Lead Machine Learning Engineer - Computer Vision

Placements24; Bellville; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully remote work arrangement

Flexible hours

Professional development allowance

Stock options

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Machine Learning Engineer to drive cutting-edge computer vision initiatives. You will lead a team of engineers in developing and deploying state-of-the-art CV models for diverse applications, translating research into production systems.

The role emphasizes autonomy, strong self-management, and excellent communication as you shape the technical direction, work with large datasets, and ensure scalable, efficient, and accurate deployments in a remote-first

Qualifications

• Master's or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field with specialization in computer vision or ML.
• Significant professional experience in developing and deploying computer vision models in production.
• Expertise in deep learning frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Strong programming skills in Python and C++.
• Experience with computer vision libraries such as OpenCV.
• Proficiency in managing and leading technical teams.
• Solid understanding of MLOps practices and tools.
• Excellent problem‑solving, analytical, and communication skills.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and distributed training is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and deployment of computer vision models and systems.
• Manage and mentor a team of machine learning engineers.
• Define best practices for model training, evaluation, and deployment pipelines.
• Collaborate with product managers and stakeholders to define project requirements and roadmaps.
• Optimize ML models for performance, scalability, and resource efficiency.
• Stay current with advancements in computer vision and deep learning research.
• Implement robust testing and validation strategies for ML models.
• Contribute to the technical strategy and vision for computer vision at the company.
• Troubleshoot and resolve issues in production ML systems.

Skills

Team leadership

Problem solving

Analytical skills

Communication

Education

Master's or PhD in Computer Science / Electrical Engineering

Tools

TensorFlow

PyTorch

OpenCV

Python

C++

AWS

Azure

GCP

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a pioneering force in applied AI, is seeking an exceptional Lead Machine Learning Engineer to drive innovation in computer vision. This role is based in Centurion, Gauteng , and is a fully remote position, allowing you to contribute from anywhere. You will lead a team of talented engineers in developing and deploying state-of-the‑art computer vision models for a variety of challenging applications. This is a unique opportunity to shape the technical direction of our client's computer vision initiatives, working with large datasets and cutting‑edge deep learning techniques. As a remote‑first role, strong self‑management and communication skills are essential. You will play a pivotal role in translating complex research into production‑ready systems, ensuring scalability, efficiency, and accuracy. This position offers significant autonomy and the chance to make a tangible impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and deployment of computer vision models and systems.
• Manage and mentor a team of machine learning engineers.
• Define best practices for model training, evaluation, and deployment pipelines.
• Collaborate with product managers and stakeholders to define project requirements and roadmaps.
• Optimize ML models for performance, scalability, and resource efficiency.
• Stay current with advancements in computer vision and deep learning research.
• Implement robust testing and validation strategies for ML models.
• Contribute to the technical strategy and vision for computer vision at Our client.
• Troubleshoot and resolve issues in production ML systems.

Requirements

• Master's or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field with a specialization in computer vision or machine learning.
• Significant professional experience in developing and deploying computer vision models in production.
• Expertise in deep learning frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Strong programming skills in Python and C++.
• Experience with computer vision libraries such as OpenCV.
• Proficiency in managing and leading technical teams.
• Solid understanding of MLOps practices and tools.
• Excellent problem‑solving, analytical, and communication skills.
• Experience with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP) and distributed training is highly desirable.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and performance‑based incentives.
• Comprehensive benefits package including health and retirement.
• Generous allowance for professional development and conferences.
• Fully remote work arrangement with flexible hours.
• Opportunity to work on cutting‑edge projects with a talented team.
• Contribution to impactful AI solutions.
• Supportive and collaborative remote work culture.
• Stock options and long‑term incentives.