Senior Officer – Information Technology, KNSRC

Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS); Kuwait City; On-site; KWD 12,000 - 21,000; Full time

Job summary

Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) – Kuwait National Space Research Centre (KNSRC) seeks a skilled IT security professional to implement and monitor cybersecurity policies, manage access controls, and oversee secure IT infrastructure. The role requires coordinating with university networks, overseeing VPN/WLAN, and ensuring ISO 27001 compliance.

The ideal candidate has a Bachelor's degree in IT/CS/CE/IS/Cybersecurity and at least 4 years of relevant experience, with strong

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, Cybersecurity or related field
• Minimum of 4 years of experience in the same or related field
• Proficient in English and Arabic

Responsibilities

• Implement and monitor cybersecurity policies, controls, and protocols to protect data, systems, and network assets
• Conduct vulnerability assessments, risk reviews, security checks, and coordinate actions to address issues
• Ensure IT systems, configurations, and user practices comply with KFAS security standards and ISO 27001
• Manage identity and access controls and ensure proper user permissions
• Monitor security tools (SIEM, IDS/IPS, firewalls), respond to incidents, investigate root causes
• Coordinate integration of IT infrastructure with Kuwait University's firewall and network
• Configure and maintain VPN and WLAN infrastructure for availability and security
• Configure and maintain WAN, LAN, and wireless networks with routing/switching
• Manage physical and virtual server infrastructure (on-prem and cloud)
• Implement patching, updates, and lifecycle management for systems
• Manage storage, backups, and data retention for recoverability
• Coordinate rollout of new IT systems with timelines, resources, and budget
• Support evaluation and management of IT vendors and service providers
• Monitor contracts, licenses, and SLAs to ensure vendor obligations
• Prepare technical specifications and assist RFP processes
• Monitor warranties and vendor-supported systems and resolve escalated issues
• Review opportunities to consolidate or retire systems to reduce costs

Skills

English proficiency

Arabic proficiency

4+ years experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in IT or related field

Job description

The following announcement is for a position within the Kuwait National Space Research Centre (KNSRC), a department within KFAS.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, Cybersecurity or a related field (with equivalency by the Kuwait Ministry of Higher Education)
• Minimum of 4 years of experience in the same or related field
• Proficient in English and Arabic.

Key Accountabilities:

• Implement and monitor cybersecurity policies, controls, and protocols to protect the Centre's data, systems, and network assets.
• Conduct vulnerability assessments, risk reviews, security checks, and coordinate actions to address identified issues.
• Ensure IT systems, configurations, and user practices comply with KFAS security standards, applicable Kuwaiti regulations, and relevant international standards such as ISO 27001.
• Manage identity and access controls and ensure user permissions are granted, reviewed, and revoked in line with policy.
• Monitor security tools, including SIEM, IDS/IPS, and firewalls, respond to security incidents, investigate root causes, and follow up on corrective actions.
• Coordinate the integration of the Centre's IT infrastructure with Kuwait University's firewall and network to support secure and effective connectivity.
• Configure and maintain VPN and WLAN infrastructure to ensure availability, performance, and security.
• Configure and maintain WAN, LAN, and wireless networks, including routing, switching, and access-layer equipment.
• Manage the configuration and performance of physical and virtual server infrastructure, including on-premises and cloud-hosted environments.
• Implement patching, updates, and lifecycle management for servers, operating systems, applications, and network equipment to keep systems current and secure.
• Manage storage solutions, backup systems, and data retention requirements to ensure data can be recovered when needed.
• Coordinate the rollout of new IT systems, including tracking timelines, resources, and budget use.
• Support the evaluation and management of IT vendors, suppliers, cloud providers, and third-party service providers to ensure service quality and value for money.
• Monitor maintenance contracts, software licenses, and service-level agreements and follow up to ensure vendors meet their obligations.
• Prepare technical specifications and support the preparation of Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for IT purchases and participate in vendor evaluation processes.
• Monitor warranty terms and vendor-supported systems and follow up on escalated vendor-related issues to ensure timely resolution.
• Review opportunities to consolidate or retire systems to reduce licensing costs and operating expenses.

Required Documents:

• Curriculum Vitae (CV).
• Copy of Civil ID.
• Certificate of insured service periods issued by the Public Institution for Social Security (PIFSS), dated on or after the announcement date.
• Academic certificate(s) and transcript(s), including the final graduation GPA.
• Equivalency of the academic certificate(s) from the Ministry of Higher Education, and Authentication of the transcript(s) for graduates of universities other than Kuwait University.

DISCLAIMER:

Applications that do not meet the requirements or fail to submit all required documents within the announcement period will not be considered.