Hailai is a regional operation services head of the Northern region of Transmission Substation Operation and Maintenance of Ethiopian Electric Power.

His main focus is on transmission and substation maintenance, and his further interests include electrical power related research and study such as power quality, reliability, and protection systems.

He has worked as a technical teacher at Adigrat Skill Development Center (then under the TVET Commission in Adigrat, Tigrai, Ethiopia), as an Electrical Engineer in the department of Transmission Substation Operation and Maintenance of the then Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation, and as a chief officer of Western Region Transmission Substation Operation and Maintenance in Nekemte, Ethiopia.

He has a BSc degree in Electrical Engineering from Bahirdar University, Ethiopia.