IKram Ali

Principal Software Engineer | Data Scientist | Python Developer

A machine learning practitioner and an avid learner with professional experience in managing Python, PHP, Javascript projects and excellent (Machine learning / Deep learning) skills.

7 years of work experience in the software development field, building projects for the web and IoT platforms, using different programming tools like Python, PHP, JavaScript,Java, HTML & CSS.

I'm currently working as senior Data Scientist at Kayak.

Programming Languages
I have extensive experience utilizing Python for the development of NLP and vision applications and also working with PHP, Java and the Javascript environment for developing web applications.

Deep learning / Machine learning
Excellent knowledge of segmentation, clustering and symmetry detection algorithms for detecting structure in images. I have used the OpenCV library extensively in my research.

Scripting Languages
Industry experience using scripting languages such as Python, PHP, Java Script and CSS/HTML for the development of web applications. I have also utilized several web frameworks that are based on the Model View Controller (MVC) paradigm, including Django, Laravel as well as company in-house frameworks.

Database
I have industry experience in designing and optimizing large relational databases built on popular technologies, including MySQL.

Low Level and Systems Programming
I enjoy low level programming and I’m familiar with Win32 API. I have also utilized several micro-controllers in hobby projects and have experience programming them to interface with each other.

Specialties
Python, PHP, Javascript Computer Graphics, Computer Vision, Natural language processing, Mathematics, Web development

Work Experiences

Kayak.com (Team Lead)

Lahore, Pakistan
Data Scientist
2017 - Present

Technologies:
Python, Tensorflow, Keras, Scikit-learn, pandas, spacy, Numpy, NLP, Deep learning, Machine learning, Flask

Responsibilities:
Employ machine learning algorithms and generating training data.
Developed CNN based model for text classification using Tensorflow.
Developed RNN, BILSTM based models for NER detection and Text classification using Tensorflow.
Generate words embedding using word2vec, fasttext and glove models.
Develop App architecture and provide technical guidance to the team.
Optimizing the performance bottlenecks using multi-processing.
Generate training data from scratch using advance regexes.
Develop App architecture and provide technical guidance to the team.
Detecting and optimizing the performance bottlenecks.
Responsible for full release cycle of the project.
Develop the pipelines to enable ML models training on multiple machines and make real time predictions.
Responsible for the code deployment on the staging and Production environment on AWS Services.
Parsing trip emails for extracting the entities using NLP / machine learning.
Developed CNN classification models in tensorflow for NLP problem.
Building and managing new features and integrations with third-party services.
Machine learning models deployment using flask and docker.
Peer code reviews.

Lola.com (Team Lead)

Lahore, Pakistan
Data Scientist
2016 - 2017

Technologies:
Python, Tensorflow, Pandas, Flask, Pytest, Pandas,

Responsibilities:
Developed a natural language multi-turn interactive bot, to be hosted within a distributed Flask-based python web service. The bot service is conversational context and disambiguate references, allowing for multi-turn interactions.
Responsible for the code deployment on the staging and Production environment on AWS Services.
Peer code reviews.

Arbisoft (Machine learning Engineer / Team Lead)

Lahore, Pakistan
Principal Software Engineer
2015 - Present

Technologies:
Tensorflow, Keras, Scikit-learn, pandas, spacy, Numpy, NLP, Deep learning, Machine learning, Flask

Client: Kayak, Lola travel, Travelliance

Responsibilities:
Developed a natural language multi-turn interactive bot, to be hosted within a distributed Flask-based python web service. The bot service is conversational context and disambiguate references, allowing for multi-turn interactions.
Parsing trips emails for extracting the entities using NLP / machine learning.
Developed text classification models in tensorflow for NLP problem.
Developed the CCN models in tensorflow for text classification problem.
Developed the CCN models in tensorflow for image classification problem.
Building and managing new features and integrations with third party services.
Responsible for the code deployment on the staging and Production environment on AWS Services.
Responsible for full release cycle of the project.
Responsible for the code deployment on the staging and Production environment on AWS Services.
Detecting and optimizing the performance bottlenecks and provide technical guidance to the team.
Peer code reviews.
Machine learning Engineer.
Team lead.

Red Signal

Lahore, Pakistan
Senior Software Engineer
2014 - 2015

Technologies:
Django, Android, Laravel, Angularjs, Python, Java, PHP, Javascript

Responsibilities:
Developed enterprise web app with AngularJS, Django, ElasticSearch and Docker.
Architecting and developing web applications in Flask and AngularJS.
Building, testing and documenting RESTful APIs.
Developed the Android blog app using RESTful API in java.
Developed caching engine using Redis.io.
Used celery for managing and scheduling background tasks.
Developed CI(Travis ci) pipelines for automatic deployments.
Used Pytest and Pylint for code testing and pep standardization.
Used Docker for developing micros services.
Used Docker swarm for sever load balancing.
Responsible for the code deployment on the staging and Production environment on AWS Services.
Responsible for coming up with user stories and leading technical meetings in the company.
-Client communication.

Cranberry Digital Marketing

Lahore, Pakistan
Software Engineer
2012 - 2014

Technologies:
Laravel, Zend Framework, Magento, Wordpress, Joomla, woo-commerce, Jquery, PHP, Html, Javascript

Responsibilities:
Developed scalable systems with Laravel and codeigniter frameworks.
Developed the E-commerce solutions in Magneto.
Provide the customized CMS solution in PHP.
Blog base CMS in WordPress and Joomla.
Developed single page application Used AngularJS and jQuery.
Developed Jquery plugins for custom requirements.
Used MySQL for data.
Leveraged the open source modules i.e. Mailchimp for mailing service and stripe for building payment system.

Professional Skills

Top Skills

100%

Python / Django

Expert, 7 years
90%

Tensorflow / Keras

Senior, 3 years
80%

Machine learning / Deep learning

Senior, 3 years

Other Skills

Tensorflow Keras Flask Docker Scikit-learn spacy pandas NLP Word2Vec Glove Git
Pytest AWS Mysql Javascript Twitter Bootstrap Markdown Laravel React

Education & Certification

BS Computer Science
The Virtual University of Pakistan
2009 - 2013
Computing includes developing software systems for a wide range of purposes.
10% of my programming knowledge comes from the University, and 90% comes from Internet, books and work experiences.
Deep Learning specialization
coursera.org , deeplearning.ai
2017 - 2018
Deep Learning Specialization Certificate link
Neural Networks and Deep Learning Certificate link
Hyperparameter tuning, Regularization and Optimization Certificate link
Structuring Machine Learning Projects Certificate link
Convolutional Neural Networks Certificate link
Sequence Models Certificate link

Testimonials

Portfolio

Open Source Contribution

Clients

  • Search hundreds of travel sites at once. kayak.com
  • Super-simple corporate travel. lola.com
  • Wherever and whenever your people arrive, they’ll find their rooms waiting. travellianceinc.com
  • BEST TEA SELLERS IN UAE. tealand.ae
  • Accelerate your future. Learn anytime, anywhere. edx.org

Favorite Books

Programming Books

Machine Learning / Deep Learning
  • The Elements of Statistical Learning (Hastie, Trevor, Tibshirani, Robert, Friedman, Jerome)
  • Introduction to information retrieval (Christopher D. Manning, Hinrich Schütze, and Prabhakar Raghavan)
  • Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning (Christopher Bishop)
  • The Algorithm Design Manual (Steven Skiena)
  • Text Analytics with Python (Dipanjan Sarkar)
  • Grokking Algorithms (Aditya Y)
  • Mastering Python Regular Expressions (Victor Romero)
Code Testing
  • Python Testing with pytest (Brian Okken)
  • Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship (Robert C Martin)

General Works

Productivity
  • Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-free Productivity (David Allen)
  • The Compound Effect (Darren Hardy)
  • First Things First (R. Stephen Covey)
  • Eat that Frog (Brian Tracy)
  • Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World (Cal Newport)
  • Vision to Reality: How Short Term Massive Action Equals Long Term Maximum Results (Honoree Corder)
  • 23 Anti-Procrastination Habits: How to Stop Being Lazy and Get Results in Your Life (S. J. Scott)
  • The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life Before 8AM (Hal Elrod)
Sufism
  • Sufi Path of Love: The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi (William C. Chittick)
Biography
  • Steve Jobs (Walter Isaacson)
Self help
  • Start With Why (Simon Sinek)
  • Outliers (Malcolm Gladwell)
  • The One Thing (Gary Keller)

Get in Touch

I'm currently taking on freelance work.

I can help with the following:

  • App development with Python / Django, Flask and PHP / Laravel
  • Machine learning / Deep learning solutions in Tensorflow / Keras
  • NLP Chatbot Development

Drop me a line at mrikram1989@gmail.com or call me at 92 3320 453648