McMaster University
Bachelor of Engineering & Management (BEng + Mgmt), Software Engineering
Aug 2023 – Apr 2027 (expected)
Admitted after scoring 1560 on the SAT (99th percentile)
Hi, my name is
Avi Saraiya.
Software Engineer · Security-minded builder
Software Engineering & Management @ McMaster University · CCNA · AWS SAA · CompTIA Security+
Greater Hamilton (Burlington), ON
01.About Me
I'm a Software Engineering & Management student at McMaster University (graduating April 2027) who loves building automation and full-stack tools that remove tedious work. Hands-on IT and cybersecurity experience at Eclipse Automation means I build with a security-first mindset — from network configuration to phishing defense.
After five university rejections — caused by a gap between my school board in India and Canadian admissions — I had three weeks and one shot at the SAT. I scored 1560 (99th percentile), and the rejections turned into acceptances. It taught me to never give up: you never know which doors are still open.
Languages
- EnglishFull Professional
- HindiProfessional Working
- GujaratiNative
02.Education
Mithibai College of Arts, Chauhan Institute of Science & A.J. College of Commerce and Economics
2021 – 2023
03.Experience
IT & Cybersecurity Analyst @ Eclipse Automation
Jan 2026 – Aug 2026
Cambridge, ON
- Led the periodic company-wide phishing campaign, navigating multi-tiered email flows to allowlist specific IP addresses so test emails reached end users — reducing the attack surface by 62% over the term.
- Built a Python program that automates phishing-campaign report creation and surfaces actionable insights.
- Configured Aruba routers, switches and VLANs to optimize data flow across subnets, reducing network latency by 20%+.
- Automated ticket triage on the newly adopted ticketing system, eliminating manual ticket assignment.
Developer Assistant @ McMaster University
Aug 2025 – Dec 2025
Ontario, Canada
- Developed a Python program to clean and sort BLAST outputs for massive data files containing 500+ protein sequences.
- Implemented case-specific protein pattern matching to gain insights into organism grouping.
- Automated tabulated output creation, saving the department 3 hours per result.
Peer Network Tutor @ McMaster University
Jan 2025 – Aug 2025
Ontario, Canada
- Led one-on-one and group tutoring sessions, helping fellow students understand and master material from previously completed courses.
- Delivered tailored explanations, study strategies and practice exercises to reinforce key concepts and improve academic performance.
- Tracked student progress through clear communication, answering questions and giving constructive feedback on assignments and exams.
Education Research Assistant @ McMaster University
Jan 2025 – May 2025
Ontario, Canada
- Improved alternative text on 100+ diagrams to make learning accessible for visually impaired users.
- Used NVDA and other screen-reader and text-to-speech technologies to validate an end-user-focused solution.
- Collaborated with senior management and digital media experts on alt-text best practices.
Engineering & Management Student Ambassador @ McMaster University
Sep 2024 – Aug 2025
Hamilton, ON
- Represented the program at stream-selection events such as Fall Preview, giving prospective students a thorough overview.
- Held one-on-one coffee chats with prospective students and networked across all years to coordinate events.
04.Certifications
CCNA
Cisco
Issued Apr 2026 · Expires Apr 2029
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate
Amazon Web Services
Issued May 2026 · Expires 2029
CompTIA Security+
CompTIA
Issued Aug 2025 · Expires Aug 2028
Coursework certificates · IBM · Coursera
- Computer Networks and Network Security
- Introduction to Cybersecurity Careers
- Database Essentials and Vulnerabilities
- Cybersecurity Job Search, Resume, and Interview Prep
- Cybersecurity Architecture
05.Projects
AI Tag Scan
Full-stack app that analyzes photos of clothing tags and returns AI-powered care recommendations.
- React
- Python
- Flask
- Google Lens API
- Gemini 1.5 Flash
AI Recipe Recommender
Generates recipe recommendations from photos of ingredients using computer vision and deep learning.
- Python
- OpenCV
- ResNet
- GPT-3.5
Active Directory Security LabIn progress
Self-contained AD homelab that simulates real-world attacks like brute force with Atomic Red Team, then collects telemetry and tests detections in Splunk.
- Active Directory
- Splunk
- Atomic Red Team
Rattlesnake
C implementation of the board game “Chameleon” with a GUI, turn-based mechanics and dynamic game-state management.
- C
- GUI
Byte Brawl
Two-player combat video game with animations, game physics and object-oriented design.
- Python
- Pygame
Insurance Charges Analytics
Cleaned and analyzed 1,000+ medical insurance records into an interactive KPI dashboard of trends by age, region, BMI and smoking status.
- Power Query
- Power BI