RAJESH S VARIKAT

(678) 439-7193 (RajeshSTMenon@gmail.com) •  http://www.linkedin.com/in/rajeshvarikat

Innovative, decisive, results-driven, Senior Information Technology professional with 22 years of IT experience in the Retail, Manufacturing, and Insurance industries. 8 years of architecting and 5 years of building various Enterprise Data Warehouse (100+ TB of data)/Business Intelligence systems for Retail and Manufacturing industries.  3 years of architecting various Big Data Analytics for Retail industries.  I am a tenacious self-starter with a history of architecting solutions/products from conception through execution and implementation, with strong quantitative, analytical, communication and interpersonal skills and ability to work in an unstructured, team-oriented environment.  Have excellent written, oral communication and presentation skills to interact with senior management, business and technology staff during project implementations

 

EXPERIENCE

THE HOME DEPOT – Enterprise Information Services Atlanta, GA

Architect IT, Enterprise Data Warehouse/Big Data Analytics: April 2005-Present (~10 Years)

 

Recognition

·               Award of Excellence – Recognition from Executive Leadership team on FIRST time analytics on Mobile for 300K+ users, recognized in annual Store Managers Meeting.  A US patent is pending on System For Providing Retail Store Information. 3 IT Pillars of Excellence Team Awards, 15 IT Pillars of Excellence Individual Awards and 4 Homer Awards,

 

Architect for the Enterprise Information Services:  Responsible for architecting on 1000+ IT projects using various technologies including Teradata, Hadoop, Cassandra, Oracle, SQL Server, R, Ab Initio, Talend, MicroStrategy, Tableau, Perl, Python, Shell Script, Java and HTML5.  These applications/data provide sales, inventory, transaction, gross margin, average ticket, weather, customer information etc., with drilldown to the product detail level, and impact business decisions made by the Executive Leadership Team, merchants and field/store Associates in the field.

 

·               Business Analysis/Requirements and Data Modeling:  Assisted various Business and IT EDW/BI Business Analysis COE’s to create projects requirements.  Verified available EDW/ETL/BI technologies and data models to be used that are capable of delivering project’s requirements.  Suggested any technology or data model changes for the projects.  Helped the Business Analysis COEs to negotiate the requirements with the business.

 

·               Data Refinery:  on Hadoop using Talend, MapReduce, Pig, Hive, Sqoop, Python and Perl: Assisted the Analytics domain architecture team to define the data refinery requirements and provided inputs/feedbacks on various ETL/ELT tools to be used on the CRUDE/source data and also create a DATA LAKE for the organization.

 

·               Data Integration:  on Hadoop and Teradata using Ab Initio, Talend, MapReduce, Pig, Hive, Sqoop, Python, Perl and Teradata BTEQ:  Architected various data integration projects into EDW using Top Down approach.  Accountable to validate various data sources required to meet the business requirements. Responsible to create high level design (HLD) documents and validate low level design (LLD) documents of ETL and BI processes.  Responsible to suggest various performance tuning on the processes to help the business and IT EDW/BI team to meet the required Service Level Agreement/Service Level Target.  

 

·               OS agnostic applications Mobile/Web Applications:  Using Talend, Teradata BTEQ and database, Tomcat and Java (RESTFUL), and MicroStrategy. 

o             Architected multiple versions over time of System For Providing Retail Store Information (Store Walk) and Sale Dashboard on Tomcat and Java are focused on Store Operations, Finance, account for 300K users, 15K distinct daily users, 3K concurrent users, 600K+ executions daily with Service Level Target of 95% under 1 second.  Created BTEQ scripts and the Java application for POC.  US patent is pending on System For Providing Retail Store Information.

o             Architected myNumbers and MerchLink applications on MicroStrategy that are focused on Store Operations, Finance, account for 300K users, 100K distinct daily users, 30K concurrent users, 2M+ executions daily with Service Level Target of 95% under 30 seconds.  Created BTEQ scripts and MicroStrategy for POC.

o             Architected an OS agnostic POC application using Cassandra, Teradata, Tomcat, and Java on Store Operations.  Account for 300K users, 15K distinct daily users, 3K concurrent users, 600K+ executions daily with Service Level Target of 95% under 1 second.

 

·               OLAP application: on Teradata database, Microsoft Analysis Services (MSAS/SSAS) and Excel. 

o             Architected multiple versions over time of myDrill application that is focused on Finance and Merchants, account for 2K users, 700 distinct daily users, 50 concurrent users, 50K executions daily with Service Level Target of 95% under 15 seconds.  Created SQL queries and MDX scripts for Cube loads for POC.

 

 

 

·               Analytics application: on Teradata using Store Procedure, BTEQ, and MicroStrategy.

o             Architected multiple versions over time of Market Basket Analysis application that is focused on Finance and Merchants account for 500 users, 50 distinct users, 5 concurrent users, 100 daily executions with Service Level Target of 95% under 2 hours.  Created Teradata Store Procedures, and MicroStrategy Reports and Dashboards as part of  POC

o             Architected The Pro Customer tool identified top Pro customers and generated opportunities for upsells and cross sales, resulting in 15% increase in Pro Customer membership, and 1% revenue increase for this $79B corporation.

 

·               Advanced analytics application: on Talend, Tomcat, Java, Teradata database, Hadoop and R.

o             Architected multiple versions over time of The Sales Impact Analysis predictive analytic tool that is used to determine the impact of various events on sales and is focused on Finance and Merchants account for 500 users, 50 distinct users, 5 concurrent users, 1K daily executions with Service Level Target of 95% under 2 hours.

 

·               Embedded BI and Advanced Analytics:  Using MicroStrategy and R.

o             Enhanced MicroStrategy capabilities beyond the defaults.  Introduced embeddable Business Intelligence to traditional/workflow applications, and advanced analytics using R engine and R scripts on MicroStrategy. Use of MicroStrategy data grids as a Web/Data service for traditional applications helped reduce the total COST of building solutions by 50%+.  Using MicroStrategy metadata, a single version of various key metrics was available to the enterprise.

 

·               Data Quality:  Accountable to validate all the DQ test cases created by the DQ team to ensure that it meets the business requirements validation/verification and the project’s successful completion and implementation. 

 

·               Disaster Recovery:  Created a detailed step by step disaster recovery plan along with roles and responsibilities for the Business Intelligence applications based on GOLD, SILVER, and BRONZE categories.

 

·               Capacity Planning:  Architected a process/application to identify future capacity increase requirements by analyzing the past and current CPU, Memory, and Storage of the servers and usage of the applications.

 

·               Roadmap:  Based on yearly high level strategic initiative, analyzed and identified any Technology gap and created the roadmap to fill the gaps as needed.

 

·               Review Boards: Responsible for architecting 1000+ projects and obtained approvals from THD Architecture Review Board and Implementation Review Board.

 

·               Project Cost Estimation:  Architected a tool to estimate the IT EDW/BI projects as level 1 based on a tee-shirt (Small, Medium, and Large) approach, and level 2 and 3.

 

·               Data discovery and Ad-Hoc applications:  Assisted various IT and business team to create data discovery/ad hoc applications on Tableau to understand and validate new project’s requirements and identify the current data gaps.

 

·               Production Support: Responsible for making sure that adequate information is available to the onsite and offshore resources overseeing support of EDW/Business Intelligence tools based on Service Level Target, and Service Level Agreements with business partners.  As a level 5, assisted the support team to diagnose and resolve various production issues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HTC Global Services INC – Information TechnologyDetroit, MI

Lead IT Consultant:   December 1997 – March 2005 (7 Years and 3 months)

 

Consultant;  Responsible for architecting and creating  50+ IT projects for two clients using various technologies including Oracle, Informix, Sybase, SQL Server, Unix, C, Shell Scripts, Informix ESQL/C, PowerBuilder, Oracle PL/SQL, Java, Informatica and Brio.

 

·               Brown and Williamson Tobacco, Macon, GA: Architect/Technical Team Lead, September 1998 – March 2005

·   Enterprise Data Warehouse Architect:  on Oracle, Informatica and Brio. 

o   Architected and implemented the EDW in Star Schema for the B &W Tobacco.  Responsible Design, development, testing and deployment of Data Warehouse and Data Mart System.  Created reports in Brio/Hyperion using Java Scripts and Business Objects from Data Warehouse to support enterprise reporting and analysis requirements of the Client.   Created and deployed a Web Application for Data Warehouse to clean data that failed business rules and to maintain external sources.  

o   EDW Database Upgrade:  Architected and lead the implementation EDW data source change from Informix to Oracle.  As a senior technical consultant, was responsible for assisting/converting database conversion from Informix to Oracle.  Created/Used Oracle, PL/SQL, SQL, Informix, Store Procedures, Functions, Triggers, SQL Loader, Dbaccess, ISQL, Embarcadero Rapid SQL, Brio/Hyperion, SQR, Crystal Reports and Unix Shell Scripts to support the population of Oracle database.  Responsible for the creation of functional and technical specifications of the database conversion.

o   EDW ETL Tool selection:  Lead the selection process of client’s new ETL tool.  As a senior technical consultant, was responsible for comparing various ETL tools selected (Informatica) one that was appropriate for the client’s requirements.

o   Had responsibility of eight concurrent roles:  Architect, Project Lead, Business System Analyst, Data Modeler, ETL Developer, Test Lead, Production Support Lead and Subject Matter Expert (SME).

·   Production Support:  Backup support for multiple manufacturing process control applications.  As a senior consultant, was responsible to provide a backup support to various manufacturing process control applications. 

·   Data Basics, Detroit, MI: Technical Teal Lead, January 1998 to August 1998.

o        Designed, Developed, Implemented and Converted/Migrated both data and code from DCPA to Informix Database and Informix 4-GL for Alachua County, Florida.  As a consultant, was responsible for understanding DCPA, designing and implementing an application using Informix 4-GL and converting/migrating data from DCPA to Informix database. Created/Used Informix, Informix 4-GL, Informix ESQL/C, SQL, Store Procedures, Functions, Triggers, Dbaccess, ISQL, C, Unix Shell Scripts and Make files to design the application.  Responsible for the creation of functional and technical specifications of the project.  As a consultant, responsible for the code reviews and suggests modifications to other developers.

 

UCA WLL – Information TechnologyManama, Bahrain

Senior Programmer Analyst:  January 1992 – October 1997 (5 Years and 10 months)

 

·               Responsible for enhancing and maintaining various Unix based Financial Accounting System using various technologies including Informix and Oracle database, Informix 4GL, Informix ESQL/C, Oracle PL/SQL, COBOL, Unix Shell Scripts. 

·               As a Senior Programmer Analyst, was responsible for customizing all the Modules depending on the requirements and maintaining all existing modules.  Responsible for the creation of functional and technical specifications of the project.  As a consultant, responsible for the code reviews and suggests modifications to other developers. 

 

NIC WLL – Information TechnologyManama, Bahrain

Programmer Analyst:   June 1991 – December 1991 (6 months)

 

·               Responsible for enhancing and maintaining various Unix based Insurance System using various technologies including Informix and Oracle database, Informix 4GL, Informix ESQL/C, Oracle PL/SQL, Unix Shell Scripts.  As a Programmer Analyst, was responsible for customizing all the Modules depending on the requirements and maintaining all existing modules.  Responsible for the creation of functional and technical specifications of the project.  As a consultant, responsible to suggests modifications as needed to other developers. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SOFTWARE, DATABASES, and LANGUAGES

·   BI Tools: Tableau, MicroStrategy, Brio/Hyperion, Business Objects, SQR,  SSAS, and Crystal Reports

·   ETL Tools: Talend, Ab Initio, Informatica, and SSIS

·   Database: Teradata, Cassandra, ParAccel, Postgresql, MySQL, DB2, Oracle, Informix, and Sybase

·   Teradata Tools: BTEQ, FastLoad, FastExport, MultiLoad, and QueryMan/Teradata SQL Assistant

·   Hadoop Tools (HortonWorks and Cloudera): Hive, Impala, Pig, Sqoop, and MapReduce

·   Languages: R, C, C#, Java SQL, PL/SQL, HTML, DHTML, JavaScript, VB Script, ASP, XSL, XML, Perl, Python, AWK, and Informix 4GL 

·   Data Lineage Tools: Informatica Metadata Manager

·   Data Modeling Tools: ERWIN, and MS-Visio

·   GUI / Forms: Developer 2000 (Forms, Graphics, Reports),  Visual Basic, PowerBuilder, and SSRS

·   Operating Systems: UNIX, Windows, and Mainframe

·   Bug Tracking Tools: Test Director

·   Project Management Tools: MS Project

·   Other Tools: Embarcadero DBArtisan, Embarcadero Rapid SQL, Visual InterDev, Quest Central, Clear Case, Clear Quest, WebSphere, IIS, QMF, Lotus Notes, and Platinum Harvest.

 

EDUCATION

Degree/Certification:

Bachelors in Commerce                                                                                                                      University of Kerala, India, 1989

Post Graduate Diploma in System Development, National Institute of IT                                                                India 1991

Certification in Informix 4-GL, ESQL/C, UNIX and C, Systems International                                                          India, 1991

Certification in Oracle, Boston’s Computer Institute                                                                                                        India, 1996

Certification in Visual Basic and PowerBuilder, Systems International                                                                 India, 1997

Certification in Informatica PowerCenter, Informatica                                                                                 United States, 2002

Certification in MicroStrategy Certified Developer (MCD)                                                                           United States, 2011

ITIL Foundation Certificate in IT Service Management                                                                                 Pink Elephant 2013

 

Training:

Data Analyst, Cloudera      United States, 2015

Talend Big Data Integration, Talend      United States, 2014

Talend Data Integration, Talend      United States, 2014

Project Management (PMP), IIL                                                                                                                                 United States, 2006

SQL Server 2005 (SSIS, SSAS and SSRS)                                                                                                                         Microsoft, 2006

Java, C#, .NET                                                                                                                                                                        Homedepot, 2006

Ab Initio                                                                                                                                                                                  Homedepot, 2005