PyTorch, Transformers, NumPy compatibility issues). Documented Cohere API deprecation and implemented fallback solution, preventing project delays. Collaborated via Git/GitHub on production ML pipeline processing Twitter and Reddit data.
May 2025 - Present
Toronto, ON
Software Developer (Contract)
retainium.ca (Startup)
Authored Jest/React Testing Library test suite validating minimum dimension constraints, mouse event simulation, and callback functions to ensure production-ready resize functionality. Implemented RBAC and refined schema/state management to harden data access and improve maintainability. Enhanced UI/UX and performance through structured GitHub issues, code reviews, and incremental refactors. Worked in an Agile team using PR-based collaboration, version control, and testing pipelines.
May 2025 - Sep 2025
Toronto, ON
Machine Learning Research Collaborator
University of Toronto
Collaborated with a university professor to develop technical course materials for a Machine Learning and Data Science class. Assisted in designing assignments, lecture slides, and coding exercises covering core ML topics (supervised/unsupervised learning, model evaluation, data preprocessing). Built and tested machine learning models using Python, scikit-learn, and pandas for use in instructional content and student projects. Conducted code reviews and provided feedback on ML pipelines and model performance for coursework examples.
Mar 2025 - Dec 2025
Toronto, ON
AI Software Developer (Contract)
Canadian Multicultural Inventors Museum
Built a React/Next.js learning platform with Supabase backend for youth AI/ML education. Designed PostgreSQL schema with row-level security and RBAC, ensuring secure and persistent progress tracking. Created gamified modules, quizzes, and a real-time leaderboard using Supabase Realtime APIs.
Dec 2023 - Dec 2024
Halifax, NS
Sales Representative
ByDesign Embroidery & Screen Print
Managed end-to-end custom apparel orders for corporate, government, and community clients, from first inquiry to final delivery. Maintained ongoing communication and follow-ups with key accounts, helping build long-term relationships and referrals.
Sep 2023 - Dec 2023
Halifax, NS
Software Developer (Project) — JuniorDevForge
Dalhousie University
Built a collaboration platform for junior devs using Node.js, React, MongoDB, and Express. Designed database schemas and implemented clean UI/UX for seamless user flow.
Feb 2023 - Aug 2023
Halifax, NS
Research Assistant
Dalhousie University
Engineered space-efficient indexing for genomic data, projected to reduce memory usage by 50%. Enhanced data query speed, cutting processing time from hours to under an hour for large datasets.
Projects
JuniorDevForge
Collaboration platform for junior developers to form teams and work on real-world projects. Built with a team of 6, designed the MongoDB database architecture and user interface.View live →
MONI-k
Genomic data indexing tool using efficient algorithms in C. Co-authored research paper accepted at the Annual Symposium on Combinatorial Pattern Matching.View paper →
Maverick
Led a 5-developer agile team designing and implementing a task management website with RESTful API. Implemented CI/CD pipelines and runners with GitLab for reliable development, achieving 66% test coverage. Facilitated mob programming sessions to enhance code ownership among all team members. Completed the project with the highest grade in the class.
Key Features:
- Agile Team Leadership: Led a 5-developer team using agile methodologies, ensuring efficient collaboration and timely delivery of the task management platform.
- RESTful API: Designed and implemented a RESTful API for seamless communication between the front-end and back-end of the website.
- CI/CD Integration: Set up and maintained CI/CD pipelines and GitLab runners to automate testing and deployment.
- Mob Programming: Facilitated mob programming sessions to promote team collaboration and code ownership.
Get In Touch
I'm open to new opportunities, collaborations, and interesting projects. Whether you have a question or just want to say hi, I'll do my best to get back to you as soon as possible!