---
title: 'Senior Site Reliability Engineer, Vulcan (AI Security product) at AIFT'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-site-reliability-engineer-vulcan-ai-security-product-aift-united-arab-b0de7d65vn5x'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-14'
---

# Senior Site Reliability Engineer, Vulcan (AI Security product) at AIFT

- **Company:** AIFT
- **Location:** United Arab Emirates
- **Posted:** 2026-09-08
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-14
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/aift/jobs/6184757004

## Job description

Job Overview

We are looking for a hands-on infrastructure engineer to own the deployment, migration and troubleshooting of on-premise Kubernetes environments for enterprise and government clients, including airgapped, high-security data center environments where remote access is not possible.

This is a client-facing, on-site role: you will be the technical authority in the room, responsible for executing complex infrastructure changes correctly the first time, diagnosing failures independently under pressure and communicating clearly with client stakeholders throughout.

This role carries real ownership; you will be expected to understand the systems deeply enough to make sound judgment calls when things don't go to plan, without waiting on remote support.

In this role, you will play a vital part in supporting our Cybersecurity business, Vulcan. Vulcan is a cybersecurity solution for GenAI, providing red and blue team services to ensure compliance and security.

Learn more about us 👉

- Vulcan product: https://vulcanlab.ai/
- Vulcan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vulcanlab-ai/
- AIFT group: https://aift.io/

## Responsibilities

- Plan and execute on-prem Kubernetes cluster deployments, upgrades and infrastructure migrations (including IP re-addressing, certificate rotation and cluster reconfiguration) in production and airgapped environments
- Diagnose and resolve failures independently on-site
- Own the full infrastructure stack end-to-end: Kubernetes control plane and data plane, PostgreSQL (primary/replica replication), distributed storage (e.g. SeaweedFS/Ceph/similar), private container registries and centralized logging (ELK or equivalent)
- Validate deployment tooling (scripts, installers, automation) thoroughly in lab/staging environments before any client-facing execution
- Represent the technical work directly to client stakeholders on-site: explain status, failures and remediation plans clearly
- Travel to client data centers (including airgapped/restricted-access sites) as required, sometimes on short notice, for deployment and go-live support
- Write clear, structured runbooks, decision trees and incident reports that others (including less experienced engineers) can follow under pressure
- Escalate risks proactively to internal leadership, not just after something has gone wrong

## Requirements

Technical:

- 5-6 years of hands-on experience with Kubernetes in production, including at least one on-premise (not purely cloud-managed) deployment
- Solid understanding of etcd internals. Quorum, peer membership, failure recovery, not just kubectl-level familiarity
- Experience with kubeadm-based cluster bootstrapping and certificate management (SANs, CA rotation, renewal)
- Working knowledge of PostgreSQL replication, Linux networking fundamentals (DNS, NTP, firewalls) and container registries (Docker Distribution or similar)
- Comfortable working entirely from the Linux command line, writing and debugging bash scripts and reading unfamiliar automation tooling under time pressure
- Experience with at least one distributed storage system (SeaweedFS, Ceph, MinIO or similar) is a strong plus
- GPU-enabled Kubernetes nodes (NVIDIA device plugin, container toolkit) experience is a plus, not required

Working style:

- Demonstrated ability to work independently in high-pressure, high-stakes environments without live support
- Strong incident communication. Can explain technical failures to non-technical stakeholders factually and calmly, without over-promising or minimizing
- A track record of validating changes in test environments before touching production and the judgment to insist on this even under deadline pressure
- Comfortable with travel, including to secure/restricted facilities where personal devices, internet access or remote assistance may not be available

Nice to have:

- Prior consulting, systems integration or professional services experience, ideally on enterprise or government accounts
- Experience specifically in the GCC/Middle East region, or with government-sector clients
- Security background (the ability to reason about access controls, credential handling and airgapped operational discipline is valuable given the environments involved)

Interview Process

- HR phone interview: 1 hour
- Online interview: 1.5 - 2 hours, meet with hiring manager
- Online interview: 1 hour, meet with hiring team

Why Join Us?

- Innovative Environment: Be part of a company at the forefront of technology to provide security in GenAI, with opportunities to work on groundbreaking projects.
- Growth Opportunities: Take your career to new heights with our career development programs and growth-focused culture.
- Dynamic Team: Join a multi-cultural and dynamic team of dedicated professionals who inspire and support each other.
- Compensation: Competitive salary and benefits package, commensurate with experience and performance.

## About AIFT

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: AIFT (Laboratory for AI-Powered Financial Technologies) is a Hong Kong-based research laboratory and innovation hub that develops AI and data science solutions to transform global financial services.
- **Entity Type**: Private (research lab with spin-off commercialization arm)
- **Headquarters**: Hong Kong Science Park, Shatin, Hong Kong
- **Founded**: Not publicly available
- **Founders**: Co-founded by City University of Hong Kong and Columbia University. Key leadership includes Prof. Houmin Yan (Director), Shi Lei (Deputy Head of Commercialization), and Antony Zhu (Head of Product & Development).

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Financial technology (FinTech), AI research & development, blockchain/tokenisation
- **Target customers**: B2B – banks, financial institutions, SMEs, and enterprise clients in the finance sector
- **Mission / purpose**: "Conducting pioneering research, attracting the brightest talents, realizing visionary concepts, and providing the best business solutions for future financial services." [hkaift.com](https://hkaift.com/careers/)

## Products & Services
- **AI-Driven Financial Service**: Research and solution development for AI-powered risk management, investment intelligence, and customer analytics.
- **AI-Enhanced Financial Technology**: Advanced analytics and machine learning models for credit scoring, fraud detection, and regulatory compliance.
- **Social Media Analytics for Financial Technology**: Platforms that mine social media and news data for market sentiment and investment signals.
- **FinSights (Supply Chain Finance)**: A solution showcased at InnoEX 2026 that leverages trusted logistics data to optimize trade finance. [hkaift.com](https://hkaift.com/)
- **Tokenised Deposit Platform**: A joint initiative with JETCO to enable commercial banks to issue and manage tokenised deposits. [hkaift.com](https://hkaift.com/)
- **Tolo Digitech (Spin-off)**: Partnered with fintech firm FUNDel to build a trade finance platform integrating Port Community System data. [hkaift.com](https://hkaift.com/)
- **Portfolio Management System for E-Commerce Loan Securitisation**: A system referenced in AIFT’s portfolio (see About page). [hkaift.com](https://hkaift.com/about-us/)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Headcount of ~26 employees (as of 2025-2026), with a -17.4% yearly change reported on LinkedIn. [linkedin.com](https://hk.linkedin.com/company/laboratory-for-ai-powered-financial-technologies-limited)
- **Notable Investors / Partners**: JETCO (joint tokenisation platform), FUNDel (trade finance spin-off), Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks (HKSTP), City University of Hong Kong, Columbia University.
- **Growth Signals**: Spin-off company Tolo Digitech launched in 2026; participation in InnoEX 2026; active patent filings (e.g., entity association recommendation, cryptocurrency asset classification). However, headcount declined year-over-year, so growth trajectory appears mixed.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Academic pedigree**: Founded jointly by City University of Hong Kong and Columbia University, giving it deep research capabilities and access to top talent.
- **Ecosystem position**: Located in Hong Kong Science Park, a major R&D hub, and holds strong ties with local banks, regulators, and fintech players.
- **Full-stack FinTech approach**: Combines AI, blockchain, and data science to address both research and commercial deployment (spin-offs, partnerships).
- **Proven commercialization**: Multiple patents granted via Google Patents and live solutions (tokenised deposits, trade finance platform).

## Strategic Focus
- Commercializing research outcomes into market-ready FinTech products.
- Expanding tokenised deposit and digital asset infrastructure for banks.
- Scaling supply chain finance and trade finance solutions via data partnerships (e.g., Port Community System).
- Building a pipeline of spin-off companies to take innovations to market.
- Attracting talent for both research and product development roles (openings listed on [Greenhouse careers page](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/aift) and internally).

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-driven**: Work at the intersection of AI and finance to solve real-world problems in banking, risk, and trade.
- **Young and growing**: Described as a "young company" with opportunities to get in "on the ground floor" and grow as projects gain momentum. [hkaift.com](https://hkaift.com/careers/)
- **International connections**: Collaborations with top universities and global financial institutions provide a broader perspective.
- **Practical skill development**: Talent training is part of the mission – developers and analysts can build expertise in FinTech ecosystems (Python, Spring Boot, Docker, blockchain, etc.). [hkaift.com](https://hkaift.com/careers/)
- **Vibrant community**: Active member of Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong’s largest R&D base, with access to a network of tech companies and events.
- **Work environment**: Office-based in Hong Kong Science Park (Shatin); roles include Software Engineer, Assistant Quantitative Analyst, Data Analyst, and Research Assistant. [hkaift.com](https://hkaift.com/careers/)
- **Culture**: Emphasizes open innovation, cross-boundary collaboration (universities, VCs, financial institutions), and a flat, research-driven atmosphere.

## Sources
1. [hkaift.com (Home Page)](https://hkaift.com/)
2. [hkaift.com (Careers Page)](https://hkaift.com/careers/)
3. [hkaift.com (About Us Page)](https://hkaift.com/about-us/)
4. [LinkedIn Company Profile](https://hk.linkedin.com/company/laboratory-for-ai-powered-financial-technologies-limited)
5. [HKSTP Directory Page](https://www.hkstp.org/en/directory/innohk/laboratory-for-ai-powered-financial-technologies-limited)
6. [Greenhouse Careers Page](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/aift)

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