At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and maintain cutting-edge AI infrastructure on sovereign cloud platforms.
- Company: Join a high-velocity scaleup redefining AI solutions in Italy.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, training budget, and opportunities for impactful projects.
- Other info: Dynamic team environment with excellent growth potential.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of AI innovation while ensuring data sovereignty.
- Qualifications: 3+ years in DevOps with strong Kubernetes expertise and cloud experience.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Employment Type: Full-Time
Department: Engineering / AI Infrastructure
Language Requirement: Italian & English
The Opportunity: Join a Rocket Ship. AIVB isn’t just a startup; we are a high-velocity scaleup redefining how AI solutions reach the market.
- Hyper-Growth: 300% YoY growth, jumping from zero to £1.4M in our first full year.
- Proven Pedigree: Founded by the pioneers behind Deep Learning Italia, the gold standard for AI education in Italy.
- Global Ambition: Backed by £4.5M in seed funding, we are preparing for a major US-led Series A in Q4 2026 to dominate international markets.
About AIVB: Founded in 2024 by Marco Tognoni and Matteo Testi, AIVB is an AI Venture Builder designed to scale innovation at speed. Our team of 40 is anchored by an elite engineering core, primarily AI PhDs, who transform complex research into vertical-specific powerhouses. We operate through a Centralized Powerhouse that develops strategic blueprints for specialized spinoffs in high-impact sectors such as Fashion, Real Estate, and CyberDefense. We are "International by Design", English is our language, and global scale is our target.
Why this role matters: We are building cutting-edge AI solutions within the boundaries of the Italian National Cloud Strategy. You won’t just be clicking buttons in AWS; you will be architecting compliant, self-hosted AI platforms on sovereign infrastructure. This is a role for an engineer who understands how to build cloud-native reliability without relying on public hyperscalers.
Role Summary: As a DevOps Engineer for Sovereign AI, you will design and maintain the infrastructure that powers our AI/ML workloads on Italian National Cloud providers (e.g., PSN, Aruba, TIM Enterprise). Your focus will be on self-managed Kubernetes, strict Data Sovereignty, and implementing open-source MLOps toolchains that function independently of US-based public clouds.
Key Responsibilities:
- Sovereign Infrastructure & Orchestration: Deploy and manage production-grade Kubernetes clusters on private cloud or national provider infrastructure (using Rancher, OpenShift, or Kubespray). Ensure high availability and disaster recovery within the specific zones/regions of the national provider.
- Self-Hosted MLOps: Architect and maintain a self-hosted MLOps stack using tools like Kubeflow, MLflow, or Polyaxon. Configure and optimize MinIO or Ceph for S3-compatible object storage to handle large training datasets locally. Manage container registries (Harbor) located strictly within Italian borders.
- Compliance & Security (GDPR/AGID): Strictly enforce Data Sovereignty principles; ensure no data egresses outside of Italy/EU. Implement security standards compliant with AGID (Agenzia per l'Italia Digitale) and ACN (Agenzia per la Cybersicurezza Nazionale) guidelines. Manage strict network policies (Calico/Cilium) and air-gapped or proxy-restricted environments.
- GPU & Hardware Optimization: Configure NVIDIA vGPU or PCI passthrough on virtualized national cloud instances. Optimize the AI stack (CUDA drivers, Container Toolkit) for maximum performance on constrained infrastructure. Serverless GPU usage experience.
Tech Stack & Skills: The environment is "Cloud Native" but relies heavily on open-source and self-hosted equivalents of public cloud services.
- Domain & Related Technology: Cloud Environment - Italian National Cloud (Seeweb, Netalia)
- Orchestration - Kubernetes, SUSE Rancher
- Virtualization - OpenStack, KVM, VMware
- Storage - Ceph, Rook, GlusterFS, MinIO (S3 compatible), VastAI/ML
- Platform - Kubeflow (Crucial), MLflow, JupyterHub
- CI/CD - GitLab CI (Self-hosted), Jenkins, ArgoCD
- Observability - Prometheus, Grafana, Loki (PLG Stack)
Qualifications Required:
- 3+ years of experience in roles such as: DevOps Engineer, DevSecOps Engineer, Cloud Architect, Infrastructure Engineer, Release Engineer, Platform Engineer, MLOps
- Strong expertise in Kubernetes: you must be able to deploy, manage, and troubleshoot K8s clusters without relying on external support (e.g., cloud providers)
- Hands-on experience with containerization and orchestration tools (Docker, Helm)
- Experience in designing and maintaining CI/CD pipelines
- Solid experience with Linux System Administration (RHEL, Ubuntu, CentOS) at a deep level
- Knowledge of messaging/streaming systems (e.g. Redis Streams)
- Basic understanding of cybersecurity principles (secure configurations, secrets management, vulnerability awareness)
- Understanding of Data Sovereignty and GDPR regulations in a technical context
- Proficiency in Python and Bash scripting
- Knowledge of MIG Technology (Multi‑Instance GPU)
Preferred:
- Experience with event‑driven and autoscaling tools such as KEDA and workload schedulers like Kueue
- Knowledge of GitOps principles and tools (e.g. ArgoCD, Flux)
- Experience migrating workloads from AWS/Azure to Private/National Clouds
- Experience working with Public Sector clients or heavily regulated industries (Finance, Healthcare)
- Italian language fluency (often required for documentation with national providers)
What We Offer: Competitive salary tailored to the Italian market. Opportunity to work on high‑impact projects within the National Strategic framework. [Welfare Plans / Buoni Pasto / CCNL Metalmeccanico or Commercio level]. Training budget for Kubernetes (CKA/CKS) and Red Hat certifications.
Do you want to be part of our team? Apply now!
DevOps Engineer - Cloud Native AI (Sovereign Cloud) employer: AIVB
AIVB is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment where innovation thrives and employees are empowered to shape the future of AI solutions. With a strong focus on employee growth, we provide tailored training budgets for certifications and the opportunity to work on high-impact projects within the National Strategic framework. Our culture fosters collaboration and creativity, making it an ideal place for passionate individuals looking to make a meaningful impact in the tech industry.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land DevOps Engineer - Cloud Native AI (Sovereign Cloud)
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Attend meetups, webinars, and tech conferences related to DevOps and AI. It's all about making connections that could lead to job opportunities. Plus, you never know who might be looking for someone with your skills!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a GitHub profile or personal website showcasing your projects, especially those involving Kubernetes and MLOps. This gives potential employers a taste of what you can do and sets you apart from the crowd.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your technical knowledge and soft skills. Practice common DevOps interview questions and be ready to discuss your experience with cloud-native solutions and data sovereignty principles. Confidence is key!
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! We love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining our team. Tailor your approach to highlight how your skills align with our mission at AIVB, and let’s build the future of AI together!
We think you need these skills to ace DevOps Engineer - Cloud Native AI (Sovereign Cloud)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that match the job description. Highlight your expertise in Kubernetes, MLOps, and any relevant projects you've worked on. We want to see how you can contribute to our mission!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about AI and how your background aligns with our goals at AIVB. Keep it concise but impactful – we love a good story!
Showcase Your Technical Skills:Don’t just list your skills; demonstrate them! If you’ve got experience with self-hosted MLOps or managing Kubernetes clusters, share specific examples. We’re looking for hands-on experience that shows you can hit the ground running.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows us you’re serious about joining our team at AIVB!
How to prepare for a job interview at AIVB
✨Know Your Tech Stack
Make sure you’re well-versed in the specific technologies mentioned in the job description, like Kubernetes, MLOps tools, and cloud infrastructure. Brush up on your hands-on experience with these tools, as you might be asked to solve real-world problems during the interview.
✨Understand Data Sovereignty
Since this role focuses heavily on compliance with GDPR and data sovereignty, be prepared to discuss how you would ensure that data remains within Italian borders. Familiarise yourself with relevant regulations and think of examples from your past work where you’ve implemented similar principles.
✨Showcase Problem-Solving Skills
Expect scenario-based questions where you’ll need to demonstrate your troubleshooting skills, especially in managing Kubernetes clusters or optimising AI stacks. Prepare to walk through your thought process and how you approach complex issues.
✨Communicate Clearly in Both Languages
Since fluency in both Italian and English is required, practice articulating your thoughts in both languages. Be ready to switch between them if needed, especially when discussing technical concepts or past experiences.
