Lead Machine Learning Engineer - AI in Drug Discovery

Placements24; George; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical aid

Pension fund

Conference attendance

Hybrid work arrangement

Hybrid work in George

Job summary

Placements24 is partnering with a leading pharmaceutical AI research group to recruit a Lead Machine Learning Engineer in George, Western Cape. You will design, implement, and deploy ML models for drug discovery, mentor a growing team, and collaborate with chemists and biologists to translate research needs into production-ready solutions.

The role demands a PhD or MSc in a quantitative field, 7+ years in ML, and strong experience with TensorFlow or PyTorch, Python, and cloud platforms.

Qualifications

• Master's or Ph.D. in Computer Science, ML, Statistics, Physics, or related field.
• 7+ years in machine learning with production deployment experience.
• Proven experience leading ML projects and mentoring junior engineers.
• Expertise in TensorFlow, PyTorch or Keras.
• Strong Python and libraries (scikit-learn, pandas, NumPy).
• Familiarity with cheminformatics and bioinformatics is a plus.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Excellent communication and leadership skills.
• Hybrid work environment capability.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development and deployment of ML models for drug discovery.
• Oversee ML lifecycle from data to deployment and monitoring.
• Mentor a team of ML engineers and data scientists.
• Collaborate with cheminformaticians, biologists and chemists to translate needs.
• Develop robust, scalable, production-ready ML infrastructure.
• Stay current with ML advances and their pharma applications.
• Communicate project results to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Contribute to AI strategy and roadmap for the organization.

Skills

Leadership

Machine Learning

Deep Learning

Python

Education

PhD in CS/ML/Related

Master's degree in quantitative field

Tools

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Keras

scikit-learn

NumPy

Pandas

AWS

Azure

GCP

Job description

About the Role

Our client is at the forefront of revolutionizing drug discovery through advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning. We are seeking an accomplished Lead Machine Learning Engineer to spearhead the development of novel AI models and algorithms that will accelerate the identification and optimization of therapeutic candidates. This role offers the exciting opportunity to shape the future of pharmaceutical R&D, working with state-of-the-art technologies and a world-class team of scientists and engineers in **George, Western Cape**. You will be responsible for designing, implementing, and deploying ML solutions that tackle complex biological and chemical challenges. This position requires a blend of strong technical acumen, strategic thinking, and leadership capabilities, fostering innovation in a dynamic research environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and implementation of machine learning models for drug discovery applications, including target identification, virtual screening, and predictive toxicology.
• Oversee the entire ML lifecycle, from data acquisition and preprocessing to model training, evaluation, deployment, and monitoring.
• Mentor and guide a team of talented machine learning engineers and data scientists, fostering a collaborative and high-performance culture.
• Collaborate with cheminformaticians, biologists, and chemists to understand research needs and translate them into effective ML solutions.
• Develop and maintain robust, scalable, and production-ready ML infrastructure and pipelines.
• Research and stay current with the latest advancements in machine learning, deep learning, and their applications in the pharmaceutical industry.
• Communicate complex technical concepts and project results effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Contribute to the strategic roadmap for AI in drug discovery within the organization.

Requirements

• Master's or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Statistics, Physics, or a related quantitative field.
• Extensive experience (7+ years) in machine learning, with a significant portion focused on building and deploying models in a production environment.
• Proven experience leading ML projects and mentoring junior engineers.
• Expertise in deep learning frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, or Keras.
• Strong programming skills in Python and experience with relevant libraries (e.g., scikit-learn, pandas, NumPy).
• Familiarity with cheminformatics and bioinformatics concepts is a strong plus.
• Experience with big data technologies and cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP) is preferred.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a **hybrid** environment, balancing remote and in-office collaboration.

Benefits

• competitive salary and bonus structure
• comprehensive medical aid
• pension fund
• performance-based incentives
• opportunities for professional development
• attending leading scientific conferences
• working on cutting-edge projects that have a real-world impact
• dynamic and innovative work environment with a strong emphasis on collaboration and scientific excellence, within the scenic setting of **George, Western Cape**, with flexible **hybrid** work arrangements.