Seraj J.

Seraj Jdyd (Ph. D)

Director of Engineering

Principal Structural Consultant (Seismic Specialist)

Professional Summary

Chartered Executive Director and Principal Structural Engineer (PhD) with over 18 years of experience leading multi-disciplinary engineering consultancies and managing large-scale infrastructure portfolios. Proven track record in corporate turnaround, delivering up to a 400% increase in annual revenue and directing organizational scales of up to 560+ personnel. Expert in international design codes (ASCE, ACI, AISC, Eurocodes) specializing in seismic design, structural rehabilitation, and complex 3D spatial modeling.

Education

• PhD in Structural Engineering (Optimal Seismic Records for Designing Purposes).2016, Syria, Tishreen University

• M.Sc. in Structural Engineering (Seismic Protection for Steel Towers).2011, Syria, Tishreen University

• B.Sc. in Structural Engineering.2006, Syria, Tishreen University

Certifications

• Leadership Competence Certificate in General Management. Ministry of Administrative Development.2019

• Consultant Designing Structural Engineer Certificate.Syrian Engineers Syndicate.2023

Technical Skills

Management & Governance: Contract Management, Quality Systems, Strategic Planning and Engineering Dispute Resolution.

Technical Design: SAP2000; ETABS; SAFE; CSICOL; Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis; Prokon.

Engineering Specialties: Nonlinear Dynamic Analysis, Seismic Risk Assessment, 3D Modeling of Special Structures, and Steel/RC Rehabilitation aligned with International Codes (ASCE 7, ACI 318, AISC-LRFD, and Eurocodes).

Work Experience

• Branch Director

General Company for Building and Reconstruction (2023 – 2026)

• Regional Director - Coastal Branch (Lattakia & Tartous)

General Company for Engineering Studies (2016 – 2023)

• Executive Leadership: Directed a multidisciplinary consultancy branch of 560+ personnel, including 273 engineers, providing comprehensive architectural and structural solutions for national infrastructure.

• Financial Turnaround: Executed a strategic corporate turnaround that achieved a 400% increase in annual revenue and converted a 25% operational loss into a 35% profit margin; directed an overall project portfolio valued at 36M $.

• Strategic Project Oversight: Managed the delivery of 71+ design/audit projects and 53 construction supervision contracts, ensuring 100% compliance with technical specifications and budgetary constraints.

• Crisis Management & Resilience: Appointed by the State as Chairman of the National Committee for Earthquake Damage Assessment; mobilized and led a 35-engineer rapid-response task force to structurally evaluate 734 high-risk structures within a critical 30-day post-disaster window.

• Client & Contract Management: Acted as the primary technical liaison for government agencies and international stakeholders (e.g., UNICEF), resolving complex contractual disputes and ensuring high-quality project handovers.

• Quality & Innovation: Developed and implemented a performance scorecard system to link engineering output to incentives, fostering a culture of transparency and technical excellence.

• Selected Engineering & Consultancy Projects

General Company for Engineering Studies (2007 – 2023)

Seismic Engineering & Special Structures

• Lattakia Sports City Stadium: Lattakia Sports City Stadium (Structural Rehabilitation): Led structural forensic investigation and complex 3D seismic/thermal modeling (SAP2000) for an 18,000-element, 5-story steel structure under AISC-LRFD and ASCE 7 standards.

• High & Institutional Facilities: Executed advanced seismic structural designs and construction supervision for nine 14-story residential buildings and three government schools utilizing ETABS and SAFE in compliance with ACI 318 and uniform seismic design criteria.

• Strategic Risk Mapping: Contributed specialized expertise to the Syrian Coastal Regional Plan Project, focusing on seismic hazard distribution and risk mitigation.

Industrial & Infrastructure Rehabilitation

• Grain Silos: Developed engineering designs for a 75m-high temporary steel stabilization frame for a severely blast-damaged head house, mitigating collapse risks during hazardous debris removal.

• Highway Infrastructure: Designed 54 km of cantilever and crib retaining wall systems utilizing Eurocode/AASHTO standards for critical geotechnical stability.

• Industrial Plant Strengthening: Structural modification and retrofitting studies for 15 industrial structures at the Tartous Cement Plant using supporting steel frames and reinforced concrete jackets.

• Heavy Industrial Rehabilitation: Developed structural design models for supporting steel frames to comprehensive rehabilitation of the Hamah Sugar Plant.

Selected Publications & Academic Honors

Here is a sample of my published scientific research; the rest can be viewed through LinkedIn.

• Jdyd, S. (2016). Real Records Scaling Factors Optimization to Fit the Syrian Design Spectra using Genetic Algorithm. The Arab American University Journal for Research (Jenin - Palestine), Volume (1), Date: 29/02/2016.

Recipient of the 2016 Best Scientific Research Award (Arab American University)

• Jdyd, S. (2020). 40 Sets of Strong Ground Motion Records Which Convey All Design Response Spectrums Located in Tartous Syrian City. Journal of the Arab American University for Research (Jenin - Palestine), Volume (2), Date: 23/12/2020.

• Ahmad, D., Jdyd, S., et al. (2023). Proposal for An ISO 9001-Compliant Quality Management System for AEC Firms: A Case Study from Syria. Dorogi i mosti, DOI: 10.36100/dorogimosti2023.27.052.