Francis Malina
Software Engineer
Python • Django • Information Architecture • Search • Data Engineering
I build software that survives. For the last twenty years I've been helping organisations rescue ageing
systems, untangle complicated data and deliver software that remains fast, maintainable and pleasant to
work on long after the original developers have moved on. Most of my work has been in Python, Django and
PostgreSQL, ranging from government and healthcare to finance, energy trading and semantic knowledge
systems. Along the way I've also founded products of my own, designed taxonomies, optimised search,
built developer tooling and spent countless hours improving performance instead of adding unnecessary
complexity.
unilexicon.com/fm · github.com/fmalina
Professional experience
Independent Software Engineer
2021 – present
Working with organisations that need experienced engineering rather than large teams. Recent work
has centred around Python applications, information architecture and data-heavy web systems,
alongside continued development of my own software projects.
- Continued development of the Unilexicon taxonomy platform.
- Created tools around medicines, semantic data and controlled vocabularies.
- Built Blocl, a structured local information platform.
- Produced specialist consultancy for Python applications, software upgrades and technical audits.
Python · Django · PostgreSQL · HTML · CSS · JavaScript · Linux
Joined to modernise a mature financial trading platform while keeping business-critical services
running. The work covered everything from Python migration and database optimisation to Linux
administration and mentoring.
- Migrated production services from Python 2 to Python 3.
- Refactored ETL pipelines and introduced modern engineering practices.
- Improved PostgreSQL performance and reliability.
- Migrated repositories from Mercurial to Git.
- Upgraded Linux servers from Ubuntu 14.04 to 20.04 LTS.
- Developed internal scheduling and operational tooling.
- Mentored developers and helped establish consistent engineering practices.
- Later developed software managing battery storage assets and National Grid balancing operations.
Python · Django · Tornado · PostgreSQL · MongoDB · Linux · Git
Joined GLG to improve how knowledge was represented across the organisation. The work combined
python, UX, data analysis, focusing on helping staff find
the right expertise for clients by reducing duplicate and inconsistent data.
- Designed a tool for cleaning a large council member dataset.
- Advised on GDPR, information quality and searchability.
Python · SQL Server · JavaScript · Information Architecture
Selected consulting engagements
2018
- Planixs — built a realistic banking transaction generator for testing intraday liquidity
and reconciliation systems using Python, SQLAlchemy and PostgreSQL.
- MyOptique Group — developed GDPR API and front-end integration for consent management
across multiple e-commerce websites.
- Patient.info — analysed and repaired more than fifty thousand broken links, restoring
valuable search visibility after multiple redesigns.
- ETC Media Group — updated a large publishing platform.
Python · Django · PostgreSQL · REST · SEO
Developed backend services for the Sport Relief 2018 mobile application, processing nationwide
activity data while supporting hundreds of thousands of participants.
- Designed scalable REST APIs in Django.
- Implemented distributed task processing using Celery and RabbitMQ.
- Supported independently developed iOS, Android and web applications.
- Worked with Docker-based AWS deployments.
Python · Django · PostgreSQL · Celery · RabbitMQ · Docker
Developed a bespoke project management and resource planning system while coaching developers in
Python and software engineering practices.
- Designed and implemented the application from concept to production.
- Mentored the internal development team.
- Delivered responsive interfaces and Django backend services.
Python · Django · JavaScript · HTML · CSS
Worked within Barclays engineering teams to automate software delivery, improve development
workflows and modernise internal engineering tools.
- Automated adoption of Git, Jenkins, JIRA and Confluence.
- Developed internal Django applications and REST services.
- Resolved accessibility, security and performance issues.
- Coached developers and acted as technical lead for small engineering teams.
Python · Django · MySQL · Git · Jenkins
Built Flatmate Rooms from the ground up into a nationwide room rental platform serving more than
half a million registered users. This remains the project that shaped most of my engineering
philosophy: write clean code, understand your users and automate everything that should not require
human effort.
- Designed the complete software architecture.
- Developed the Python/Django platform from scratch.
- Designed databases, deployment, APIs and payment integrations.
- Implemented search, mapping and geospatial features.
- Introduced automated testing and continuous deployment.
- Led technical direction while working directly with customers.
Python · Django · MySQL · Linux · Nginx · GeoDjango
Designed and developed software for creating, managing and applying controlled vocabularies across
large government datasets. This work became the foundation of what later evolved into Unilexicon.
- Developed browser-based taxonomy management software.
- Built semantic tagging tools and browser extensions.
- Worked with education and NHS datasets.
- Designed APIs around SKOS, XML and linked-data standards.
- Bridged information architecture and hands-on software engineering.
Python · Django · JavaScript · SKOS · XML
Selected projects
A long-term project exploring taxonomy management, controlled vocabularies and semantic
information systems. Originally inspired by work for the Department for Education, it has grown
into a collection of tools for building, maintaining and publishing structured knowledge.
- Browser-based taxonomy editor.
- SKOS import and export.
- Multilingual vocabularies.
- Semantic search and controlled terminology.
- Supporting tools including medicines browser, transliteration and data conversion utilities.
A structured dataset of places and services across the United Kingdom, bringing together public
information into a searchable platform.
Designed, developed and operated a nationwide room rental platform, covering
everything from architecture and backend development to search, payments, moderation,
fraud detection, security and customer support.
Built tools for exploring NHS medicines datasets, making complex
reference data easier to understand and use.
Writing
I occasionally write about software engineering, information architecture and the lessons learned
from maintaining large systems over the years: unilexicon.com/fm
Earlier career
Before moving into full-time Python engineering I worked across web development, accessibility,
information architecture and technical search. That work included projects for national newspapers,
government, universities and commercial organisations, and gave me a broad appreciation for the
relationship between software, content and users.
Recognition
- Represented Slovakia at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists.
- Tech Innovator Awards - Winner of Best Taxonomy Management Platform 2024 and 2025
- Halloween mask contest award winner 2024 and 2025 with hand-made nature themed costumes (over 500 contestants)
Languages
- English (C2), Polish (B2) and German (B1) — professional working proficiency.
- Slovak, Czech — native.
A few things that matter to me
I prefer software that is understandable over software that is fashionable. I enjoy reducing
complexity more than adding features, deleting code more than writing it, and leaving systems in a
better state than I found them. Outside computing I spend much of my time restoring old buildings,
working with timber, exploring mountain landscapes and building practical things by hand. Those
interests have influenced how I write software: keep it simple, make it durable and avoid
unnecessary moving parts.