Aref Shaheed

Senior Backend Developer @ AI Security Academy | PhD student | Secure Software Engineer | Laravel | Django | Python | Computer Science Instructor & Backend Developer (10+ Years) | Writer | AI Enthusiast

Damascus, Damascus Governorate, Syria

About

I am Aref Shaheed, a dedicated Syrian PhD researcher specializing in secure software development. With over a decade of industry experience, I have excelled as both a back-end developer and computer science instructor. My background includes working with technologies such as Laravel, Django, and Python, where I have contributed to building secure and efficient software solutions. In addition, I am deeply interested in the intersection of artificial intelligence and software security. Although I am currently focused on software development and security, I am eager to transition into the field of artificial intelligence. Despite encountering limited AI-focused job opportunities in my current environment, I remain committed to expanding my expertise in AI research. My career aspirations are centered around merging my existing knowledge in secure software development with AI to develop innovative solutions that address real-world challenges. I have actively engaged in several volunteer activities related to software security and AI. I translated OWASP standards into Arabic and implemented them in my projects, training numerous individuals in secure coding practices. This reflects my passion for sharing knowledge and contributing to the broader tech community. Looking ahead, I aim to seize opportunities in artificial intelligence while continuing to apply my skills in software security. I am enthusiastic about exploring roles or collaborations that align with these interests. Please feel free to reach out to discuss potential collaborations or opportunities. For more information, visit my following pages: - [Google Scholar Page](https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ZkEAnAMAAAAJ) - [GitHub](https://github.com/aref2008) Have a fantastic day!

Experience

  • Senior Backend Developer at AI Security Academy
    Apr 2025 - Present ยท 1 yr 4 mos

    ๐Š๐ž๐ฒ ๐‘๐ž๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐›๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ž๐ฌ: - Engineering and maintaining secure backend systems and APIs dedicated to delivering training content on AI vulnerabilities and adversarial machine learning. - Implementing OWASP guidelines and secure development practices to protect sensitive learning data and ensure platform integrity. ๐€๐œ๐ก๐ข๐ž๐ฏ๐ž๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ: - Delivered backend modules powering interactive labs and real-world simulations to teach exploitation techniques in AI systems. - Strengthened platform security by integrating OWASP ASVS controls to establish a comprehensive security baseline for backend services.

  • Flask Developer at EXPentech solution
    Jun 2024 - May 2025 ยท 1 yr

    ๐Š๐ž๐ฒ ๐‘๐ž๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐›๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ž๐ฌ: - Develop web applications using Flask. - Administer web servers hosting applications built with various technologies (e.g., Python, PHP). ๐€๐œ๐ก๐ข๐ž๐ฏ๐ž๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ: - Designed and developed a Gaming Center Application for managing screens and gaming stations (details in the project section). - Successfully deployed and managed four web applications across three servers.

  • Consulting Software Engineer at Ghassan Al-Mohammad Establishment
    Jun 2024 - May 2025 ยท 1 yr

    ๐Š๐ž๐ฒ ๐‘๐ž๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐›๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ž๐ฌ: โ€ข Supervised the development and enhancement of web applications. โ€ข Oversaw data migration processes from legacy systems to modern platforms. โ€ข Provided technical consultancy and guidance to development teams to ensure best practices and high-quality deliverables. ๐€๐œ๐ก๐ข๐ž๐ฏ๐ž๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ: โ€ข Successfully supervised the file archiving project across multiple government institutions. โ€ข Led the data migration project for the Damascus Water Establishment and the Ministry of Water Resources to the Archtech application.

  • Frappe & Laravel Developer at VIA UNiFi Information Technology
    Dec 2024 - Apr 2025 ยท 5 mos

    ๐Š๐ž๐ฒ ๐‘๐ž๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐›๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ž๐ฌ: - Maintaining and providing support for the Frappe ERPNext for company clients. - Installing and configuring the Frappe ERPNext from scratch on new clients' servers. - Developing backend applications using Laravel for company projects. ๐€๐œ๐ก๐ข๐ž๐ฏ๐ž๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ: - Provided support and maintenance for the Frappe ERPNext for four clients. - Developed a restaurant management application using Laravel.

  • Wordpress Developer at Ali Al-Haddadi
    Jul 2024 - Mar 2025 ยท 9 mos

    ๐Š๐ž๐ฒ ๐‘๐ž๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐›๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ž๐ฌ: - Rebuilt and redesigned the old WordPress website with a modern, responsive layout. - Added new features, optimized performance, and managed hosting upgrades and maintenance. ๐€๐œ๐ก๐ข๐ž๐ฏ๐ž๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ: - Delivered a fully upgraded and optimized website with enhanced UX, speed, and security. - Achieved seamless migration and improved overall site functionality.