Upon graduating from Azerbaijan Institute of Engineering and Construction in 1977, Abdullaeva worked as architect at BakiDovlatLayiha. In 1982, she became an assistant at Azerbaijan Institute of Engineering and Construction, subsequently moving to lecturer and finally to associate professor of architectural composition. Between 1986 and 1988, she was enrolled into the doctoral program at the institute, defended the dissertation on the history of industrial, residential, and public architecture of the Baku oil region at the turn of the twentieth century. Since 2001, Abdullayeva has headed the Section of Design within the Department of Architecture of the Azerbaijan University of Architecture and Construction. In 2005, she became vice-rector for international relations at the university. Since 2010, she has been the deputy chairwoman of the council on architecture and the arts at the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan. In 2012, she received her secondary doctorate degree for a dissertation on the role of engineering in Azerbaijan architecture. Abdullayeva is the author of two monographs, one textbook, and numerous other publications.