Lead Data Scientist

Placements24; África do Sul; Híbrido; ZAR 1 200 000 - 2 400 000; Tempo integral

Vantagens oferecidas por esta oferta de emprego

Competitive salary and bonuses

Hybrid work model

Medical and retirement benefits

Generous leave and professional dev/di

Resumo da oferta

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Data Scientist for an analytics client in Paarl, Western Cape. You will drive end-to-end data science initiatives, mentor a team of data scientists, and deploy production‑grade ML models addressing key business challenges.

You will design experiments, build data pipelines, collaborate across departments, and stay on the cutting edge of ML research. A strong mix of technical excellence and leadership is essential.

Qualificações

• Master's or PhD in a quantitative field (CS, stats, math, physics)
• Minimum 6 years in data science or ML, with at least 2 years in leadership
• Proven production ML model deployment experience
• Proficiency in Python or R and libraries (scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch, Pandas, NumPy)
• Strong statistical modeling, experimental design, and hypothesis testing
• Experience with Spark/Hadoop and SQL databases
• Familiarity with cloud ML services (AWS/Azure/GCP)
• Excellent communication and stakeholder influence skills
• Experience with data visualization tools (Tableau/Power BI)
• Experience leading and mentoring data science teams

Responsabilidades

• Lead end-to-end development and deployment of ML models and data-driven solutions
• Mentor and manage a team of data scientists
• Collaborate with stakeholders to identify analytical opportunities and translate needs into data science projects
• Perform data analysis, feature engineering, and model building using statistical methods
• Design experiments, A/B tests, and validation frameworks to measure impact
• Develop and maintain data pipelines and infrastructure for model training and deployment
• Stay updated on ML advances and assess applicability
• Communicate findings clearly to technical and non-technical audiences
• Ensure quality, scalability, and reproducibility of workflows and models
• Contribute to strategic direction of data and analytics capabilities
• Foster a culture of data-driven decision making

Conhecimentos

Leadership

Python

R

ML/DL libraries

Statistics

Big data

SQL

Communication

Formação académica

Master's or PhD in a quantitative field

Ferramentas

Spark

Hadoop

TensorFlow

PyTorch

scikit-learn

Pandas

NumPy

Tableau

Power BI

Descrição da oferta de emprego

About the Role

Our client, a pioneering analytics firm based in the vibrant town of **Paarl, Western Cape, ZA**, is seeking an accomplished Lead Data Scientist to head their advanced analytics division. This leadership role is responsible for driving data-driven insights, developing sophisticated machine learning models, and guiding a team of talented data scientists. You will tackle complex business challenges by leveraging large datasets, advanced statistical techniques, and cutting‑edge machine learning algorithms. The ideal candidate will possess a strong blend of technical expertise, strategic thinking, and leadership capabilities. This is a premier opportunity to shape the future of data science within a rapidly growing organization located in the scenic **Paarl** region.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end development and deployment of machine learning models and data-driven solutions to address key business problems.
• Mentor and manage a team of data scientists, providing technical guidance, project oversight, and career development support.
• Collaborate with stakeholders across various departments to identify analytical opportunities and translate business needs into data science projects.
• Perform complex data analysis, feature engineering, and model building using statistical methods and machine learning algorithms.
• Design and implement experiments, A/B tests, and validation frameworks to measure the impact of data science initiatives.
• Develop and maintain data pipelines and infrastructure for model training and deployment.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in data science, machine learning, and AI, and evaluate their applicability.
• Communicate complex findings and recommendations clearly and effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ensure the quality, scalability, and reproducibility of data science workflows and models.
• Contribute to the strategic direction of the company's data and analytics capabilities.
• Foster a culture of data-driven decision-making throughout the organization.

Requirements

• Master's or Ph.D. in a quantitative field such as Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Physics, or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 6 years of professional experience in data science or machine learning, with at least 2 years in a leadership or senior role.
• Proven experience in developing and deploying machine learning models in production environments.
• Expertise in programming languages commonly used in data science, such as Python or R, and associated libraries (e.g., scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch, Pandas, NumPy).
• Strong knowledge of statistical modeling, experimental design, and hypothesis testing.
• Experience with big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Hadoop) and SQL databases.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and their ML services.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, Matplotlib).
• Experience managing and mentoring data science teams.

Benefits

• Our client offers a highly competitive salary, performance-based bonuses, comprehensive medical and retirement benefits, generous leave, and significant opportunities for professional development, including attending top-tier conferences.
• Enjoy a hybrid work model that provides flexibility while fostering collaboration.
• This role is based in the beautiful winemaking region of Paarl, Western Cape, ZA, offering an exceptional quality of life and a stimulating work environment.