Data Engineer - AI & ML Pipelines

Placements24; East London; Hybrid; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully remote

Remote across SA

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a skilled Data Engineer for a fully remote role, ideally near East London, South Africa. You will design, build, and maintain scalable data pipelines to support AI/ML initiatives, leveraging cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP) and modern ETL/ELT techniques.

The position emphasizes data quality, security, and collaboration with data scientists. The role offers remote work from anywhere in South Africa and opportunities to work on cutting-edge data infrastructure projects to

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or related quantitative field.

Responsibilities

• Design, construct, install, test, and maintain scalable data pipelines.
• Develop and optimize ETL/ELT processes to load data into warehouses and data lakes.
• Build and manage data infrastructure on cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP).
• Ensure data quality, integrity, and availability for AI/ML teams.
• Collaborate with data scientists and ML engineers to understand data requirements.
• Implement data security and compliance best practices.
• Monitor and troubleshoot data pipeline performance and resolve issues.
• Automate data processes with scripting and orchestration tools.
• Stay updated with emerging data engineering technologies.

Skills

SQL

Python

Data modeling

ETL/ELT

Cloud platforms

Airflow

Big data

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or related field

Tools

Spark

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a rapidly growing data analytics firm, is looking for a skilled Data Engineer to join their fully remote team. Based ideally within commuting distance of East London but operating remotely, you will play a pivotal role in designing, building, and maintaining robust data pipelines that support our AI and Machine Learning initiatives. This role requires a strong understanding of data warehousing, ETL processes, and cloud data platforms, with a specific focus on enabling efficient data flow for advanced analytics and model training. If you are passionate about data infrastructure and enabling data-driven decision-making, this fully remote opportunity is for you.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, construct, install, test, and maintain highly scalable data management systems and pipelines.


• Develop and optimize ETL/ELT processes to ingest data from various sources into data warehouses and data lakes.


• Build and manage robust data infrastructure on cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP).


• Ensure data quality, integrity, and availability for AI and ML teams.


• Collaborate with data scientists and ML engineers to understand their data requirements and provide solutions.


• Implement data security and compliance best practices.


• Monitor and troubleshoot data pipeline performance and resolve issues promptly.


• Automate data processes and workflows using scripting and orchestration tools.


• Stay updated with emerging technologies and best practices in data engineering and cloud data management.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or a related quantitative field.


• Proven experience as a Data Engineer or in a similar role focused on data infrastructure and pipelines.


• Strong proficiency in SQL and experience with relational and NoSQL databases.


• Hands-on experience with cloud data services (e.g., AWS S3, Redshift, Glue; Azure Data Factory, Synapse; Google Cloud Storage, BigQuery).


• Experience with ETL/ELT tools and data warehousing concepts.


• Proficiency in at least one programming language such as Python or Scala.


• Familiarity with big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Hadoop) is a plus.


• Experience with data pipeline orchestration tools (e.g., Airflow).


• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.


• Ability to work effectively in a fully remote team environment.

Benefits

Our client offers a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and the flexibility of a fully remote position, allowing you to work from anywhere within East London and surrounding areas, or remotely across South Africa. You will have the opportunity to work on challenging data infrastructure projects that directly enable AI and ML innovation. We provide a supportive team environment, opportunities for continuous learning and professional development, and exposure to cutting‑edge cloud technologies. This role is ideal for a Data Engineer looking to advance their career in a dynamic and evolving field.