DevOps/VPS Developer: Deploy Open WebUI + OpenRouter + n8n Video Pipeline on Railway/Render

Budget Tier: Entry to Intermediate ($50 - $65 total, depending on experience) Required Skills: Docker, VPS/Cloud Hosting (Railway/Render), API Integrations (OpenRouter, n8n/Make, Video Gen APIs), Open WebUI configuration. Project Overview We are launching a cloud-based AI workspace and automated video production pipeline for a small remote team. We need an expert DevOps / VPS programmer to set up a private, shared AI interface connected to external LLMs and video-generation webhooks. The core stack is already selected. Your job is to deploy the infrastructure, configure environment variables, secure the system, and set up a basic automation webhook to kick off video generation. Scope of Work & Deliverables Frontend Deployment: Deploy Open WebUI (or LibreChat) onto a cloud hosting platform (Railway.app or Render.com) using Docker templates. Backend & API Linkage: Connect the interface to OpenRouter.ai using provided API base URLs and keys. Ensure models (DeepSeek, Llama, Claude) populate correctly in the user dropdown menu. Workspace Security: Turn on admin controls, set up the initial admin account, and verify that "Public Registration" can be disabled once our team members are onboarded. Automation Glue & Video Hook: Set up a simple webhook trigger within Open WebUI (using its Actions/Tools or Webhook feature). When a team member clicks a button, the final script text must be passed to an automation layer (n8n or Make.com) which will route it to a designated video generation API (e.g., InVideo AI or HeyGen). Prompt/Agent Presets: Configure two pre-defined system prompts (Modelfiles) inside the UI: a "YouTube Scriptwriter" preset and an "Editor-in-Chief AI Reviewer" preset (system prompts will be provided). Technical Requirements Proven experience deploying open-source Docker containers on PaaS platforms like Railway or Render. Experience handling environment variables securely (OPENAI_API_BASE_URL, OPENAI_API_KEY). Familiarity with Open WebUI's architecture, custom Modelfiles, and external API connectors. Ability to deliver clean, documented work within a 3-to-5 day window. How to Apply Please start your proposal with the word "PIPELINE" so I know you read the whole description. Briefly mention your experience with Open WebUI and Docker, and state which hosting platform (Railway or Render) you recommend for the lowest monthly maintenance fee. 💡 Pro-Tips for Keeping the Project Frugal To ensure you get the best rate and don't pay a penny extra, use these optimization strategies before you hire: Use Fixed-Price, Not Hourly: Set the job as a fixed-price project (e.g., $75 or $100). Do not use hourly tracking, which incentivizes freelancers to work slower. Release the funds only when you log into your new portal and successfully run a test script. Pre-create All Accounts: Before the freelancer begins, create your accounts on Railway.app (or Render), OpenRouter.ai, and your video API platform. Generate the API keys yourself and hand them over securely. This prevents the developer from billing you for time spent filling out sign-up forms. Choose Railway.app for Infrastructure: Railway is highly recommended for low-budget projects. Their deployment of Open WebUI via Docker is incredibly efficient, and their hobby/starter tiers often cost less than $5–$7 a month, with excellent database stability. Leverage Free n8n/Make Tiers: For the automation "glue" that sends scripts to the video generator, keep it on the free tier of Make.com (1,000 operations/month free) or the free self-hosted n8n container on your Railway instance. You shouldn't be paying monthly fees for automation routing at your initial scale.