The Good Tech Companies - Ghulam Murtaza: From Rural Pakistan To Amazon Automation

Starting point is 00:00:00 This audio is presented by Hacker Noon, where anyone can learn anything about any technology. Galaam Mordazaa, from rural Pakistan to Amazon Automation, by John Stoyan journalist. Galaam Mordaza emerged from Karpur, a rural town in Pakistan, where his first interactions with technology began at age 10 by digitizing his father's construction ledgers. While most viewed technology as recreational, Mordaza saw computers as tools to solve real problems. His academic path later included a Master of Science in Robotics from the University at Buffalo, and he is currently a control system lead at Amazon's Berr in Oregon. Murta's expertise spans robotics, industrial automation, custom data engineering, and AI-driven process optimization,

Starting point is 00:00:44 with work that is now documented across the Amazon supply chain. The growing trend of operational technology, OT modernization inside industrial giants like Amazon as reshaping the way fulfillment centers operate. Murtazar represents a new generation of engineers driving this change, those whose careers are defined by self-taught resilience and scalable, measurable solutions rather than credentials alone. Early spark in rural Pakistan, Murtaz's first exposure to technology stemmed from necessity rather thanabundance. When a computer first came to our house in Kherper, my younger brother used it to play GTA, but I was only 10 and used it to help my father with his construction business, he reflects. Translating hand,

Starting point is 00:01:25 and written notes into organized word documents became his early project, laying the foundation for future engineering endeavors. The limitations of a small town created a mindset oriented towards self-reliance. Greater than growing up in a small town gave me hunger, patience, and depth. I learned greater than early that if I wanted something, I'd have to build it myself. This attitude would eventually support his transition beyond local boundaries. This translates that backgrounds like his often produce engineers with stronger in the ground problem-solving skills. Building skills without a roadmap, resource constraints forced Mertiza to improvise in learning programming. The biggest challenge wasn't access, it was the lack of guidance.

Starting point is 00:02:06 In ninth grade, I was introduced to GW Basic, and while others treated it as just a subject, I became obsessed. He invested hours in self-study, developing projects that exceeded standard curriculum expectations, including a train ticketing system and robotics competition and Later, I entered a national robotics competition, built an Arduino-based Robodin C++, and won first place. That $1,200 prize changed my confidence forever. This experience underlined a lesson now echoed in industrial innovation, consistency and curiosity can outperform pedigree when resources are scarce. Industry analysis by Tom White affirms that engineers who learn by doing, often in less

Starting point is 00:02:48 resourced regions, can apply technical problem-solving in complex real-world environments. Resilience amid family expectations, Mertaz's career path was not linear. Choosing civil engineering wasn't my dream, but I did it out of respect for my father, he says. Even while adhering to his family's wishes, he maintained a personal commitment to coding and robotics, managing to balance obligation with personal goals. Over time, my father saw that the version of me doing what I loved was stronger and happier, Mordazza recalls. The duality of his experience, balancing family duty with technical ambition,

Starting point is 00:03:24 mirrors the realities faced by many engineers from emerging economies. When relatives mocked me for chasing robotics and the U.S., I chose belief over validation. I realized I'd rather risk failure than live with regret. This internal resilience serves as a crucial element in innovation teams, where persistence under pressure can determine technological adoption success. tackling operational bottlenecks at Amazon. Upon joining Amazon, Mertaza identified silent slowdowns, minor process inefficiencies with significant impact as fulfillment centers scaled. At Amazon's PDX aid launch, I saw technicians losing 45 minutes just finding parts and engineers walking miles to troubleshoot equipment. Rather than launching into coding, he adopted an ethnographic

Starting point is 00:04:09 approach. Instead of rushing to code, I listened. I shadowed technicians, asked questions, and learned their workflows. This method, rooted in deep observation, reflects his upbringing. When you grow UP with little, you learn to respect people's time. My goal was simple, to remove friction and give time back to those keeping the system alive. Such principles of lean workflow are now central to modern automation at scale, as detailed in recent field reports. Engineering Impact, the Parts Lookup App. Among his most cited solutions is the Parts Lookup App. It started when a technician spent nearly 40 minutes searching for a single part. I scraped over 1,200 pages of vendor data, merged it with Amazon inventory and drawings, and built a searchable system that shows exact part locations instantly.

Starting point is 00:04:56 The app, running on cloud infrastructure for just $0.35 per month, supports over 150 technicians and is live across multiple buildings. It saves 15 to 20 minutes per search, translating into hundreds of hours saved monthly. That's the kind of impact I live for. The application represents a breakthrough in workflow automation, reducing technician search time, and is projected to save 300 to 600 hours monthly across 10 Amazon sites. Mertes' approach involved acting as a data engineer, software developer, and U.X designer. The tool bridges operational technology and information technology, embodying a multidisciplinary ethos increasingly sought in industrial automation. Scaling innovation with real-time solutions, Mertes' toolbox extends beyond inventory

Starting point is 00:05:44 I built a real-time VFD monitoring system at PDX-8 with two-second checks and slack alerts for overloads. I included a trend app to predict motor burnout early, saving approximately two hours of downtime per incident and preventing $5,000 plus in potential motor damage per event, key details. Another critical system, the Ambiflex trend tracker, enables technicians to monitor spiral conveyors and troubleshoot faults without engineer intervention. These real-time sensor dashboard solutions, as validated by sector research, have led to over $25,000 in annual labor savings and up to $5.76 million in avoided downtime annually across three sites. His AI-powered CTRLG assistant, trained on hundreds of technical manuals, has reduced troubleshooting time from up to an hour to under a minute per issue,

Starting point is 00:06:34 with industry estimates suggesting that preventing a single downtime incident can save between $750,000 and $1 million at Amazon fulfillment centers, according to published data. Solitude and perseverance during an industry downturn. Advancing these tools came during one of the most challenging eras for tech professionals. Solitude became my advantage. I broke complex problems into small steps and stayed structured. Mordazza says about the period when widespread tech layoffs and visa pressures dominated headlines. What fueled me most was hearing technicians say, you saved us today.

Starting point is 00:07:09 I wasn't hired to build tools, but I did it anyway, because value creates security. Such mindsets, documented in operations literature, are increasingly relevant in environments where job functions shift rapidly and independent innovation bridges organizational gaps. Recognition, including the Amazon RME, Raise the Bar Award for Scalable, low-cost solutions, followed his consistent delivery of measurable impact AS Outer. outlined by Tom White. Mordaz's case demonstrates how outcomes, not job titles, become defining features of engineering legacy. Advice to the next generation. Reflecting on his journey, Morda's message is both pragmatic and optimistic. Your background is not a weakness,

Starting point is 00:07:51 it's your edge. If you give something your full effort, the universe meets you halfway. Don't wait for permission to solve problems. He stresses direct engagement, shadow users, obsess over workflows, and build things that genuinely help people. I didn't chase titles, I chased impact. Focus in creating value and recognition will follow. This outlook aligns with the growing discourse on workforce transformation, where unconventional backgrounds and lived experience are increasingly recognized as assets in shaping automation's future within industry leaders such as Amazon.

Starting point is 00:08:24 Mertes's path underscores how self-education, creative persistence, and proximity to real operational challenges can drive progress regardless of forageon. His story, set against the backdrop of shifting industry and societal expectations, highlights that today's most valuable engineering solutions begin where lived experience and technical ingenuity intersect. This story was distributed as a release by John Stoyen under Hackernoon Business Blogging Program. Thank you for listening to this Hackernoon story, read by artificial intelligence. Visit Hackernoon.com to read, write, learn, and

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The Good Tech Companies - Ghulam Murtaza: From Rural Pakistan To Amazon Automation

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