Lead Data Scientist - Machine Learning

Placements24; Randburg; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully remote role

Competitive salary

Health benefits

Bonuses

Professional development budget

Flexible hours

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Data Scientist to spearhead ML initiatives and guide a team of data scientists. This fully remote role lets you work from anywhere in South Africa, driving predictive analytics and AI-driven insights.

You will design, deploy, and mentor on advanced models, collaborate with stakeholders, and shape the data science strategy while promoting rigorous experimentation and best practices.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in data science with leadership experience.
• Expertise in ML model development and deployment.
• Proficiency in Python or R and data libraries.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development, and deployment of advanced ML models for business applications.
• Mentor and manage a team of data scientists; provide technical guidance and reviews.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to translate business needs into analytical solutions.

Skills

Leadership

ML research

Statistical modeling

Python/R

Pandas NumPy

TensorFlow PyTorch

Big data

Cloud platforms

MLOps

Education

Master's or PhD in CS/Stats/Math

Tools

Spark

Hadoop

AWS

Azure

GCP

scikit-learn

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Job description

About the Role Our client, a pioneering analytics firm, is seeking an exceptional Lead Data Scientist to spearhead their machine learning initiatives. This fully remote position offers the opportunity to work from anywhere in South Africa, contributing to groundbreaking projects in the field of artificial intelligence and data-driven insights. You will lead a team of talented data scientists, guiding the development and implementation of sophisticated machine learning models that address complex business challenges. This role demands a blend of technical expertise, strategic thinking, and strong leadership skills. The ideal candidate is passionate about extracting value from data and driving innovation through predictive analytics and AI. You will be instrumental in shaping the company's data science strategy and fostering a culture of scientific rigor and continuous improvement. Join a collaborative and intellectually stimulating environment where your contributions will have a direct and measurable impact on our client's success and the broader industry landscape. This is your chance to redefine what's possible with data.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and deployment of advanced machine learning models for various business applications, including prediction, classification, and anomaly detection.


• Mentor and manage a team of data scientists, providing technical guidance, code reviews, and performance feedback.


• Collaborate with stakeholders across the organization to identify data science opportunities and translate business needs into analytical solutions.


• Develop and maintain data pipelines for model training and inference, ensuring data quality and integrity.


• Conduct exploratory data analysis to uncover insights and inform model development.


• Stay up-to-date with the latest research and advancements in machine learning and artificial intelligence.


• Communicate complex findings and model results to both technical and non-technical audiences.


• Drive the adoption of best practices in data science, MLOps, and experimental design.


• Contribute to the strategic direction of the data science function within the organization.

Requirements

• Master's or PhD in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related quantitative field.


• Minimum of 7 years of professional experience in data science, with at least 3 years in a leadership or management role.


• Proven expertise in developing and deploying machine learning models using libraries such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn, etc.


• Strong proficiency in Python and/or R, with experience in data manipulation and analysis libraries (Pandas, NumPy).


• Experience with big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Hadoop) and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).


• Deep understanding of statistical modeling, algorithms, and experimental design.


• Excellent problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication skills.


• Demonstrated ability to lead projects and mentor junior team members.

Benefits

• This fully remote role offers a competitive salary, excellent health benefits, performance-based bonuses, a generous budget for professional development and conference attendance, flexible working hours, and the opportunity to work on challenging and impactful projects.