About Me
I'm a Mechatronics Engineering student at the University of Waterloo with a strong foundation in engineering principles and hands-on project design. My passion lies in software engineering, where I focus on creating automation systems, AI-driven applications, and scalable web solutions that bring real-world impact.
My Journey
Through leadership roles and extracurricular activities, I’ve learned how to work across teams and lead projects from concept to completion. My experience spans full-stack development, AI/robotics, and mechanical design — giving me a unique perspective at the intersection of hardware and software.
I’m motivated by the challenge of solving complex problems through thoughtful design and clean, efficient code. My long-term goal is to grow as a software engineer, working on impactful projects in automation, intelligent systems, and innovative digital platforms.
Outside academics, I enjoy staying active through weight training and basketball, diving into books that expand my perspective, and traveling with my family to experience new cultures. These interests keep me balanced, creative, and constantly inspired.
Skills
A blend of frontend, backend, hardware, and AI expertise developed through projects, internships, and hands-on engineering work.
Frontend Development
HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Next.js, Tailwind, and Node.js tooling to ship clean, responsive UIs.
Backend Development
Python, C++, SQL, REST APIs, Flask/Node.js, and data pipelines for scalable, secure services.
Mechanical & Hardware Engineering
AutoCAD, SolidWorks, PCB design, circuit design, and machine shop tools for hardware integration.
AI Development & Robotics
Python, TensorFlow, OpenCV, and ROS 2 for real-time AI, computer vision, and robotic systems.
Professional Experience
My journey through various roles and teams, building impactful digital experiences
Software Engineering Intern
Friedmann AI
Currently developing and testing AI-powered chatbot for customer support along with other product features.
Software Engineer Intern
Normative
Contributed to full-stack and AI development projects, enhancing internal tools and building AI-powered document processing systems.
Key Achievements:
- Built and enhanced Normative’s internal site using Retool and JavaScript, improving usability for 30+ team members
- Created an OCR-based document processing system with Python backend and HTML/CSS frontend, improving text recognition accuracy of scanned PDFs by 75%
- Developed and tested AI-driven business proposal generation using reinforcement learning and Python, optimizing proposal quality and reducing editing time
Autonomy Team Member
Waterloo Aerial Robotics Group (WARG)
Working on the autonomy team to advance drone navigation and perception systems using Python and machine learning.
Key Achievements:
- Developing computer vision pipelines with Python and ML models to increase drone navigation accuracy
- Optimizing autonomy algorithms for object detection, landing precision, and flight stability
- Collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to integrate autonomy modules into larger UAV systems
Electrical Team Member
University of Waterloo Baja SAE Design Team
Supported the design and optimization of electrical systems for an off-road vehicle in a competitive engineering design team.
Key Achievements:
- Boosted circuit reliability by 30% through low-voltage system design and simulation
- Designed custom PCBs to regulate and protect internal components, reducing voltage issues by 45%
- Enhanced performance analysis by 25% by integrating data acquisition with accelerometers, RPM sensors, and strain gauges
Featured Projects
Here are some of my recent projects that showcase my skills and passion for development.
Gym Posture Corrector (Real-Time Form Feedback)
Real-time posture analysis using OpenCV/MediaPipe to extract skeletal keypoints and a TensorFlow classifier to distinguish good vs. bad exercise form. Flask + JS UI for instant feedback.
Global Solar Panel Energy Calculator
Web app that estimates annual solar output using NASA irradiance data. Python backend with a lightweight HTML/CSS front end; calculates per-panel output by location and panel efficiency.
OCR Image Scanner / Medical Document Analyzer
OCR pipeline with Python + OpenAI APIs to extract structured info from scanned PDFs; front end in HTML/CSS for quick review and export.
Nutrition/Fitness Plan Builder
Generates tailored workout + meal plans based on user goals and restrictions. Gemini API prompts via Flask backend with a simple web UI.
Value Proposition Design (VPD) Prompt Optimization
Python framework to benchmark and score prompt strategies for generating high-quality business proposals; integrates OpenAI models with an HTML interface.
AI GPS Voice Assistant
Voice assistant for directions and POIs with real-time speech recognition/NLP and a Python backend.
ROS2 TurtleBot Wrapper / Autonomy Toolkit
ROS2 modules for robot control, lidar/IMU/camera integration, and logging; supports rapid experimentation in autonomy pipelines.
Tic Tac Toe Playing VEX Robot
A VEX robot capable of playing Tic Tac Toe against human opponents. Used computer vision to recognize game board states and mechanical systems for piece placement. Demonstrated integration of robotics, computer vision, and game theory algorithms.
Get In Touch
I'm always open to discussing new opportunities and interesting projects. Let's connect and create something amazing together.
Let's Connect
Whether you have a project in mind, want to collaborate, or just want to say hello, I'd love to hear from you.
shilojeyaraj@gmail.com
Location
Available for remote work and willing to relocate
Availability
Open to new opportunities