About Vladimir Popov
From Moscow to Miami — The DevOps Journey of a Systems Craftsman
Vladimir Popov is a DevOps Engineer known for implementing, delivering, and maintaining mission-critical applications and cloud platforms. With a sharp eye for reliability and a measured approach to automation, he blends precision and calm execution under pressure — the hallmarks of dependable engineering.
Born in Moscow, Russia, Vlad graduated high school in 2010 and entered Gubkin State University of Oil and Gas to study pipeline transport systems — a field dedicated to designing and operating critical energy infrastructure in challenging environments.
From 2015 to 2017, Vlad worked in construction engineering, overseeing projects tied to Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport. The work demanded precision, coordination, and adaptability — managing field crews, technical documentation, and quality control under tight deadlines.
In 2017, he took an unconventional turn, joining Carnival Cruise Line as a shipboard photographer with a plan to eventually transition into IT. Within a year, he was promoted to Photo Lab Technician, managing complex printer systems, order automation, and technical maintenance for onboard media production.
That same year, Carnival began a fleetwide digital transformation initiative for its photo operations, and Vlad was selected as a Guest Technology Project Lead to help implement and support the rollout. His work spanned configuration of Meraki MDM for iPads, and server integrations powering digital photo galleries for guests across multiple vessels.
Later in 2018, Vlad advanced to a ship-to-ship role supporting the launch of Carnival’s onboard entertainment platform, Carnival HubApp. He traveled between ships to train onboard staff, assist with system conversions, and ensure smooth integration between IT and operations — blending his technical curiosity with his communication strengths.
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020, global cruise operations halted, and Vlad returned to Moscow. Within months, he pivoted again — this time diving full-time into DevOps consulting.
Summer of 2020, Vlad joined ROKOLABS LLC as a Senior DevOps Engineer, taking a lead role in architecting secure, scalable, and automated delivery pipelines for clients across FinTech, Healthcare, and Construction sectors. He’s driven modernization initiatives that bridge on-premise and cloud systems, strengthen observability, and enforce DevSecOps best practices—helping global teams deliver faster with confidence and compliance.
Outside of work, Vlad channels his precision and curiosity into motorsport. A lifelong racing enthusiast, he applies the same principles of control, feedback, and iterative improvement on the track that define his engineering approach—consistency, balance, and continuous evolution.
