---
title: "Sonal Rao - Software Engineer in Pune Division | Tal"
description: "Meet Sonal Rao, Backend Engineer → Product Thinker | I build systems that scale & features users actually need based in Pune Division. AI stack includes antigravity, codex, and cursor."
image: "https://tal.club/meet/sonal-rao/share-image"
---

# Sonal Rao on Tal

## Headline

Backend Engineer → Product Thinker \| I build systems that scale & features users actually need

## About

I started as a backend developer, focused on building systems that work\. But I quickly realized: Good systems aren’t enough — they need to solve the right problems\. That shift pushed me beyond code\. Today, I work at the intersection of: • Backend Engineering \(Java, Spring Boot, APIs, SQL\) • Product Thinking \(user flows, metrics, business impact\) At ION Group: – Built and scaled backend systems for real\-time data processing – Improved analytics performance by 40% through query optimization – Worked closely with product, design, and business teams to translate requirements into scalable solutions Previously: – Built data pipelines and dashboards that influenced product decisions – Used data to identify patterns and drive operational improvements I’m particularly interested in: → How backend systems impact user experience → Building data\-driven products → Leveraging AI to improve product journeys \(currently working on a GenAI chatbot\) I bring a combination of: Technical depth \+ Product thinking \+ Business understanding Currently open to Backend / Product\-focused roles\. Let’s connect 🤝

## Location

Pune Division

## AI stack

antigravity

codex

cursor

## Work experience

Software Engineer at ION, Jul 2023 \- Sep 2025 · 2 yrs 3 mos, Pune District, • Contributed to the development and enhancement of an in\-house metadata\-driven application framework that auto\-generated end\-to\-end project components \(frontend, services, database schemas, and configurations\)\. • Migrated codebase from Java 17 to Java 21, ensuring backward compatibility, performance stability, and production readiness\. • Collaborated with cross\-functional teams to translate dynamic business requirements into scalable technical solutions\. • Revamped core analytics module, improving data rendering performance by 40% through backend query optimization and frontend refactoring\. • Designed and implemented scalable REST APIs \(Spring Boot\) to support high\-volume, real\-time data processing\. • Optimized complex MySQL queries, reducing report generation latency and enhancing system responsiveness\. • Improved UI responsiveness using AngularJS in data\-intensive environments\. • Enhanced data fetching mechanisms and analytics workflows to support better decision\-making and reporting\. • Participated in Agile ceremonies including sprint planning, requirement breakdown, peer code reviews, and CI/CD\-based production deployments\.

PM Fellow at Product Space, Mar 2023 \- Jun 2023 · 4 mos

Data Engineer Intern at Zluri, Oct 2022 \- May 2023 · 8 mos, Bengaluru, • Developed ETL pipelines and reporting layers that powered real\-time insights for growth and customer success teams\. • Integrated company software with client databases to enable real\-time data analytics, improving client decision\-making speed\. • Scaled company integrations, increasing the number of supported platforms by 40%, which expanded product reach and boosted customer retention\.

Data Specialist at Zluri, Oct 2022 \- May 2023 · 8 mos, Built ETL pipelines and SQL reporting layers using Python and MySQL; wrote and optimised SQL queries to support real\-time analytics for growth and customer success teams — contributing to a 20% increase in supported platform integrations\. Troubleshot integration failures and data inconsistencies between internal systems and client databases; collaborated with engineering to resolve issues systematically and scale data platform reliability\.

Project Management Intern at TGH Tech, Oct 2022 \- Dec 2022 · 3 mos

Project Manager at TGH Tech, Aug 2022 \- Oct 2022 · 3 mos, Coordinated feature development and delivery for two client projects — defined scopes, managed timelines, and ensured on\-time delivery with a spillover rate under 10%; conducted user testing and translated feedback into iterative improvements\.

Intern at Indipals, Mar 2022 \- Jul 2022 · 5 mos

## Education

Bachelor of Technology \- BTech, Electronics and telecommunication engineering, Pune Institute of Computer Technology

12th, Akshara International School, Pune

[View the original profile](https://tal.club/meet/sonal-rao)

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