Lead Data And Ai Engineer

Boardroom Appointments; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 600 000 - 800 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment firm in South Africa is seeking a skilled leader to drive the vision and execution of data and AI initiatives. The ideal candidate will mentor a high-performing team, design scalable data pipelines, and advocate for ethical AI. A degree in a STEM field and experience with tools like Power BI and AWS are essential. This is an opportunity to make a real impact in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Experience with modern AI / ML frameworks.
• Natural mentor and team builder.
• Adaptability in fast-moving environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire a high-performing data and AI team.
• Mentor team members and instill best practices.
• Design robust, scalable data pipelines.

Skills

Hands-on experience in Python

SQL proficiency

Knowledge of cloud platforms, especially AWS

Expertise in building data architectures

Leadership skills

Effective communication

Organizational skills

Education

Degree in a STEM field (BSc, BEng, or higher)

Tools

Power BI

Airflow

MySQL

Job description

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and Inspire Drive the vision, execution, and continuous improvement of the company's data and AI team.
• Mentor a high-performing team, instilling best practices and innovative thinking.
• Align projects with business strategy and deliver outcomes that matter.
• Engineer & Innovate Design robust, scalable data pipelines and integrate diverse data sources.
• Champion best-in-class data governance, quality, and architecture standards.
• Partner with product and engineering to create data-driven solutions for real-world challenges.
• Drive Generative AI Strategy Shape the company's roadmap for generative AI.
• Build and prototype cutting-edge AI tools that support both clients and internal teams.
• Advocate for ethical, impactful AI across the organisation.
• Communicate with Impact Deliver insights through interactive dashboards and automated reports.
• Present strategic data narratives to executives and stakeholders.
• Foster data literacy company-wide through training and knowledge sharing.

What We're Looking For

• A degree in a STEM field (BSc, BEng, or higher).
• Hands-on experience in Python, SQL, and modern AI / ML frameworks.
• Strong knowledge of cloud platforms, especially AWS.
• Expertise in building and scaling data architectures and pipelines using Airflow.
• Proficiency in Power BI for creating and managing data visualisations and dashboards.
• Solid understanding and experience with MySQL database management and querying.
• Leadership skills that inspire collaboration, innovation, and ownership.
• A natural mentor and team builder.
• Clear, confident communicator with executives and engineers alike.
• Highly organised but adaptable, you thrive in a fast-moving, purpose-driven environment.