Istanbul, Turkey
Zuhal Didem Aytac
Software Team Lead
I build scalable data platforms and lead engineering teams at Mindsite. Five years shipping APIs in Python and Go — and canvases on the weekends.
About
I'm a Software Team Lead at Mindsite in London, where I lead a cross-functional team of engineers and designers building data platforms and APIs. I started as a developer and grew into leading teams — which means I can still read the diff, but I spend more time thinking about people and product.
My stack centers on PostgreSQL, Python, Golang, GCP, and ClickHouse, with a focus on real-time analytics and data infrastructure. Outside of work, I paint, bake, and explore new cities. Politecnico di Torino (MSc) and Boğaziçi University (BSc, Honors) shaped how I think about problems.
Experience
Mindsite
CurrentSoftware Team Lead
Apr 2025 – PresentLeading a cross-functional team of 4 engineers and 1 designer within the Data Platform team.
- Overseeing full development lifecycle from design to deployment, ensuring high code quality and scalability
- Acting as bridge between technical and business teams, gathering requirements and aligning product features
- Managing team capacity, career growth, and well-being through 1:1s, goal setting, and performance reviews
- Collaborating with stakeholders to define product vision and roadmap, prioritizing features based on customer impact
Microsoft
Software Engineering Intern
Jul – Sep 2020Apps Domain Team — built full-stack tooling for internal use.
- Designed and coded frontend using ReactJS
- Developed backend with Flask and SQL database
- Worked on availability improvements and technology migration
QNB Finansbank
Data Science Intern
Jun 2019 – Aug 2020Part of the newly established Advanced Analytics team.
- Organised and interpreted statistical data to generate client insights
- Developed machine learning models to automate banking processes
Projects
zudiay Studio
Web
A creative playground of interactive experiments, data toys, and games — where code meets curiosity.
Reflectio — Reflect & Grow
iOS · iPadOS · macOS · visionOS
A mindful daily reflection journal that helps you build a reflection habit, track growth, and find clarity.
ARtify Studio
iOS · visionOS
Transform photos into AR art — draw, overlay, and create stunning visuals in augmented reality.
Baş Ağrısı Günlüğüm
iOS
A comprehensive headache diary app to track patterns, triggers, and symptoms — with PDF health reports.
Art
Education
Polytechnic University of Turin
Master's Degree, Computer Engineering
Pursuing advanced studies in computer engineering at one of Italy's top technical universities, while working full-time as a software lead.
- •Balancing full-time engineering leadership with graduate-level coursework
Boğaziçi University
Bachelor's of Science, Computer Engineering
Comprehensive computer engineering program with focus on software development, algorithms, and computer systems. Graduated with honors and active participation in various academic and extracurricular activities.
- •Graduated with Honors Degree
- •BÜYAK - Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Operations Research Club
Kadikoy Anadolu High School
High School Diploma
Strong foundation in mathematics and sciences, graduating as top student.
- •Top student — 98.26/100 GPA
Contact
Get in touch
I'm always interested in new opportunities, whether it's discussing potential collaborations, sharing insights about technology and art, or simply connecting with fellow professionals.