---
title: Home
url: 'https://kaleb.au/'
markdown: 'https://kaleb.au/index.md'
date: '2026-10-15'
description: 'Kaleb McGhie is a Senior Software Engineer based in Zetland, Sydney, working on .NET, cloud infrastructure and Linux systems.'
---

# Home

## About

I'm a **Senior Software Engineer** based in Zetland, Sydney, with more than eight years of professional experience building software.

My work sits across three areas that I've spent most of my career moving between: **backend engineering** in C#, ASP.NET Core, **infrastructure** on Linux, Docker and Kubernetes, and the **Linux system administration** underneath both. I like problems where those three meet the kind where the code is fine but the system around it isn't, and someone needs to work out why.

I run my own infrastructure, write about it, and maintain a handful of open source projects. I'm comfortable owning a problem end to end, and just as comfortable dropping into someone else's stack to unblock them.

Currently working as a **Senior Software Engineer** on contract [freelance rates](https://kaleb.au/freelance) if you'd like to work together.

###### Software Development

Production C#, ASP.NET Core and Python, from feature work through to the last deploy.

[Software Development](https://kaleb.au/freelance)

###### System Architecture

Designing systems that stay maintainable past the first version.

[System Architecture](https://kaleb.au/freelance)

###### Cloud Infrastructure

AWS and Azure, designed for cost and for the people who have to operate it at 3am.

[Cloud Infrastructure](https://kaleb.au/freelance)

###### Kubernetes & Docker

Containerisation, orchestration and the unglamorous parts in between.

[Kubernetes & Docker](https://kaleb.au/freelance)

###### Linux Administration

Servers, networking, storage and everything the control panel doesn't show you.

[Linux Administration](https://kaleb.au/freelance)

###### DevOps & CI/CD

Build pipelines, deployment automation and environments you can reproduce.

[DevOps & CI/CD](https://kaleb.au/freelance)

###### Database Design

Schemas, indexing and query performance for MSSQL, PostgreSQL and Oracle.

[Database Design](https://kaleb.au/freelance)

###### Performance Tuning

Finding the actual bottleneck instead of guessing at it.

[Performance Tuning](https://kaleb.au/freelance)

###### Code Reviews

Honest, useful review with concrete suggestions you can act on.

[Code Reviews](https://kaleb.au/freelance)

###### Security Reviews

Practical hardening for applications and the infrastructure hosting them.

[Security Reviews](https://kaleb.au/freelance)

###### Automation & Tooling

If a human does it twice, it should be a script.

[Automation & Tooling](https://kaleb.au/freelance)

###### Technical Consulting

A second opinion on architecture, delivery risk or a team stuck on a hard problem.

[Technical Consulting](https://kaleb.au/freelance)

## Open Source Work.

### [PunkProxy](https://gitlab.com/punksky/proxy/punkproxy) 2025–Present

**Edge HTTP proxy with integrated ACME client and OWASP Coraza WAF support**

- Designed and implemented an edge-focused HTTP proxy with per-zone configuration management
- Integrated automated TLS certificate provisioning using ACME
- Built native support for OWASP Coraza WAF for security enforcement at the edge
- Focused on performance, security and deployability in distributed environments

### [Cosmos](https://github.com/cosmosos) 2016–Present

**Toolkit for building operating systems using .NET**

- Contributed to a long-running open source operating system development toolkit
- Developed components enabling low-level system functionality in managed environments
- Maintained tooling and infrastructure supporting OS development workflows
- Built the patch tool that is the base of the Gen 3 build tooling

## What I Work With

**Frameworks & Languages**

C# · ASP.NET Core · Python · FastAPI · Flask · Go · JavaScript · Vue.js · React · Kotlin

**Infrastructure & Platforms**

Linux · System Administration · Proxmox VE · Proxmox SDN · Docker / Podman · Kubernetes · Keycloak · VyOS · NGINX

**Data & Cloud**

PostgreSQL · MSSQL · MySQL · MongoDB · Redis · AWS · Azure · Azure Functions · RabbitMQ

## Get in Touch

I'm currently available for contract and freelance work across Sydney and remotely. Whether it's a short piece of troubleshooting, a dedicated engagement, or ongoing help running systems that can't afford to break, I'd like to hear about it.

[Contact Form](https://kaleb.au/freelance#how-working-with-me-goes)[See my rates](https://kaleb.au/freelance)

[![GitLab](https://img.shields.io/badge/GitLab-zarlo-fc6d26?logo=gitlab&logoColor=white)](https://gitlab.com/zarlo)[![GitHub](https://img.shields.io/badge/GitHub-zarlo-181717?logo=github&logoColor=white)](https://github.com/zarlo)

**Zetland, Sydney NSW, Australia**

---

## Navigation

- Next: [Blog](https://kaleb.au/blog.md)