Principal AI Engineer - Reinforcement Learning

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

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Retirement savings plan

Conference travel & professional dev

Job summary

Placements24 in Mahikeng, North West seeks a Principal AI Engineer with deep RL expertise to spearhead research and develop advanced RL solutions for real-world applications including autonomous systems and robotics.

The role combines leadership, mentorship, and hands-on implementation, with a strong emphasis on publishing, collaboration, and deploying scalable RL models in production.

Qualifications

• PhD or MSc in CS/AI/Robotics or related field.
• 7+ years in AI/ML with RL specialization.
• Proven RL algorithm development and deployment.
• Strong Python and DL framework experience.
• Experience with RL libraries and simulators.
• Strong theoretical RL understanding.
• Leadership and mentoring skills.
• Publication record is a plus.
• Robotics simulation or real-world robotics desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and development of advanced Reinforcement Learning systems.
• Architect RL solutions for complex, real-world applications.
• Conduct research and develop novel RL algorithms and methodologies.
• Implement and optimize RL agents for performance and scalability.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define project scope and technical requirements.
• Mentor and guide junior AI engineers and researchers in RL best practices.
• Stay at the forefront of RL research and identify opportunities for innovation.
• Contribute to technical strategy and roadmap planning for AI initiatives.
• Publish research findings and present work at leading AI conferences.
• Ensure the robust and efficient deployment of RL models in production environments.

Skills

Reinforcement Learning

Python

Deep Learning

Research Leadership

Education

PhD or MSc in CS/AI/Robotics

Tools

TensorFlow

PyTorch

OpenAI Gym

MuJoCo

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a leader in AI & Emerging Technologies, is looking for a highly experienced Principal AI Engineer with deep expertise in Reinforcement Learning (RL) to join their innovative team in Mahikeng, North West. This senior position requires a visionary leader who can drive cutting-edge research and development in RL applications, potentially for areas like autonomous systems, robotics, or complex optimization problems. You will be responsible for architecting and implementing advanced RL algorithms, leading challenging projects, and mentoring a team of talented engineers and researchers. The ideal candidate will possess a strong theoretical background in RL, coupled with practical experience in applying these techniques to solve complex, real-world challenges. This is an unparalleled opportunity to make a significant impact on the future of AI.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of advanced Reinforcement Learning systems.
• Architect RL solutions for complex, real-world applications.
• Conduct research and develop novel RL algorithms and methodologies.
• Implement and optimize RL agents for performance and scalability.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define project scope and technical requirements.
• Mentor and guide junior AI engineers and researchers in RL best practices.
• Stay at the forefront of RL research and identify opportunities for innovation.
• Contribute to technical strategy and roadmap planning for AI initiatives.
• Publish research findings and present work at leading AI conferences.
• Ensure the robust and efficient deployment of RL models in production environments.

Requirements

• Ph.D. or Master's degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, or a related quantitative field.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in AI and Machine Learning, with a strong specialization in Reinforcement Learning.
• Proven track record of developing and deploying sophisticated RL algorithms (e.g., DQN, PPO, A3C).
• Expertise in Python and deep learning frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Experience with RL libraries and simulation environments (e.g., OpenAI Gym, MuJoCo).
• Strong theoretical understanding of RL concepts, including Markov Decision Processes, Q-learning, policy gradients.
• Experience with large-scale data processing and distributed systems.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work on ambiguous problems and drive solutions independently.
• Strong publication record in top-tier AI conferences/journals is a significant plus.
• Experience in simulation and/or real-world robotics is highly desirable.

Benefits

Our client offers an industry-leading salary, comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, a generous retirement savings plan, and substantial bonus opportunities. We provide significant support for professional development, including conference travel and continuous learning initiatives. This role offers a hybrid work model and is based in Mahikeng, North West .