Stephen Kalu

Open to on-site, hybrid, or remote roles in the United Kingdom

Stephen Kalu, AI Software Developer

I turn manual, error-prone processes into software that scales.

I build reliable systems end to end, from LLM-powered features to the backends they run on. I have contributed to the development of a payment gateway, shipped automation tools for schools, and an electoral monitoring system for a state government. If you need a team player with an unwaivering commitment to excellence and growth, I am your man.

Portrait of Stephen Kalu
Stephen KaluUnited Kingdom

Find me

80%+

faster result processing in pilot schools

MSc AI

Distinction, plus a First Class BEng

3+ years

shipping AI and production software

Experience

Showing everything.

  1. Dec 2025 to Sep 2026Remote contract

    Software Developer

    3SR Project, TekSkillup
    • Designed and built a low-cost, multi-tenant result management system that automates result computation for small and medium-sized schools. Pilot tests showed processing time down by more than 80% and no paperwork.
    • Engineered it to security best practices, with autoscaling and graceful degradation, turning a manual, error-prone process into a scalable, event-driven workflow serving multiple institutions.
    • Delivered ICT training and digital-skills workshops for teachers, driving adoption of the software.
  2. Jun 2024 to Jun 2025Research

    Associate AI Researcher

    Centre for Human and Assistive Robot Technologies (CHART), University of Nottingham
    • Completed a year-long project applying large language models to preference-based reinforcement learning for a robot agent in an assisted bed-bathing task, and deployed a RAG pipeline to improve LLM performance.
    • Reviewed technical literature, evaluated model performance, and presented findings at seminars and weekly research reviews.
  3. Oct 2022 to Nov 2023Full time

    Full-Stack Developer

    Compumetrics Solutions Limited
    • Developed the merchant dashboard for a payment gateway, enabling secure transaction management and onboarding. Exceeded the technical and integration requirements, contributing to fast-tracked central bank approval for the pilot.
    • Led authentication and quality assurance for an electoral monitoring system used by the Kwara State Government during Nigeria's 2023 general elections.
  4. Feb 2022 to Aug 2022Graduate role

    Graduate Engineer, Business Development

    Bussdor Group of Companies
    • Prepared technical and commercial documentation for competitive bids to government agencies, including the Federal Ministry of Works and the Transmission Company of Nigeria.
    • Contributed to bid submissions that secured three verified contract awards, under tight tender deadlines.

Got a slow, manual process? Let's make it software.

I'm open to full-time roles and contracts in the UK. The quickest way to reach me is email.

MSc Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence)

Distinction, University of Nottingham, 2023 to 2025

Large language models, Machine/Deep Learning, Cybersecurity, Advanced Data Structures and Algorithms, Designing Intelligent Agents, and more.

BEng Civil Engineering

First Class Honours, University of Nigeria, 2015 to 2021

Structural Analysis and Design, Engineering Mechanics and Practice, Project Management, Computer Programming for Engineers, and more.

Toolkit

Build

  • Python, JavaScript, TypeScript
  • React, Next.js, HTML, CSS
  • NestJS, FastAPI
  • Test-driven API development

Data and architecture

  • PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Cloud SQL
  • Event-driven workflows
  • Modular monoliths
  • Orchestration and choreography

Ship and run

  • Docker, Kubernetes
  • Serverless containers, managed instance groups
  • GitHub Actions, Cloud Build
  • k6 load testing, APM, profiling

AI

  • PyTorch, LangGraph
  • Retrieval-augmented generation
  • Proprietary and open-source models
  • Cursor, Claude Code, Claude Skills