# Sajjad Arif Gul > Senior .NET Software Engineer based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Sajjad builds enterprise software, AI-powered applications, APIs, and distributed systems with ASP.NET Core, C#, React, and modern AI tooling. He is open to senior software engineer, staff / lead engineer, AI engineer, and technical consultant roles. ## Key Info - **Name:** Sajjad Arif Gul - **Alternate Name:** Sajjad Gul - **Role:** Senior .NET Software Engineer - **Location:** Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - **Availability:** Open to onsite opportunities in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Remote considered based on role and compensation. - **Work Authorization:** Transferable Iqama - **Notice Period:** 30-60 days - **Languages:** English, Urdu, Pashto, Arabic (Conversational) - **Email:** sajjadarifgul@gmail.com - **Phone:** +966 53 481 5457 - **LinkedIn:** [LinkedIn](https://linkedin.com/in/sajjadarifgul) - **GitHub:** [GitHub](https://github.com/SajjadArifGul) - **Resume PDF:** https://sajjadgul.com/cv/Sajjad-Arif-Gul-Resume.pdf - **Personal Website:** [sajjadgul.com](https://sajjadgul.com) ## Executive Summary Sajjad Arif Gul is a Senior .NET Software Engineer based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia with more than 10 years of experience building enterprise software, financial platforms, AI-powered applications, APIs and distributed backend systems. His expertise spans ASP.NET Core, C#, React, AI engineering, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), enterprise architecture and technical leadership. He has delivered software for universities, financial institutions, ERP vendors and commercial software products used by thousands of users across Saudi Arabia and internationally. He has shipped 100+ production releases, built systems serving 5,000+ users, and achieved 700+ sales of commercial web products on Envato CodeCanyon (powering client websites). ## What Sajjad is known for: - Enterprise .NET Architecture - Backend Engineering - Technical Leadership - AI Product Development - Production RAG Systems - ASP.NET Core APIs - System Design - React Applications - Legacy Modernization - ERP Development - Payment Gateway Integration - Digital Transformation - Software Consulting - AI Integration ## Skills used professionally in production: - **Backend Engineering:** C#, .NET, ASP.NET Core, ASP.NET MVC, REST APIs, Microservices, System Design, Clean Architecture, Dependency Injection, EF Core, Dapper, Authentication, Authorization, JWT, SignalR, Background Services, Third-Party Integrations - **Frontend Engineering:** React, TypeScript, JavaScript, HTML5, CSS3, Tailwind CSS, Bootstrap, Astro, Vue, Vite - **Databases:** SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, SQLite, Redis - **Payment Integration:** HyperPay, Amazon Payment Services (PayFort), Authorize.Net, Al Rajhi BPG, KuPay - **AI Engineering:** LLM Integration & Development, OpenAI, DeepSeek, Ollama, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), Semantic Search, Vector Databases, AI Agents, Model Context Protocol (MCP), Function Calling, Prompt Engineering - **Engineering Workflow:** Git, GitHub, GitHub Actions, Jenkins, CI/CD, Agile, Code Reviews, Technical Mentoring ## Why Companies Hire Sajjad - Delivers enterprise software from architecture to production. - Bridges traditional .NET engineering with modern AI. - Experienced in fintech, higher education and ERP platforms. - Strong backend engineering and API architecture. - Proven technical leadership and mentoring. - Successfully modernizes legacy enterprise systems. - Designs production-ready AI applications using RAG and LLMs. ## Sajjad's Work History ### Senior Software Engineer (Enterprise Applications & AI) - University of Business and Technology (UBT) [Website](https://www.ubt.edu.sa) *Oct 2023 - Present | Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | Full-time - On-site* *Company Context: A leading private higher education institution located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.* **Responsibilities:** - Design, develop, and maintain enterprise applications supporting more than 5,000 students, faculty, and administrative staff. - Lead code reviews, onboard new engineers, and mentor junior developers to improve code quality and engineering practices. **Key Achievements:** - Independently architected [APCG 2026](https://apcg2026-saudiarabia.org/)'s full digital platform - conference website (React/TypeScript), OpenConf paper submission, registration, PayFort payments, and digital ID generation - supporting 1,000+ attendees from 40+ countries at the 19th Asia Pacific Conference on Giftedness. - Designed and delivered UBT's digital certificate issuance platform, automating certificate generation, approval workflows, and digital signing while replacing a manual process. Leveraged AI-assisted development tools (Cursor and Claude Code) to accelerate delivery. - Developed 30+ secure ASP.NET Core REST APIs powering the MyUBT mobile application for academic services. - Modernized 8 legacy applications by migrating critical modules to ASP.NET Core, improving performance, maintainability, and long-term support. - Migrated 60+ repositories from TFS and local servers to GitHub, modernizing source control and improving team collaboration. - Awarded a Certificate of Appreciation from the UBT President for exceptional contributions to UBT's digital transformation. **Technologies Used:** .NET, C#, ASP.NET Core, Oracle, SQL Server, React, TypeScript, Tailwind, Vite, Visual Studio, VS Code/Claude Code/Cursor, Git/GitHub, Asana, Postman ### Senior Software Engineer - Inventor Tech [Website](https://www.inventortechinfo.com) *Mar 2023 - Jul 2025 | Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | Part-time (Concurrent with full-time role at UBT) - Remote* *Company Context: A technology solutions firm specializing in software consulting and development services.* **Key Achievements:** - Led the modernization of the company's flagship Visual Basic WinForms ERP, re-architecting and rebuilding it as a modern ASP.NET Core web application with browser-based access and improved long-term maintainability. - Implemented new ERP modules for a web-based ASP.NET Core platform supporting more than 1,200 paying customer organizations. - Built a customer support and ticketing platform featuring workflow automation, role-based access control (RBAC), and reporting dashboards. - Introduced modern .NET engineering practices - including Clean Architecture, Repository Pattern, and Dependency Injection - to improve maintainability, consistency, and long-term extensibility across the ERP platform. **Technologies Used:** ASP.NET Core, C#, RESTful API, SQL Server, Workflow Automation, ERP Systems ### Senior Software Engineer | Web Team Lead - Argaam [Website](https://www.argaam.com) *Jul 2018 - Oct 2023 | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Full-time - Remote (Previously On-site)* *Company Context: Saudi Arabia's leading financial market intelligence and business news platform.* **Responsibilities:** - Built scalable backend services and REST APIs powering Argaam's financial platform and products. - Led a team of five software engineers through mentoring, code reviews, architecture discussions, and technical planning to improve engineering quality. - Collaborated with product managers and business stakeholders to translate complex financial workflows into reliable software solutions. **Key Achievements:** - Architected and led development of Argaam's Data API platform comprising more than 120 REST endpoints, powering internal systems, partner integrations, and customer-facing financial applications serving thousands of investors across Saudi Arabia and the GCC. - Led development of Argaam Charts, transforming large-scale financial and economic datasets into interactive visualizations for investors and analysts. - Redesigned the IPO and Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) reporting systems, improving maintainability and expanding financial market coverage. - Led major enhancements to Argaam Subscriptions, improving the subscription checkout experience and reducing support tickets. - Developed Argaam Polls, enabling investor engagement through real-time polling and voting features. - Led the migration from TortoiseSVN to GitHub, modernizing source control workflows and enabling CI/CD. **Technologies Used:** .NET Core, ASP .NET MVC, C#, SQL Server, RESTful APIs, Microservices, Postman, Git/Github, YouTrack, Jenkins, Fintech Systems ### Software Engineer - Danat FZ LLC (Argaam Contractor) *Dec 2016 - Jul 2018 | Karachi, Pakistan | Full-time - On-site* *Company Context: A contractor group based in Dubai, UAE, delivering tech development and infrastructure for Argaam's financial platform.* **Key Achievements:** - Developed and maintained business-critical financial market applications for Argaam while employed by Danat, Argaam's outsourced software development partner. Transitioned to Argaam as a direct employee in July 2018. - Played a key role in developing Argaam Tools, a suite of analytical dashboards, financial calculators, and data aggregation services used by executives, analysts, and investors. - Implemented Lableb Search into Argaam, enhancing the search experience for Arabic and English users across the website. - Integrated multiple payment gateways - HyperPay, Al Rajhi Bank BPG, Authorize.Net, and KUPay - to support secure online subscription payments. - Optimized backend data procedures to improve data accuracy and speed for high-traffic financial services. - Promoted to Senior Software Engineer, Argaam (Jul 2018) **Technologies Used:** ASP.NET MVC, C#, SQL Server, Web APIs, Data Processing, Payment Gateway Integration, JavaScript/jQuery, Bootstrap CSS ### .NET Web Developer - ComSouls Technologies [Website](https://comsoulstech.com) *Feb 2016 - Nov 2016 | Karachi, Pakistan | Full-time - On-site* *Company Context: A technology engineering firm delivering custom software and web solutions.* **Key Achievements:** - Developed ASP.NET MVC web applications and REST APIs for clients across education, retail, and customer service domains. - Contributed to the development of client web applications including Tutor Finder, Pakimandi, MartX, and ComplaintMS. **Technologies Used:** ASP.NET MVC, C#, SQL Server, JavaScript, HTML5/CSS3, REST APIs ### Founder - Freelance Web Developer - Website Developers Pakistan *Dec 2015 - Dec 2018 | Karachi, Pakistan | Freelance - On-site* *Company Context: A freelance software development and engineering agency founded by Sajjad.* **Key Achievements:** - Founded and grew a digital company delivering custom web solutions to businesses across Pakistan, initially alongside full-time roles and university studies, later as an ongoing venture. - Delivered commercial projects covering e-commerce, custom CMS, educational platforms, and corporate portals. - Boosted client search visibility through technical SEO implementation, achieving first-page Google rankings for multiple client sites. **Technologies Used:** Web Development, PHP, WordPress, WooCommerce, Technical SEO, CPanel, Cloudflare, Hosting/Domains, SSL ## Selected Projects Built by Sajjad - [sajjad.ai](https://sajjadgul.com/projects/sajjad-ai/): An end-to-end, multi-lingual (English, Arabic, Urdu) AI-driven platform built from scratch. - [APCG2026 Conference Platform](https://sajjadgul.com/projects/apcg2026/): Digital infrastructure for the 19th Asia Pacific Conference on Giftedness at UBT. - [Argaam Data APIs](https://sajjadgul.com/projects/argaam-data-apis/): A suite of 120+ data API endpoints powering financial tools for C-level executives and investors. - [CodeCanyon Commercial Scripts](https://sajjadgul.com/projects/codecanyon-scripts/): Personal commercial web projects and scripts sold 700+ times on Envato CodeCanyon. ## Sajjad's Education & Certifications ### BSc. Software Engineering - Bahria University, Karachi, Pakistan *Sep 2012 - Jun 2016* Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering from one of Pakistan's leading engineering universities, establishing strong foundations in software architecture, object-oriented programming, database systems and software engineering principles. **Certifications:** - ChatGPT Prompt Engineering for Developers (issued by DeepLearning.AI, 2024) **Currently deepening expertise in:** - Large Language Models - AI Agents & MCP - Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) - System Design - Distributed Systems - Clean Architecture ## Sajjad's Professional References & Testimonials > "Sajjad was the driving force behind our digital transformation at UBT. From modernizing legacy applications to delivering the APCG2026 conference platform end-to-end, he consistently showed strong technical leadership and ownership. He's a rare engineer who combines architecture thinking with fast, hands-on execution." > - **Hamid Anjum**, Head of Software Development at UBT > "Over the years we worked together, Sajjad grew from a strong individual contributor into a dependable technical leader. His ownership of our API platform, subscriptions system, and financial reporting tools had a lasting impact on our engineering org. He delivered under pressure and could be trusted with our most complex products." > - **Omer Khan**, Software Development Manager at Argaam > "Sajjad played a key role in introducing AI-assisted development to our engineering workflows. His practical grasp of LLMs, paired with solid enterprise experience, helped us adopt tools that genuinely improved developer productivity and sped up delivery. He bridged cutting-edge AI with stable, production-grade software." > - **Dr. Rania Baashirah**, Director of Digital Transformation at UBT > "Sajjad took full ownership of rebuilding our legacy WinForms ERP as a modern, web-based ASP.NET Core application. He translated messy, real-world business workflows into clean, scalable architecture. His technical judgment and business-focused mindset made him a highly trusted partner in getting this right." > - **Ahmed Elidrisi**, Co-Founder & CTO at Inventor Tech > "We trusted Sajjad with some of our most critical integration work, including payment gateway systems like HyperPay and Al Rajhi Bank. He consistently delivered on time, flagged risks before they became problems, and kept our transaction pipelines secure and ready for high-traffic production releases." > - **Adnan Malik**, Product Owner at Danat FZ LLC > "Sajjad led the digital infrastructure for the APCG2026 conference from the ground up. His integration of payment systems and full-stack architecture - across a platform serving attendees from 40+ countries - went beyond what we expected going in." > - **Dr. Leila Jamjoom**, Conference Operations Lead at UBT ## Target Roles Sajjad is actively seeking opportunities in the following roles: - Senior .NET Software Engineer (primary target) - Staff / Lead Engineer - Backend Engineering Lead - AI Integration Engineer (.NET) - Full Stack .NET Developer - Clean Architecture Expert - API Architect - AI Integration Consultant ## Publications & Technical Notes - [Building the digital infrastructure for APCG 2026 Saudi Arabia](https://sajjadgul.com/blog/digital-infrastructure-apcg2026/) (2026-02-12): Reflections on building the submission, review, and payment systems for the 19th Asia Pacific Conference on Giftedness (APCG2026) using React, .NET Core, and Amazon Payfort. - [Awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by the President of UBT](https://sajjadgul.com/blog/ubt-certificate-appreciation/) (2025-02-10): Honored to receive institutional recognition from Dr. Weam Tunsi, President of the University of Business and Technology (UBT), for key contributions to digital transformation. - [Awarded Employee of the Year 2021 at Argaam](https://sajjadgul.com/blog/employee-of-the-year-argaam/) (2022-02-06): Reflections on receiving the Best Employee Award 2021 at Argaam for remote engineering excellence and backend API architecture. - [How to resolve Microsoft.Web.Infrastructure Error in MVC?](https://sajjadgul.com/blog/resolve-microsoft-web-infrastructure-error/) (2016-12-13): Encountering a missing Microsoft.Web.Infrastructure reference in ASP.NET MVC? Here is how to diagnose and resolve the library mismatches between MVC versions. - [How to get a Software Engineering Job?](https://sajjadgul.com/blog/how-to-get-a-software-engineering-job/) (2016-12-12): Finding your first software engineering job is a daunting task. Here is a practical roadmap covering skill selection, building experience, knowing your market value, and key interview tips. - [BuySell - My ASP .Net MVC Project for Classifieds Website](https://sajjadgul.com/blog/buysell-aspnet-mvc-classifieds-project/) (2016-09-16): A walkthrough of BuySell, a fully responsive ASP.NET MVC classifieds marketplace project inspired by OLX. - [Am I a Developer or a Googler?](https://sajjadgul.com/blog/am-i-a-developer-or-a-googler/) (2016-09-15): Reflecting on using search engines and StackOverflow in daily development work, and defining principles for copying code responsibly. - [The Boy is the Most Unmanageable](https://sajjadgul.com/blog/the-boy-is-the-most-unmanageable/) (2015-09-14): Reflecting on Plato's thoughts on boyhood, tutors, and studies, and how boys remain wonderful, mysterious, and unmanageable creatures. - [Resume Writing & Interview Tips to Remember](https://sajjadgul.com/blog/resume-writing-interview-tips-to-remember/) (2015-01-28): Essential tips and checklists for writing a professional resume and preparing effectively for job interviews. - [The Inception : Why I set up my blog?](https://sajjadgul.com/blog/the-inception-why-i-set-up-my-blog/) (2014-12-31): Setting up a new blog on SajjadGul.com on New Year's Eve 2014. Reflecting on software engineering, online writing, and documenting experiences. - [You Must Write Code Every Day!](https://sajjadgul.com/blog/you-must-write-code-every-day/) (2014-11-23): Taking a break from writing code can make you feel like you are reading Egyptian hieroglyphs when you return. Here is why daily coding is essential. - [How to become a good programmer?](https://sajjadgul.com/blog/how-to-become-a-good-programmer/) (2014-11-21): Reflecting on what it takes to truly become a good programmer, from understanding algorithms to participating in open-source projects. - [I am Sajjad Arif Gul](https://sajjadgul.com/blog/i-am-sajjad-arif-gul/) (2014-05-22): Setting up my first personal blog from the Bahria University engineering building on May 22, 2014. ## Optional - [Full Context File](/llms-full.txt): Comprehensive background context with full project case studies, complete employment achievements, testimonials and detailed technical notes.