Achieving scalable and distributed technology through expertise: Harshit Sharan’s strategic impact

When Harshit Sharan began his career, he wasn’t satisfied with simply working on software systems—he envisioned building scalable services that could power groundbreaking solutions for millions of users. 

His work today reflects this vision. 

He spearheads innovations in distributed systems, big-data pipelines, and social media advertising technologies, shaping the future of marketing globally.

Growing up in India, Harshit developed a systematic approach to problem-solving and a fascination with using coding to tackle complex challenges, driven by his inquisitive mindset.

His love for sports like cricket and soccer also honed his resilience and teamwork skills, shaping his future career.

Harshit’s academic achievements were as impressive as his curiosity. Ranking in India’s top 0.5% of engineering aspirants, he earned admission to the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), BHU. 

At IIT, Harshit excelled academically and actively participated in numerous tech competitions, showcasing his innovative problem-solving skills and technical acumen. 

The thrill of solving a tough challenge brought a distinct smile to Harshit’s face, reflecting his passion for innovation. During competitions, Harshit developed technology skills. He won the School Icon Award for his commitment and leadership in high school.

Graduating with an Integrated Dual Degree (B.Tech. and M.Tech.) in Computer Science and Engineering with a stellar GPA of 8.61, Harshit set a high bar for aspiring innovators.

In his thesis, A Context-Based Cross-Domain Collaborative Filtering Approach in Folksonomies, Harshit explored the intricacies of machine learning and recommendation systems, laying a solid foundation for his contributions to scalable systems and marketing technology.

After graduating, Harshit joined Amazon in 2014 as a Software Development Engineer, where he designed key shipment tracking components that improved delivery experience and notifications. In 2015, seeking greater challenges, he transitioned to the marketing technology domain, marking a pivotal career shift.

Here, he was pivotal in building scalable, high-impact systems that leverage big-data processing and machine learning. 

One of his milestone achievements was creating a high-throughput, large-scale recommendation sourcing system for real-time personalized ad generation on social media platforms. 

The Recommendations Framework utilized engagement and conversion signals to deliver relevant and helpful ads with high precision to millions daily. As social media evolved, Harshit led privacy-preserving targeting systems through innovative interest and demographic-based recommendation programs, ensuring compliance while driving impact.

Collaborating with major social media networks, he shaped decisions that influenced global advertising trends. Bridging technical innovation with marketing goals has defined Harshit’s career.

Starting 2019, Harshit led the software development of a new social media marketing program across major social networks, driving the shift to privacy-preserving, interest-based ad targeting in response to evolving data privacy regulations. 

He re-architected big-data systems behind ML recommendation pipelines for using serverless architectures, ensuring privacy compliance for all datasets. Through technical leadership and cross-functional collaboration, Harshit helped maintain marketing effectiveness while safeguarding user privacy.

Harshit’s expertise spans distributed systems, cloud technologies, serverless architecture, and machine learning, with a talent for solving complex problems to drive large-scale innovation.

Whether building privacy-compliant ad-targeting systems or mentoring engineers to achieve excellence, Harshit has consistently delivered results that exceed expectations.

Throughout his career, Harshit’s rapid growth and ability to influence major industry decisions have set him apart. Inspired by Amazon’s Leadership Principles, he continuously strives to raise the bar and develop solutions that align with long-term goals. 

Looking beyond the boundaries of technology, Harshit foresees a world where personalized recommendations become second nature, empowering individuals to influence and connect effortlessly.

Over the next decade, he aims to lead a large organization’s software development and strategic direction, shaping the future of marketing and scalable systems.

Harshit’s story highlights resilience and focus. While inspired by industry leaders, his journey is driven by combining a data-driven mindset with an intuitive grasp of user behavior.

His work has earned him recognition as a role model tech leader at Amazon, where he is known for fostering cross-functional collaboration and mentoring the next generation of engineers.

Beyond his professional achievements, Harshit’s versatility showed early in his career. At MoveInSync, he worked on a project to optimize vehicle routing with a genetic algorithm and built a full-stack application for secure travel. These experiences shaped his approach to solving large-scale operational challenges with innovative software engineering.

Harshit’s story, from an inquisitive child in Varanasi to a global tech leader at Amazon, is not just a narrative of personal success but also a blueprint for leveraging passion and expertise to create meaningful impact. 

His academic excellence and professional milestones showcase his ability to drive transformative change, highlighting the impact of technical skill, strategic vision, and perseverance in revolutionizing industries.