Data AI Lead

Deeplight AI; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Gold level health insurance

Visa sponsorship

Professional development and certificat

Subscription reimbursement

Monthly incentive program

Career advancement opportunities

Job summary

Deeplight AI is seeking an executive-ready Data for AI Lead to own enterprise data foundations for AI, ML, and advanced analytics across banking engagements in Dubai and the UAE. You will bridge raw data assets to high-value AI capabilities, audit data readiness, define model data requirements, and establish robust governance, privacy controls, and regulatory compliance.

The role requires communicating with C-level sponsors, challenging timelines, and guiding delivery teams to ensure data

Qualifications

• 10+ years of technology leadership including data architecture, data science, or AI platform delivery.
• 4+ years leading data foundations or governance for AI/ML initiatives in consultancies or enterprise banks.
• Experience with Retail Banking and UAE/GCC region.
• Strong communication to C-level stakeholders and ability to challenge timelines.
• Experience with data governance, privacy controls, and regulatory compliance in the UAE.

Responsibilities

• Audit core banking databases, event streams, and feature stores for AI readiness.
• Evaluate AI use-case feasibility, data availability, privacy controls, and real-time access.
• Define model data requirements and data pipeline contracts for AI projects.
• Establish and enforce responsible AI data governance including privacy, consent, PII masking, and bias mitigation.
• Present SteerCo content, challenge unrealistic AI estimates, and identify data-related delays.

Skills

Data architecture

Data science

AI platform delivery

Data governance

Executive communication

Stakeholder management

Education

Master’s or PhD in quantitative field

Tools

Kafka

Feature store design

RAG vector embeddings

Synthetic data generation

Job description

Job Description:

Deeplight is a specialist AI and data consultancy dedicated to transforming the regional corporate landscape through bespoke, high-impact intelligent systems. We combine deep quantitative expertise, cutting-edge cloud architecture, and modern MLOps to engineer secure, scalable, and resilient platforms designed to power enterprise AI and digital solutions at scale.

With deep roots across the financial services and retail banking sectors in the UAE, we help major financial institutions bridge the gap between complex digital transformation roadmaps and execution. We dont build temporary fixes—we engineer bulletproof, banking-grade data foundations that enable AI initiatives to perform in production safely and reliably.

The Opportunity

We are seeking an executive-ready, highly articulate Data for AI Lead to hold the ultimate mandate for ensuring enterprise data foundations are built specifically for artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced analytics use cases across our major banking engagements in Dubai.

In this role, you will bridge the gap between raw enterprise data assets and high-value AI capabilities. Operating across Retail Banking Group (RBG) modernizations, mobile banking platforms, and real-time digital customer journeys, you will assess estate-wide AI data readiness, define precise model data requirements, and establish robust responsible AI data governance. Presenting regularly to C-level client stakeholders (CTOs, Chief AI Officers, Risk Committees), you will audit AI delivery claims, challenge unviable timelines, and pinpoint whether project delays stem from data quality or pipeline bottlenecks.

What You’ll Do

• Drive AI Data Readiness & Strategy: Audit core banking databases, event streams, and feature stores to evaluate data completeness, latency, and structural readiness for AI model training and inferencing; drive targeted remediation roadmaps.
• Assess AI Use-Case Feasibility: Rigorously evaluate proposed Generative AI, RAG, agentic, and predictive ML use cases—testing data availability, volume, privacy controls, and real-time access feasibility before project investment.
• Define Model Data Requirements: Specify exact feature schemas, context architectures, and data pipeline contracts required for specific AI models, ensuring delivery squads build strictly to these requirements.
• Embed Responsible AI Data Governance: Establish and enforce frameworks covering data usage rights, consent, PII masking, tokenization, data lineage, bias mitigation, and regional regulatory compliance (such as UAE PDPL and Central Bank rules).
• Power Mobile & Digital Journeys: Ensure real-time telemetry from mobile apps, internet banking, and digital onboarding flows are ingested, structured, and contextualized for predictive analytics, hyper-personalization, and AI agents.
• Assure SteerCo Content & Challenge Claims: Review and assure all AI-related content in Steering Committee (SteerCo) packs, challenge unrealistic AI estimates and timelines, and diagnose whether project slippages are data-related.

As an AI consultancy, our greatest asset is the expertise of our people.
While technical mastery is the foundation of what we do, the ability to bridge the gap between complex data science and actionable business value is what defines your success with Deeplight.
Were looking for individuals who are not only world-class in their fields of specialism, but also compelling communicators and persuasive advocates for their own skills.
You will be the face of our firm, tasked with building trust, articulating the "why" behind your technical decisions, and effectively "selling" your vision to high-level stakeholders.
If you thrive on the challenge of presenting cutting-edge solutions as much as you do on building them, you will fit right in.

What We’re Looking For

• Proven Track Record: 10+ years of technology leadership spanning data architecture, data science, or AI platform delivery, with 4+ years leading data foundations or governance for AI/ML initiatives in consultancies or enterprise banks.
• Retail Banking Expertise: Solid background delivering data platforms or AI use cases within Retail Banking (RBG) environments.
• Digital Journeys & Mobile Apps: Experience leveraging mobile interaction telemetry and digital customer journey data for real-time AI, personalization, or predictive decisioning engines.
• AI/ML Data Foundations Mastery: Deep expertise in feature store design, RAG vector embeddings, synthetic data generation, real-time event streaming (Kafka), and data quality monitoring for ML pipelines.
• Exceptional Communication Skills: World-class verbal, written, and visual communication capabilities; adept at translating complex data science concepts into clear executive narratives.
• Senior Stakeholder Gravitas: Proven ability to present to C-level executives (CTO, Chief AI Officer, Chief Risk Officer), challenge unviable AI hype, and defend governance controls under scrutiny.

What Gives You an Edge

• Advanced Degree: Master’s or Ph.D. in Data Science, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Mathematics, or a related quantitative field.
• AI & Cloud Certifications: AWS Certified Machine Learning – Specialty, Azure AI Engineer Associate, Databricks Certified ML Professional, or recognized AI Governance/Ethics credentials.
• GCC / UAE Banking Exposure: Direct experience leading AI data initiatives for major financial institutions in the UAE or GCC region.

Why Deeplight?

At Deeplight, you will shape the strategic data foundations that power enterprise AI across the region. You will work alongside world-class technical peers, govern high-impact AI use cases, and serve as the trusted AI data authority to executive client sponsors.

The benefits youll enjoy as part of this role include:

• Competitive salary
• Comprehensive Gold Level personal health insurance
• Individual Visa Sponsorship
• Professional development and certification support
• Subscription reimbursement relating to your role
• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge AI projects
• Monthly Employee Incentive program
• Career advancement opportunities in a rapidly growing AI company
  

This position offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of AI implementation while working with a talented team of professionals at the forefront of technological innovation. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in driving our companys success in delivering transformative AI solutions to our clients.
At DeepLight AI, we recognise that diversity drives innovation. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where individuals with different thinking styles can thrive and contribute their unique strengths to our specialised AI and data solutions.

Our goal is to ensure our application and interview process is accessible, predictable, and fair for all candidates.

If you require any specific adjustments to the application process, or if you require any reasonable adjustments should you be successful in being processed to the interview stage, please do let us know. This information will be kept strictly confidential and will not impact hiring decisions.