Lead AI Engineer

Placements24; Siyancuma Local Municipality; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Performance bonuses

Fully remote with global flexibility

Professional development budget

Collaborative culture

Lead impactful AI projects

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Lead AI Engineer to guide architecture and production deployment of advanced AI systems in a fully remote setting. You will mentor a growing team, define best practices, and collaborate with product managers to translate requirements into scalable solutions.

You will influence technical direction, champion MLOps, and ensure code quality, performance, and reliability across cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP).

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in CS, AI, or related field.
• 7+ years in AI/ML engineering with at least 2 years in a lead role.
• Proficiency in Python and ML frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Experience with cloud platforms and MLOps practices.
• Strong architecture, distributed systems, and data engineering knowledge.
• Excellent leadership and communication abilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development, and deployment of AI/ML systems and infra.
• Mentor a team of AI/ML engineers and define best practices.
• Collaborate with product managers to translate requirements into solutions.
• Architect scalable AI solutions leveraging cloud technologies.
• Drive innovation and evaluate new AI technologies.

Skills

Python

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Distributed systems

Leadership

Education

Master's or PhD in CS/AI

Tools

AWS

Azure

GCP

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking an accomplished Lead AI Engineer to guide their engineering efforts in developing and deploying advanced artificial intelligence solutions. In this fully remote role, you will provide technical leadership, mentor a team of engineers, and drive the architecture and implementation of scalable AI systems. You will work on challenging projects, from conceptualization to production, ensuring the highest standards of code quality, performance, and reliability. This is an unparalleled opportunity to shape the direction of AI development within a dynamic, forward-thinking organization that fosters innovation and collaboration.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and deployment of sophisticated AI/ML systems and infrastructure.
• Mentor and guide a team of AI and machine learning engineers, fostering technical excellence.
• Define and implement best practices for AI development, including MLOps, testing, and deployment strategies.
• Collaborate with product managers and stakeholders to translate requirements into technical solutions.
• Architect scalable, robust, and efficient AI solutions leveraging cloud technologies.
• Champion innovation and continuously explore new AI technologies and methodologies.

Requirements

• Master's or PhD degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, or a related field.
• 7+ years of professional experience in AI/ML engineering, with at least 2 years in a lead or senior role.
• Deep expertise in programming languages like Python and ML frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Proven experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and MLOps best practices.
• Strong understanding of system architecture, distributed systems, and data engineering principles.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.
• Significant stock options and performance bonuses.
• Fully remote work arrangement with global flexibility.
• Generous budget for professional development and training.
• Opportunity to lead impactful AI projects and influence technological direction.
• Collaborative and innovative work culture.