Jabrayil Mirzai was born on 3 September 1950. After graduating from Baku State University, Faculty of Chemistry, he entered  the Institute of Catalysis and Inorganic Chemistry, Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences, as a postgraduate student.

He was later transferred to the USSR Institute of Physical Chemistry. In 1975, he defended a PhD thesis, and achieved a ScD degree in physical chemistry in 1990. In 1992, he was made a professor.

He spent from 1974 to 1991 at ANAS Institute of Chemical Problems, serving as an engineer, junior research fellow, senior research fellow, section chief and laboratory head. In 1991, Jabrayil Mirzai started his career at Baku State University. He worked as a professor at the Department of Physical and Colloidal Chemistry until 1999, when he was elected head of the Department of Physical Chemistry (Department of Physical and Analytical Chemistry since 2004) at Azerbaijan State Oil Academy, a post he holds currently.

He is also academic head of Ecological Catalysis Research Laboratory under the department. He is an internationally renowned scientist in physical chemistry of surfaces. His research interests lie in natural and synthetic zeolites. He developed a new area in the study of zeolite systems. Jabrayil Mirzai has published nearly 300 papers in local and foreign journals, and is the author of three inventions.

He has supervised 18 PhD and one ScD student to completion. He is the co-author of a number of methodological works and a textbook on colloidal chemistry.

He sits on the Problem Council on Catalysis at the Republican Research Organization and Coordination Council, Scientific Council at Azerbaijan State Oil Academy, and Scientific Council of the Faculty of Chemical Technologies. Jabrayil Mirzai is the recipient of “Taraqqi” Medal.