Security Engineer – AI Security & Detection

About the role

Absa is seeking a Security Engineer focused on AI Security and AI Detection & Response (AIDR) to protect its enterprise AI, ML, LLM, and related platforms. The role blends security engineering, architecture, detection engineering, threat hunting, offensive security, and incident response to safeguard AI systems across cloud, hybrid, and on‑premises environments.

Key responsibilities

• Design secure AI/ML architectures, define standards, and perform AI threat‑modeling.
• Conduct security reviews of AI applications, platforms, and agentic AI workflows.
• Develop AI‑specific detection use cases, engineer detections in SIEM/XDR/EDR, and investigate AI‑related incidents.
• Create AI incident‑response playbooks and lead threat‑hunting activities.
• Implement security controls for Model Context Protocol (MCP) ecosystems, AI gateways, and AI proxies.
• Perform AI traffic inspection, content moderation, DLP, access governance, and rate‑limiting for AI gateways.

Required profile

• Proven experience in security engineering and architecture for AI/ML environments.
• Hands‑on expertise in threat modeling, detection engineering, and incident response.
• Familiarity with offensive security techniques and red‑team exercises applied to AI systems.
• Ability to work across cloud, hybrid, and on‑premises infrastructures.

Required skills

• Security Architecture
• Threat Modeling
• SIEM, XDR, and EDR platforms
• AI/ML security controls
• Incident Response & Threat Hunting
• Model Context Protocol (MCP) security
• AI Gateway security, DLP, access governance

What we offer

• Opportunity to shape AI security strategy for a leading African bank.
• Access to cutting‑edge AI technologies and a collaborative security team.
• Professional growth in a rapidly evolving AI security landscape.