Principal AI Engineer - NLP & Generative AI

Placements24; Stellenbosch; Hybrid; ZAR 2,992,000 - 4,654,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Exceptional salary and bonuses

Health insurance

Stock options

Fully remote work

Conferences & training

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Principal AI Engineer with deep expertise in NLP and Generative AI to architect, develop, and deploy scalable AI systems. This remote-first role requires a strong technical leader who can mentor engineers and shape the company's AI strategy.

You will work on cutting-edge NLP projects, optimize LLMs, implement production-ready pipelines, and collaborate with product management to translate business needs into technical solutions.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in CS/AI or related field.
• Extensive NLP and modern deep learning experience.
• Proven track record deploying AI systems in production.
• Strong Python and DL framework skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and implementation of advanced NLP and generative AI solutions.
• Develop and optimize large language models.
• Architect scalable, production-ready AI systems.
• Mentor AI/ML engineers.
• Define technical standards and best practices.
• Translate business requirements into technical solutions with product management.
• Stay at the forefront of NLP and Generative AI research.
• Analyze performance and optimize models and systems.
• Troubleshoot production AI issues.

Skills

NLP expertise

Generative AI

Leadership

Python

Deep learning

MLOps

Cloud platforms

CI/CD

Education

Master's or Ph.D. in CS/AI

Tools

PyTorch

TensorFlow

AWS

Azure

GCP

CI/CD pipelines

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a pioneer in AI-driven business solutions, is seeking a distinguished Principal AI Engineer with deep expertise in Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Generative AI. This is a fully remote position, allowing you to contribute your expertise from anywhere. You will be responsible for architecting, developing, and deploying highly scalable AI systems that leverage the power of cutting-edge NLP and generative models. This role demands a strong technical leader who can drive innovation, mentor engineers, and influence the technical strategy of the organization. You will work on challenging and impactful projects that redefine how businesses interact with information and technology. As a remote-first role, excellent self-discipline and communication are paramount. Your contributions will be critical in shaping the future of AI-powered products.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of advanced NLP and generative AI solutions.
• Develop and optimize large language models (LLMs) and related technologies.
• Architect scalable, robust, and production-ready AI systems.
• Mentor and guide a team of AI and ML engineers.
• Define technical standards and best practices for AI development.
• Collaborate with product management to translate business requirements into technical solutions.
• Stay at the forefront of NLP and Generative AI research and development.
• Conduct performance analysis and optimization of AI models and systems.
• Troubleshoot complex technical issues in production AI environments.

Requirements

• Master's or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, or a related field.
• Extensive experience in NLP, with a strong focus on modern deep learning techniques (e.g., Transformers, LLMs).
• Proven track record of architecting and deploying complex AI systems in production.
• Expertise in Python and deep learning frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow.
• Experience with MLOps, CI/CD pipelines, and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Strong understanding of model evaluation, fine-tuning, and deployment strategies.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently and lead initiatives in a remote setting.
• Experience with distributed training and large-scale data processing.

Benefits

• Exceptional salary and significant performance-based bonuses.
• Top-tier health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Generous stock options and long-term incentive plans.
• Fully remote work with flexible hours.
• Professional growth opportunities, including conferences and advanced training.
• Access to cutting-edge AI infrastructure and research opportunities.
• A culture that values innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning.