Principal AI Engineer

Placements24; Durban; Hybrid; ZAR 2,938,000 - 3,918,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

High pay & bonuses

Health coverage

Stock options

Unlimited PTO

Remote-friendly

Professional development

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Principal AI Engineer to join its distributed, remote-first engineering team. You will design, architect, and implement scalable AI systems powering cutting-edge solutions and mentor others in AI & Emerging Technologies.

You will lead production ML models, collaborate with researchers and product managers, and optimize for performance and cost in cloud environments while helping shape technical strategy across the organization.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in CS or engineering with AI/ML focus.
• 8+ years of professional software engineering experience with at least 4 years on AI/ML systems.
• Expertise in Python and AI libraries (TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn).
• Distributed systems, cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP), and MLOps knowledge.
• Proven experience architecting and deploying large-scale AI/ML solutions in production.
• Strong leadership, communication, and collaboration skills for a remote setting.

Responsibilities

• Architect and implement scalable AI/ML systems and platforms.
• Develop and deploy production-ready ML models integrated into software infrastructure.
• Lead design discussions, code reviews, and set engineering best practices for AI.
• Collaborate with researchers, PMs, and engineering teams to deliver AI solutions.
• Optimize AI models and systems for performance, cost, and reliability in cloud environments.
• Mentor mid-level and junior AI engineers.

Skills

AI/ML engineering

Python

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Distributed systems

Cloud platforms

MLOps

Leadership

Communication

Remote collaboration

Education

Master's or PhD in CS/Engineering with AI focus

Tools

TensorFlow

PyTorch

scikit-learn

AWS

Azure

GCP

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a highly accomplished Principal AI Engineer to join their innovative and fully remote engineering team. This critical role involves designing, architecting, and implementing sophisticated AI systems and infrastructure that power the company's advanced technological solutions. You will be at the forefront of developing scalable, high-performance AI applications, driving technical strategy, and mentoring other engineers in the AI & Emerging Technologies domain. This is a unique opportunity for a senior engineer who is passionate about tackling complex engineering challenges in a distributed setting and wants to make a substantial impact on the direction of AI development, benefiting from a flexible, remote-first work environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect, design, and implement scalable, robust, and efficient AI/ML systems and platforms.
• Develop and deploy production-ready machine learning models, integrating them into existing software infrastructure.
• Lead technical design discussions, code reviews, and contribute to setting engineering best practices for AI development.
• Collaborate closely with research scientists, product managers, and other engineering teams to deliver high-quality AI solutions.
• Optimize AI models and systems for performance, cost, and reliability in cloud environments.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to mid-level and junior AI engineers.

Requirements

• Master's or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, with a strong focus on AI/ML.
• 8+ years of professional software engineering experience, with at least 4 years focused on AI/ML systems.
• Expertise in Python and common AI/ML libraries (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn).
• Deep understanding of distributed systems, cloud computing platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), and MLOps principles.
• Proven experience in architecting and deploying large-scale AI/ML solutions in production.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills, essential for effective collaboration in a remote setting.

Benefits

• Exceptional salary and significant performance-based bonuses.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage.
• Generous stock options and long-term incentive plans.
• Unlimited paid time off and flexible working hours to support remote work.
• Professional development budget for conferences, courses, and certifications.
• Opportunity to work on challenging and impactful projects in AI & Emerging Technologies with a talented global team.