IoT · Embedded Systems · Network Engineering

Ahmed
Alqunber

CCNA · MSc Embedded Systems & IoT · Computer Engineer

Building the bridge between physical hardware and intelligent cloud systems. Specializing in IoT architectures, IIoT security, OT/IT integration, embedded real-time systems, and industrial digital transformation — from firmware to cloud pipelines.

3+
Years Experience
30+
Client Site Visits
10+
Projects Built
1
Publication

Who I Am

I'm a Computer Engineer and CCNA-certified professional with an MSc in Embedded Systems & IoT from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

My work sits at the intersection of hardware and software — designing systems where sensors, microcontrollers, edge devices, and cloud platforms communicate seamlessly. I have hands-on experience from internships at Schneider Electric, where I developed OT-to-Cloud pipelines and supported industrial communication deployments across 30+ client sites.

My graduate research and coursework extended into IIoT fault analytics, industrial security protocols, and secure edge-to-cloud architectures — bridging OT/IT security with real-world deployment constraints. I'm passionate about IoT, real-time embedded systems, network security, and the digital transformation of industrial operations.

LocationDammam, Saudi Arabia
DegreeBSc Computer Engineering | MSc Embedded Systems & IoT
CertsCCNA · Azure Fundamentals · Azure Administrator (In Progress) · Google IT Support · Python for Everybody
Schneider Electric
R&D Edge Analyst Intern
Jan 2023 – Dec 2023
Developed OT-to-Cloud communication for multi-edge deployments. Designed hybrid cellular + satellite communication architectures. Conducted 30+ on-site technical visits for connectivity troubleshooting. Built ML modules for computer vision in industrial blender monitoring.
KFUPM Research Institute
Center Coordinator — IRC Finance & Digital Economy
Jul 2024 – Dec 2025
Manages procurement operations, inventory lifecycle tracking, and serves as system administrator for the research center — handling project creation, budgets, and approvals.
KFUPM Gaming+
Event Leader
Jan 2025 – Nov 2025
Led a 120+ member organization. Designed an NFC-based gamification system using MQTT and asynchronous messaging. Secured sponsorships including the first game development incubation in Eastern Province.

Technical Stack

📡 IoT Protocols
MQTT CoAP HTTP/REST WebSocket LoRaWAN ZigBee LoRa OPC-UA
🔌 Industrial Protocols
Modbus HART RS232/485 OT/IT Integration PROFINET EtherNet/IP I²C SPI UART
🖥️ Embedded Systems
ESP32 / ESP32-S3 Raspberry Pi Arduino FreeRTOS PlatformIO C / C++ Node-RED
🌐 Networking
CCNA TCP/IP VLANs STP VPN Wireshark Packet Tracer Cisco CLI
🔒 Security & Cryptography
TLS / mTLS PKI / X.509 Diffie-Hellman HMAC AES / XOR Encryption MQTT Hardening OPC-UA Security IIoT Threat Modeling
☁️ Cloud & DevOps
Google Cloud Azure Serverless Functions Containers API Gateway Linux Git
💻 Programming
Python C# C / C++ Java SQL OpenCV JavaScript REST API HTML
CCNA – Cisco
Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) – Microsoft
Azure Administrator (AZ-104)[In Progress] – Microsoft
Google IT Support – Coursera
Python for Everybody – Coursera
Gold Award – ITEX 2022
1st Place – Global Game Jam 2022
GCP Core Infrastructure Badge

What I've Built

📄 Springer — GALA Conference · Nov 2022
Design of a Novel Serious Game for the Detection and Measurement of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Ameera Alajlan, Ahmed Alqunber & Yahya Oasis
// 02 — Cloud & Edge Computing
Cloud-Native Web App with GenAI & Weather Services
Built a full-stack cloud application on Google Cloud Platform with serverless weather API integration, a containerized GenAI service (image/text generation), and a CRUD backend with NoSQL database and object storage. Deployed behind an API Gateway with Swagger UI documentation and OpenAPI specs.
Google Cloud Serverless Containers REST API GenAI NoSQL
// 03 — Embedded Systems
Snake Game with Color-Based Object Control
Built a dual-control Snake game using ESP32-S3 as the game server in WiFi AP mode, with Python/Pygame for rendering, OpenCV for real-time red-object color tracking, and a secondary ESP32 for physical button control. RGB LED and buzzer feedback on hardware. Communication via WebSockets.
ESP32-S3 WebSocket Python OpenCV Pygame Computer Vision
// 04 — IoT Simulation
Smart Home Automation via MQTT in Cisco Packet Tracer
Simulated a scalable smart home system with MQTT protocol in Cisco Packet Tracer. Deployed MQTT broker/subscriber architecture controlling appliances (fans, lamps, ACs) across multiple rooms via a smartphone interface, with wired + wireless network integration.
MQTT Cisco Packet Tracer IoT Network Design
// 05 — Graduation Project (BSc)
Customized & Smart Vending Machine
Designed and built a self-cooking hardware vending machine with HMI interface, state-machine-driven embedded firmware, web application integration, and an owner dashboard for tracking ingredients, freshness, and maintenance alerts.
Embedded C State Machine HMI Web App Hardware
// 06 — Security & Networking
Cryptographically Secured Client–Server Communication
Built a Python socket-based client-server application with SHA-256 message integrity verification. Implemented a lightweight request/response protocol with error handling and validated correctness with structured test cases.
Python SHA-256 Network Security Socket Programming
// 07 — Networking
Home Network & IP Surveillance Deployment
End-to-end structured cabling deployment: terminated Ethernet cables, installed wall outlets, labeled switch ports, configured router + mesh Wi-Fi coverage, and integrated a camera surveillance system with a dedicated gateway.
Structured Cabling VLAN Mesh Wi-Fi IP Surveillance
// 08 — Event Tech
NFC-Based Gamification System — KFUPM Gaming+
Designed and implemented an NFC-based event gamification platform with MQTT asynchronous messaging. Contributed to protocol selection, edge device selection, and network topology design under tight budget constraints for a 120+ participant event.
NFC MQTT Edge Devices System Design
// 09 — IoT Security
Secure IoT Communication — Cryptographic Protocols & MQTT Hardening
Implemented end-to-end cryptographic security between IoT devices using Diffie-Hellman key exchange, XOR-based symmetric encryption, and HMAC message authentication in Cisco Packet Tracer. Extended to MQTT with a TLS-style handshake, broker ACL authorization, and certificate-based client identity verification — simulated with Python scripted logic for automated key negotiation and integrity checks.
Diffie-Hellman HMAC TLS MQTT Security Cisco Packet Tracer Python IoT Security
// 10 — IIoT & Fault Analytics
Industrial Fault Detection on the Tennessee Eastman Process
Analysed fault IDV(14) — a sticking reactor cooling water valve — on the Tennessee Eastman Process benchmark. Ran closed-loop and open-loop simulations (53 variables, 722 samples) to isolate a pure-variance fault signature with >1,000% standard deviation increase and near-zero mean shift. Implemented a statistical threshold detector achieving 99.4% detection rate with a 40-second delay, and compared Random Forest (99.45% accuracy, ROC-AUC 0.9916) against Logistic Regression — demonstrating that algorithm selection must be driven by fault physics.
Tennessee Eastman Process Fault Detection Python Random Forest scikit-learn IIoT Analytics Industrial Systems

Let's Connect

I'm open to opportunities in IoT, embedded systems, network engineering, OT/IT integration, and industrial digital transformation — whether full-time roles, research collaborations, or freelance projects.

MSc graduate in Embedded Systems & IoT from KFUPM, based in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Fill in the form or reach out directly on LinkedIn.