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Collins Nyatundo Nyagaka

AI & Machine Learning Engineer

Nairobi, Kenya · cnyagakan@gmail.com · linkedin.com/in/collinsnyagaka001 · github.com/CollinsNyatundo

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Profile

I build ML and LLM systems that hold up under honest evaluation, from fraud models tested on future data to legal search that refuses to guess.

Technical skills

Machine learning
Python, SQL, scikit-learn, LightGBM, XGBoost, CatBoost, PyTorch, Optuna, SHAP, imbalanced learning (SMOTE), probability calibration, anomaly detection (Isolation Forest, River)
AI engineering
RAG, hybrid (vector + full-text) search with reranking, retrieval evaluation, agent and tool loops, multi-agent orchestration, DSPy, LangChain, MCP, Voyage AI, Gemini, NVIDIA NIM, OpenAI, OpenRouter, vLLM
Data and serving
FastAPI, Express (TypeScript), PostgreSQL / Supabase (pgvector, row-level security), Redis, Apache Kafka, Airflow, Kedro
MLOps
MLflow, Docker, GitHub Actions CI, OpenTelemetry, gVisor sandboxing, pytest

Experience

  1. Backend AI Engineer (Intern) · FlyRank AI

    Oct 2026 to present · Internship · Remote

    • Building AI backend services: retrieval-augmented generation, structured outputs, tool-calling agents and evaluation, with a focus on grounding, validation and failure handling.

  2. ICT Officer · Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions

    Jul 2026 to present · Full-time · Kenya

    • Support the security, reliability and backup of institutional systems and databases, and train users on them.

  3. AI & ML Engineer · Independent (freelance and contract work)

    May 2022 to present · Freelance · Remote, Nairobi

    • Built the backend of an AML/KYC transaction-monitoring prototype for Kenyan financial institutions: Kafka ingestion, 35 typology rules, a composite risk score and streaming anomaly detection.
    • Built ETL pipelines in Python, Airflow and Kedro that prepare high-volume transaction data for modelling.

  4. Data Scientist · Lish AI Labs

    Sept 2024 to Feb 2025 · Full-time · Nakuru, Kenya

    • Built and validated statistical and machine-learning models in Python and SQL with the risk and product teams for quarterly KPIs, and trained 10+ operators to act on the results through Tableau and Python dashboards.

  5. IT Technician (Intern) · Bloom Hospital Nakuru

    Oct 2024 to Nov 2024 · Internship · Nakuru, Kenya

    • Supported the rollout of a new hospital management system, trained staff on it, and built a Power BI dashboard of insurance providers.

  6. Quality Analyst · TELUS International

    Oct 2022 to Dec 2022 · Contract · Remote

    • Reviewed files against guideline documentation and masked personal data in images and documents.

  7. Intern · Kenya Revenue Authority

    May 2022 to Jul 2022 · Internship · Nakuru, Kenya

    • Took part in risk profiling of cases for audit and in tax audits under the department's procedures.

Selected work

Education and certifications

  • Bachelor of Business and Information Technology, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT)Dec 2023
  • Data Science, Moringa School2025
  • Data Engineering, Sankhyana Consultancy ServicesApr 2025
  • Python Data Wrangling, Great LearningJan 2025
  • IBM Data Science Professional Certificate, IBMJul 2024
  • Complete A.I. & Machine Learning, Data Science Bootcamp, Zero To Mastery AcademyMay 2024