About

About

About Me

Hi, I’m Alex Tran — a developer and builder who loves turning ideas into systems that work.

I split my time between 🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City and 🇦🇺 Melbourne, living between two worlds: one rooted in engineering craft and the other in family life with Romie and our son Milo.

When I’m not building software, I’m usually engineering my home — automating lights, sensors, and routines through Home Assistant.
It’s my favorite kind of project: where code, design, and everyday life meet.

And when it’s time to slow down, I turn to piano, mechanical keyboards, or quiet evenings with family — the kind of small systems that make life feel intentional.

🧠 What I Do

I work at the intersection of engineering, AI, and product thinking — building systems that blend performance, simplicity, and human intent.

My foundation was shaped in Australia, where I studied Computer Science and began my career as a software engineer.
Those early years taught me the value of reliability, craftsmanship, and thoughtful design — the quiet disciplines that separate a working product from a lasting one.

Later, I moved to Southeast Asia, where I led product and growth teams at Grab, Lazada, and ShopBack — building payments, logistics, and loyalty systems that serve millions across the region.
It was the kind of work that sits at the heart of SEA: high-stakes, high-scale, and deeply human.

That contrast — between the structure of Australia and the dynamism of Southeast Asia — still shapes how I build.
I think like an engineer, but design like a product person: connecting systems back to experience, and complexity back to clarity.

My work spans:

  • Scalable backend architectures with Python, FastAPI, and PostgreSQL
  • Frontend experiences in Next.js and TypeScript
  • AI-driven development tools and automation agents
  • Observability and DevOps stacks on AWS, Redis, and Tempo

Earlier, I also worked at Fossil Group, bridging hardware, software, and design in the smartwatch ecosystem — a lesson in diversity of craft, from firmware to storytelling.

Lately, I’ve been exploring how AI reshapes the act of building —
how tools like Cursor and LLM-powered agents can plan, reason, and collaborate like engineers, while keeping human judgment and creativity at the center.

🎹 Beyond Code

I believe engineering and music share the same rhythm: structure meets emotion.
Playing piano helps me slow down — a reminder that craft matters as much as speed.

Building custom mechanical keyboards is another quiet obsession — there’s something poetic about assembling the tools you use to create, one switch at a time.

🌏 Get in Touch

Exploring the intersection of engineering, AI, and human creativity — one build, one key, one note at a time.