About
From biotechnology to production machine learning.
A Machine Learning Engineer who builds production systems that solve real business problems.
I'm Leon Breitenborn — a Machine Learning Engineer and Applied Data Scientist with a multidisciplinary background spanning biotechnology, software engineering, cloud infrastructure, data science, and business operations.
My path runs from a research-grade scientific training into building end-to-end ML systems that turn operational data into measurable business outcomes — forecasting, optimization, internal tooling, ERP systems, analytics infrastructure, and production-grade ML pipelines. The scientific background shows up in how I work: hypothesis-driven, rigorous about data, and obsessed with whether a model actually moves the number it's supposed to.
Today I combine Python, cloud, backend, and ML with operational leadership inside a scaling food-tech / catering business. My approach is pragmatic: ownership, rapid iteration, and systems that create direct commercial impact — not models that look good in a notebook and never ship.
Experience
- 2025 — Present Berlin
Machine Learning & Systems Engineer · Z-Catering & Freshfoodz
ML & Systems Engineer in a rapidly scaling catering/food-ops company, working across ML, analytics, ERP, internal tools, and operational decision-making in a second-in-command capacity alongside business leadership.
- Designed & deployed end-to-end data pipelines and scalable collection/transformation workflows
- Improved demand forecasting and reduced food waste through data-driven insights
- Increased operational efficiency and contributed directly to profitability
- Contributed to ERP development/maintenance and supported multiple internal web apps
- Balanced technical development with operational strategy to help scale company processes
- Python
- JavaScript
- Data Engineering
- ML
- AWS
- Docker
- ERP
- 2021 DACH
Sales Executive, DACH Region · LGC Biosearch Technologies
Managed stakeholder relationships and commercial activities across the DACH region for biotech products and instrumentation — portfolio consulting, customer engagement, and international coordination.
- Led sales meetings and ran training programs
- Participated in hiring interviews and represented the org at conferences
- Collaborated across international teams on technical product discussions
- Stakeholder Management
- Biotech
- International
- 2019 Cologne, Germany
Intern · University Clinic for Legal Medicine
Supported scientific and analytical activities in a university medical research environment.
- Research
- Analytics
Education
2020 — 2021
MSc Synthetic Biology & Biotechnology
University of Edinburgh
Distinction (1.1)
Synthetic Biology · Research Design · Data Analysis · Scientific Communication
2017 — 2020
BSc Biomedical Sciences
Bangor University
Upper Second-Class Honours (2:1)
Biomedical Sciences · Experimental Research · Scientific Methodology
Languages
- English Native
- German Native
- Spanish Advanced (B2)
Professional values
- Ownership
- Practical Impact
- Continuous Learning
- Systems Thinking
- Technical Excellence
- Business Alignment
- Collaboration