Vanya Balukov
I build high-performing teams by day and hex-grid strategy games by night. 18 years of shipping software for mission-critical systems — from maritime simulators to next-generation aviation platforms.
Core Expertise
The list is constantly growing — I love learning new technologies and approaches.
Leadership & Strategy
Engineering Excellence
Quality Engineering
Test Automation
Professional Journey
From QA Engineer to Engineering Manager — 18 years of building engineering quality and secure software systems for mission-critical industries.
Engineering Manager / QA Lead at Farel
- Lead end-to-end engineering for a next-generation airline operating system at Farel (YC S20), including system architecture, quality strategy, PCI-DSS compliance, and production release management.
- Architect the proprietary TypeScript/Playwright automation framework — 95% reduction in regression cycle (1 day → 20 minutes), enabling multiple production deployments per day.
- Lead PCI-DSS v4.0 (2024) and v4.0.1 (2025) certifications as principal liaison with ControlCase (Qualified Security Assessor).
- Serve as Deployment Manager and final code-review approver across the engineering team.
- Sole QA authority for Farel's IATA-compliant Departure Control System (~10 airports, ~100 airline employees daily).
- Led technical launches of international carriers (Asman, Red Sea, Esav); Asman processes 35,000+ passengers/month through systems I prepared.
- Author Test Policy, Test Strategy, and Test Plans (IEEE/ISTQB-aligned), plus internal security training programs (Incident Response Plan, Secure Development Training, Information Security Awareness).
- Drive AI-assisted engineering tooling (Cursor, GitLab Duo) integration into development pipeline.
Lead QA Engineer at RingCentral
- Implemented and supervised accurate QA workflows, including issue tracking, multi-layer review, and release testing.
- Transferred the entire department to a new workflow (~50 employees).
- Created structured plans and tasks for QA interviews to ensure highest quality engineering.
- Developed sophisticated automated testing frameworks to enhance QA process efficiency.
- Implemented visual and accessibility tests.
Professional Projects
Highlights of work that made a real impact on teams and products.
Airline Operating System
Modern all-in-one commerce platform for airlines covering inventory, reservations, sales, check-in, and payments.
Cloud Analytics
Drove QA transformation for a real-time analytics platform powering insights across millions of calls and messages. Redesigned workflows for a 50-person team.
Yandex Direct Mobile
Solo QA from concept to release. Achieved 4.5-star rating. Built cross-platform testing strategy and compatibility standards.
Desktop Application Suite
Reduced regression testing from 10 days to 2 days through automation and process optimization.
Maritime Simulator Complex
Testing strategy for hardware-software maritime simulator. Automated regression with Lua.
Mobile Banking Application
Built testing framework from scratch for banking system with billing and database integration.
Personal Creations
What I build when nobody's watching.
SnapClaw
One-Click AI Agent DeployOne-click Railway deploy for OpenClaw — turn your ChatGPT account into a personal AI agent in Telegram in five minutes. No Docker, no terminal, no DevOps.
E2E Best Practices
Boilerplate & GuideA comprehensive boilerplate with best practices for E2E tests. Practical code examples with proper architecture, TypeScript support, and proven testing patterns.
NPBB.app
Procedural 3D CityA first-person walk through a procedurally-generated 3D city — Infinitown-style, built on SimplePoly. Wander streets under warm streetlamps, watch traffic flow through intersections, and explore an atmospheric nighttime mode with a flashlight.
My Computer
Peace of Mind CalculatorA personal finance tool to distribute income across life, savings, stocks, and crypto. No tracking, no banks — just your money. Bilingual (EN/RU).
Kosmodrom.work
To-Do & Timer AppA space-themed productivity app combining to-do lists with timer functionality. Gamification, break reminders, and focus tools.
Street Lamps
Stories in the DarkAn atmospheric storytelling experience where each street lamp has a personality and a story. Poetic, moody, and built to make you feel something.
ZombieGuard
Satirical Landing PageA hilariously deadpan landing page for a fake zombie vehicle protection service. Because prepared drivers survive.