Remote Principal Machine Learning Engineer

Placements24; Kimberley; Hybrid; CAD 198,000 - 255,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Professional development

Fully remote (SA)

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Remote Principal Machine Learning Engineer to design, develop, and deploy state-of-the-art ML models from anywhere in South Africa. You will lead complex projects, mentor engineers, and collaborate with researchers and product teams to drive AI innovation.

You must have a PhD or Master’s in a quantitative field and 8+ years of production ML experience, with deep expertise in TensorFlow/PyTorch, Python, and cloud-based MLOps.

Qualifications

• PhD or Master’s in CS, ML, Statistics, or a related quantitative field.
• Minimum 8 years hands-on ML engineering experience with production deployments.
• Deep expertise in ML algorithms, statistical modeling, and deep learning frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Proficiency in Python and ML libraries (Scikit-learn, Pandas).
• Experience with MLOps tools (MLflow, Kubeflow) and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end development and deployment of ML models from experimentation to production.
• Design scalable ML pipelines and infrastructure.
• Research, evaluate, and apply advanced ML algorithms and techniques.
• Collaborate with data scientists and researchers to integrate models into production systems.
• Develop and maintain MLOps practices including monitoring and retraining.
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical leadership.
• Stay current with ML advancements and communicate progress to stakeholders.
• Contribute to a strong machine learning culture within the organization.

Skills

Python

ML Engineering

MLOps

Leadership

Mentoring

Education

PhD or Master’s in CS/ML/Statistics

Tools

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Scikit-learn

Pandas

MLflow

Kubeflow

Spark

AWS

Azure

GCP

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a cutting-edge artificial intelligence research lab, is looking for a highly skilled and experienced Remote Principal Machine Learning Engineer. This position is entirely remote, offering the flexibility to work from any location within South Africa. You will play a pivotal role in designing, developing, and deploying state-of-the‑art machine learning models and systems that drive innovation across our client's diverse product lines. This role demands a deep understanding of ML algorithms, MLOps, and large-scale data processing. You will lead complex projects, mentor junior engineers, and collaborate with researchers and product teams to bring advanced AI solutions to life. We seek a thought leader capable of tackling challenging problems and shaping the future of machine learning applications.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the end-to-end development and deployment of machine learning models, from experimentation to production. Design and implement robust, scalable, and efficient ML pipelines and infrastructure. Research, evaluate, and apply advanced ML algorithms and techniques to solve complex problems. Collaborate with data scientists and researchers to integrate models into production systems. Develop and maintain MLOps practices, including model monitoring, versioning, and automated retraining. Optimize ML model performance, latency, and resource utilization. Mentor and guide junior machine learning engineers, providing technical leadership and fostering best practices. Stay current with the latest advancements in machine learning, deep learning, and AI research. Communicate technical concepts and project progress effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Contribute to the development of a strong machine learning culture within the organization.

Requirements

Ph.D. or Master's degree in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Statistics, or a related quantitative field. Minimum of 8 years of hands-on experience in machine learning engineering, with a proven track record of deploying models in production. Deep expertise in ML algorithms, statistical modeling, and deep learning frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch). Strong proficiency in programming languages such as Python, and experience with ML libraries (e.g., Scikit-learn, Pandas). Experience with MLOps tools and practices (e.g., MLflow, Kubeflow, CI/CD for ML). Familiarity with big data technologies (e.g., Spark) and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP). Excellent understanding of software engineering principles and best practices. Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking abilities. Exceptional communication, collaboration, and leadership skills, essential for a remote role. Ability to work independently and drive projects to completion in a distributed environment.

Benefits

Our client offers a highly competitive salary, generous bonus structure, and comprehensive health and wellness benefits. This is a fully remote position, providing excellent work-life balance and flexibility. Professional development is strongly encouraged, with support for conferences, training, and certifications. You will work on groundbreaking AI projects with a talented, global team. Our client is committed to fostering an innovative and collaborative remote work environment, providing employees with the resources and support needed to excel.