Lead Data and AI Engineer

Boardroom Appointments; Sandton; On-site; ZAR 900 000 - 1 200 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment firm is seeking a Lead Data and AI Engineer based in Sandton, South Africa. In this role, you will drive the vision and execution of the data and AI team, design scalable data pipelines, and mentor a high-performing team. The ideal candidate should have a degree in a STEM field and significant experience in Python, AWS, and data architecture. This position requires strong leadership and communication skills, as well as expertise in modern AI frameworks.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with modern AI / ML frameworks.
• Leadership skills that inspire collaboration and ownership.
• Clear communicator with executives and engineers.

Responsibilities

• Drive vision and execution of the data and AI team.
• Design robust, scalable data pipelines.
• Shape the company's roadmap for generative AI.

Skills

Leadership skills

Hands-on experience in Python

Expertise in AWS

Proficiency in Power BI

Strong knowledge of SQL

Understanding of AI/ML frameworks

Experience with MySQL

Education

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

Tools

AWS

Airflow

Power BI

Job description

Lead Data and AI Engineer

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.