Lead Machine Learning Engineer - NLP Focus

Placements24; George; Sur place; ZAR 1 000 000 - 1 800 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Retirement plan with company matching

Paid time off

Training budget

Modern office in George

Wellness programs

Team events

Résumé du poste

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Machine Learning Engineer (NLP) to drive the design, development, and deployment of advanced NLP models in George, Western Cape. You will lead a team of ML engineers and data scientists, shaping product roadmaps and ML strategy.

The role requires 5+ years in ML with 2+ years in leadership, strong Python and ML library expertise, and a track record of delivering production-grade systems using MLOps.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD in CS/AI/linguistics or related field.
• 5+ years in ML engineering with at least 2 years in a leadership role.
• Expertise in NLP including transformers, LSTMs, and word embeddings.
• Proficiency in Python and ML libraries (PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit-learn, NLTK, spaCy).
• Experience deploying production ML systems with MLOps.
• Strong software engineering practices including version control, testing, CI/CD.
• Excellent leadership and communication skills.

Responsabilités

• Lead design, development, and deployment of scalable ML models focusing on NLP tasks (sentiment analysis, summarization, QA).
• Mentor a team of ML engineers and data scientists, fostering collaboration and high performance.
• Architect robust ML pipelines for data ingestion, training, evaluation, and production deployment.
• Collaborate with engineering, product, and business units to translate requirements into technical solutions.
• Conduct research into new NLP techniques and evaluate their potential.
• Ensure quality, reliability, and performance of deployed ML systems.
• Contribute to the ML strategy and technology roadmap.
• Stay updated with latest ML/NLP advancements.

Connaissances

NLP expertise

Team leadership

Communication

Collaboration

Research

Formation

Master's or PhD in CS/AI/linguistics

Outils

Python

PyTorch

TensorFlow

scikit-learn

NLTK

spaCy

MLOps

Description du poste

About the Role

Our client, a rapidly expanding technology firm specializing in intelligent automation, is looking for a talented Lead Machine Learning Engineer with a strong focus on Natural Language Processing (NLP). This on-site position in George, Western Cape , is crucial for developing and deploying advanced NLP models that will power our next generation of products. You will lead a dedicated team of engineers and data scientists, driving innovation from research through to production. This role demands a strategic thinker with a deep technical background and the ability to manage complex projects. You will work closely with product management and other engineering teams to define and implement the roadmap for NLP capabilities. Our client is committed to leveraging cutting-edge AI to solve real-world problems and provides an environment where ambitious ideas can flourish. The successful candidate will be a key player in shaping the future of our AI offerings and will have significant opportunities for leadership and impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and deployment of scalable machine learning models, with an emphasis on NLP tasks such as sentiment analysis, text summarization, and question answering.
• Manage and mentor a team of machine learning engineers and data scientists, fostering a collaborative and high-performance culture.
• Architect robust and efficient ML pipelines for data ingestion, model training, evaluation, and deployment in production environments.
• Collaborate with stakeholders across engineering, product, and business units to define requirements and translate them into technical solutions.
• Conduct research into new NLP techniques and algorithms, evaluating their potential for incorporation into our platform.
• Ensure the quality, reliability, and performance of deployed machine learning systems.
• Contribute to the overall ML strategy and technology roadmap of the company.
• Stay updated with the latest advancements in machine learning, NLP, and related fields.

Requirements

• Master's degree or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Linguistics, or a related field.
• Significant professional experience (5+ years) in machine learning engineering, with at least 2 years in a leadership role.
• Demonstrable expertise in Natural Language Processing, including experience with transformers, LSTMs, and word embeddings.
• Proficiency in Python and ML libraries like PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit-learn, NLTK, or spaCy.
• Experience building and deploying production-level ML systems, preferably using MLOps practices.
• Strong understanding of software engineering best practices, including version control, testing, and CI/CD.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Experience with large language models (LLMs) and their applications is highly desirable.

Benefits

Our client offers a highly competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, a generous retirement plan with company matching, and ample paid time off. Professional development is encouraged with a budget for training, conferences, and certifications. Employees will have access to cutting-edge technology and resources within our modern office in George, Western Cape . Opportunities for career advancement and leadership are abundant, as is the chance to work on impactful projects at the forefront of AI technology. We also provide various wellness programs and team events to foster a positive work environment.