In the high-stakes world of global logistics, where every second translates into thousands of dollars, operational efficiency is paramount. Within the complex ecosystem of Amazon's fulfillment centers, one engineer stands out not just for his technical skill but for his remarkable journey of resilience and self-made success.
Ghulam Murtaza, a real-world automation innovator, has independently designed and deployed multiple high-impact engineering tools that are actively saving thousands of technician hours and preventing costly downtime across several facilities. He accomplished this entirely on his own, navigating a period of industry-wide layoffs and significant personal immigration challenges, demonstrating an extraordinary level of perseverance and a unique ability to deliver tangible results against all odds.
Murtaza's path was anything but conventional. Born into a middle-class family in the small town of Khairpur, Pakistan, his fascination with technology began at age 11. Despite his passion for programming, he was pressured into studying civil engineering.
He dedicated himself to his studies, teaching himself to code and earning a 3.67 GPA in coding-intensive subjects. He entered the workforce during the 2022–2023 tech recession, a period that saw over 200,000 layoffs.
While others struggled, he built a portfolio of 36 projects and eventually landed a role at Amazon. There, he finally found a platform for his relentless drive, creating transformative automation tools that have earned him praise from senior leadership and cemented his reputation as a high-value player. His story is a powerful testament to the resilience and the impact one individual can have when passion is combined with unwavering determination.
Identifying Silent Slowdowns
Upon joining Amazon, Murtaza did not begin by writing code or architecting systems. He began by observing and listening. He embedded himself with the frontline teams, shadowing the technicians and operations engineers who are the lifeblood of the fulfillment center. This ethnographic approach allowed him to see past the high-level metrics and identify the subtle, persistent frictions that plague daily operations.
These were not catastrophic failures that would trigger major alarms but a series of small, cumulative inefficiencies that bled time and morale. This methodology is a practical application of core logistics principles, where process mapping and time-and-motion studies are used to reveal hidden bottlenecks. Murtaza's informal, ground-level version proved exceptionally effective.
He quickly noticed a pattern of systemic disconnects. "At PDX8's launch, I saw technicians struggling with scattered systems, spending 45+ minutes just to find the right part, while operations engineers had to walk miles across the floor just to stop or troubleshoot sorters," Murtaza recalls.
"I didn't jump into coding, I listened." This patient observation was critical. In a world increasingly focused on large-scale robotic automation, his focus on workflow and information automation addressed a different but equally vital need. He saw that the greatest immediate gains were not in replacing people with machines but in empowering people with better information.
This bottom-up approach, driven by empathy for the end-user, allowed him to identify and solve problems that were not on any official roadmap but were deeply felt by the workforce. "That's how I uncovered 'silent slowdowns,' small, constant inefficiencies that drained time," he explains. "Based on their feedback, I built tools like CtrlG, which instantly searches manuals and shows the exact page and link, critical during downtime when Amazon loses thousands per minute."
From Concept to Code
One of the most powerful examples of Murtaza's impact is the Parts Lookup App, a tool born from a single conversation. Its origin story reveals a core principle of his innovative process: find a tangible pain point and build the most direct solution possible.
While large corporations often invest millions in enterprise-level software to solve such problems, Murtaza demonstrated that a lean, targeted approach could deliver superior results at a fraction of the cost. The problem was a classic challenge in large-scale industrial operations: fragmented information leading to wasted time. Effective warehouse automation relies on centralized, easily accessible data, a principle that was not being fully realized on the ground.
"It started when a technician told me he'd spent nearly 40 minutes trying to locate a part," Murtaza says. "Part numbers, machine codes, and storage locations weren't connected; everything was scattered and hard to search."
This single anecdote represented a significant operational vulnerability. In a maintenance scenario, every minute spent searching for a part is a minute of extended machine downtime, directly impacting the facility's output and profitability. Murtaza's solution was a masterful display of full-stack engineering, executed with remarkable resourcefulness.
He acted as a data engineer, software developer, and UX designer simultaneously to build a tool that was both powerful and elegantly simple. "To fix that, I scraped over 1,200 pages of vendor data covering every part in the building, then combined it with Amazon's internal inventory and technical drawings," he details.
"I built a searchable system where technicians can enter a conveyor asset number and instantly see the exact storage cage location." The app's success was immediate and undeniable. It was praised by directors, showcased in network-wide meetings, and quickly rolled out to other Amazon sites. Perhaps most impressively, the entire solution runs on cloud infrastructure for just 35 cents per month, a testament to the incredible ROI of his lean innovation style.
Quantifying the Impact
The value of Murtaza's contributions is not merely anecdotal; it is backed by a rigorous, data-driven assessment of their impact. By systematically comparing task durations before and after his tools were implemented, he built a compelling business case for each solution.
This methodology, a standard for measuring operational efficiency, allowed him to translate saved minutes into a clear financial narrative of cost reduction and loss prevention. His calculations reveal a portfolio of tools that, together, create a more resilient and efficient operational ecosystem by addressing multiple distinct failure points, from logistics and knowledge access to predictive maintenance and manual labor.
The numbers are striking. "I measured impact by comparing task durations before and after automation. Parts Lookup saves 15–20 minutes per search," Murtaza states. "With two to three techs using it daily, that will save 300–600 technician hours per month across 10 sites."
While the saved labor hours represent a significant cost reduction, the true value lies in downtime prevention. This is most evident with his AI-powered assistant, CtrlG. "CtrlG reduces fault troubleshooting time from 45–60 minutes to under a minute," he reports.
"With downtime costing over $75,000 per minute, saving just 10–15 minutes can prevent $750K–$1M in losses per incident." This figure, while staggering, aligns with industry reports where large manufacturers estimate downtime costs can reach $1–5 million per hour.
His other tools, such as the VFD Monitoring App that supervises 542 motors, enable predictive maintenance, a strategy proven to reduce unplanned downtime by preventing catastrophic equipment failures. Collectively, his suite of applications is projected to save thousands of hours and prevent millions in potential losses.
The Innovator's Mindset
Working alone on high-stakes projects inside one of the world's largest companies requires a unique psychological toolkit. For Murtaza, the immense pressure was not a hindrance but a crucible.
He developed a working model that fused the deep focus of a solitary creator with the rapid, iterative feedback loops of modern agile development. This hybrid approach allowed him to innovate with a speed and user-centricity that larger, more siloed teams often struggle to achieve. By being the entire team—analyst, developer, and tester—he eliminated the communication overhead that can slow down corporate projects, allowing him to move directly from idea to implementation.
He managed the intensity by imposing his structure on the creative process. "Solitude became my strength. I broke complex projects into smaller, manageable tasks and tackled them step by step," he explains.
"That structure helped me stay focused, even when the stakes were high and the workload intense." This disciplined approach was balanced by a powerful external motivator: the immediate and unfiltered gratitude of the people he was helping.
He did not have to wait for a quarterly review to understand his impact; he saw it every day on the facility floor. "What truly kept me going was the real-time feedback from those around me, comments like, 'You saved us today,' or 'You're a king, thank you, that part was so easy to find,'" Murtaza shares.
"Hearing that my work made a direct impact was incredibly motivating." This direct connection to his users also informed his design philosophy, leading him to embed a sense of humor and humanity into his tools, like a banner reading "README Before Calling Controls"—to make them more approachable and increase adoption.
Innovating Through a Downturn
Murtaza's most prolific period of innovation at Amazon coincided with one of the most tumultuous periods in the history of the tech industry. The 2022–2023 market correction led to widespread hiring freezes and mass layoffs, creating a climate of fear and uncertainty.
While many employees focused on keeping a low profile to survive, Murtaza adopted a counter-cyclical strategy. Drawing on the resilience he had built through years of overcoming personal and professional barriers, he chose not to retreat but to attack the problem head-on by making himself indispensable.
His approach was not merely about job security; it was a conscious decision to create tangible, undeniable value as the ultimate form of career defense. "I was working under visa pressure in a hiring-freeze economy, but instead of waiting for things to get better, I chose to create value every single day," he reflects.
"I wasn't hired to build tools, but I did it anyway." This proactive mindset was a direct response to the precariousness of his situation. The tech downturn disproportionately affected roles like HR and talent sourcing while also impacting a significant number of software engineers.
In this environment, Murtaza's ability to function as a self-sufficient, multi-disciplinary unit was a distinct advantage. He effectively created his role—that of a full-stack automation innovator—at the very moment the company was eliminating others.
"My mindset was: 'If I can't find the perfect role, I'll build one so valuable they won't want to let me go.' At the same time, I leaned on gratitude," he says. "Every morning, I'd go through a diary where I listed things I was thankful for." This philosophy offers a powerful blueprint for navigating career uncertainty: in times of crisis, proactive value creation can be a far more effective strategy than passive self-preservation.
The One-Man Tech Stack
Murtaza's success is rooted in a rare and powerful combination of skills. He is not just a controls engineer who understands machinery, nor is he just a software developer who can write code.
He is a "full-stack industrial developer" who seamlessly bridges the gap between the physical world of operational technology (OT) and the digital world of information technology (IT). This ability to speak both languages—the logic of PLCs and the syntax of Python, the mechanics of conveyors, and the architecture of the cloud—is what makes his contributions so unique and valuable. It is a skill set that represents the future of engineering in the era of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).
"I was essentially working as a software developer, UX/UI designer, data scientist, business analyst, cloud architect, and controls engineer, all at once," Murtaza explains. "Python, control systems, AWS, and data analysis were my core skills, but the real value came from tying them all together to build tools that were scalable, reliable, and easy to use."
His use of Python to create custom Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs) and monitoring tools is particularly innovative, leveraging a versatile, open-source language in a domain traditionally dominated by proprietary systems. Yet, technical skill alone does not guarantee success at scale.
Murtaza's solutions were built from the ground up with scalability in mind, a direct result of his user-centric philosophy. "My mindset was always: 'If I were in another building receiving this tool, how would I want it to work—with zero extra effort?'" he says. "By thinking from every role's perspective—planner, tech, manager—I created solutions that solve real problems at scale."
Earning Leadership Recognition
The impact of Murtaza's work did not go unnoticed. During a high-level visit organized by the Senior Maintenance Manager as his "moment to shine," CBRE Directors and the Vice President personally reviewed his tools. They were amazed by the Control G platform, and one director called it "insane," suggesting adding speech recognition to improve usability further. They were also surprised that Unit Lookup operates at a cost of just $0.35 per month while supporting over 220 technicians across PDX8 and PDX9. This reaction—not just praise but an immediate desire to build upon his work—demonstrated how a personal project had evolved into a recognized strategic asset, sparking further innovation within the leadership team itself.
Following this, the CBRE Performance Manager strongly endorsed deploying the tools as a foundational standard across sites:
"These tools should be the new standard when launching a building. They eliminate the delays, guesswork, and inefficiencies we've seen time and time again across sites. From day one, they give RMEs and Controls everything they need to troubleshoot faster, reduce SEVs, and avoid unnecessary escalations. Let's prep PSP3 with them from Day 1 so we start strong instead of playing catch-up."
Control G, Parts Lookup, and Trend AmbaFlex were also demonstrated during a CBRE Continuous Improvement call for all network sites. As a direct result, other locations, including PAE2 and ROC1, Omaha2, reached out requesting help to build and implement these tools in their own operations. In a leadership follow-up, the CBRE Ops Director asked what team and support would be required to roll out the solutions nationwide. Murtaza shared his plan and was confirmed to lead the expansion as the original creator.
Recognition extended across all levels of management. A Control Systems Engineer at PDX8 praised both the technical contribution and cultural impact:
"Ghulam brought strong programming experience to the CSx team and quickly adapted it for industrial automation. His Python tools simplified daily Ops tasks and improved RME troubleshooting. He also spotted VFD parameter errors before they caused major downtime—a big preventive win. His motto: 'Programming should be fun.'"
Another Area Maintenance Manager also issued a CBRE Applause:
"Applause to Ghulam for building the Unit Identifier tool—it saved 15+ minutes per MHE task at PDX8."
As further validation of his impact, Murtaza has also been nominated for the Raise the Bar Award, which recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional initiative and innovation.
A Human-Centered Future
Looking ahead, Murtaza envisions a future for automation that is defined not by the raw power of machines but by their ability to augment and empower human potential. His work and philosophy provide a compelling roadmap for navigating the "future of work" in an age of AI.
He demonstrates that the most valuable human roles will be those that technology cannot replicate: empathy, creative problem-solving, and the ability to translate human needs into technical solutions. His success was driven by skills that are often labeled "soft"—listening, observing, understanding—but in the technical world of the 21st century, they are proving to be the hardest and most valuable skills of all.
"Automation will become even more human-centered, not just about processing data faster, but about helping people feel empowered, supported, and more efficient in their work," he predicts. "The best tools will blend technical power with real usability."
This vision aligns perfectly with emerging trends in the industry, where AI-powered assistants are being developed to provide technicians with real-time guidance, instant access to manuals, and expert troubleshooting support, effectively acting as a digital partner. Murtaza's advice to aspiring engineers is a distillation of his entire journey and a powerful counter-narrative to technology projects driven by hype rather than need.
"Be obsessed with the workflow, shadow the users, ask questions, and build fast," he advises. "Focus on what genuinely helps people. Some of my most impactful tools started as small weekend hacks, but because they solved real pain points, they are scaling." It is a simple but profound principle: build to help, not to impress, and you will inevitably end up doing both.
From the dusty streets of Khairpur to the polished floors of Amazon's advanced fulfillment centers, Murtaza's journey is a testament to the power of relentless perseverance. He navigated a gauntlet of personal, bureaucratic, and economic challenges that would have defeated most, turning every obstacle into fuel for his ambition.
At Amazon, he has carved out a unique role as a self-directed innovator, demonstrating that a single, highly skilled individual with a deep sense of empathy for the end-user can deliver an outsized impact. His work is more than a collection of clever apps; it is a manifestation of a powerful philosophy that true innovation is not about the complexity of the technology but the clarity of its purpose.
By focusing on solving real human problems, he has not only saved his company time and money but has also offered a compelling glimpse into the future of engineering, where the most valuable skill is the ability to bridge the divide between human experience and technological possibility.
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