Principal Data Scientist - AI Ethics & Fairness

Placements24; Noord-Kaap; Hybrid; ZAR 1,800,000 - 3,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully remote work

Flexible hours

Career advancement

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Principal Data Scientist focused on AI Ethics and Fairness to join their remote research team. You will lead efforts to ensure responsible, unbiased AI systems, developing fair algorithms and ethical frameworks.

The role demands deep ML expertise, strong leadership, and the ability to translate complex ethics concepts for diverse stakeholders while operating in a fully remote setting.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or equivalent in a quantitative field with AI/ML ethics specialization.
• 7+ years of data science and applied AI research.
• Expertise in fairness metrics, bias detection, and mitigation in ML.
• Proficient in Python and ML libraries.
• Experience with large-scale data analysis and model development.
• Strong communication and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead research in AI fairness, accountability, transparency, and ethics (FATE).
• Develop metrics/tools to measure AI bias.
• Mitigate bias in datasets and models.
• Collaborate with ML engineers and product teams to embed ethics into development.
• Stay updated on AI ethics regulations and best practices.
• Communicate complex ethical and technical concepts to leadership and engineering teams.

Skills

Leadership

Python

Communication

Ethics in AI

ML & Data Science

Education

Ph.D. in CS/Statistics/Math or related with AI/ML ethics

Tools

Python

ML libraries

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a pioneering Principal Data Scientist focused on AI Ethics and Fairness to join their advanced research team, operating remotely. This is a critical role dedicated to ensuring that AI systems developed by our client are responsible, equitable, and unbiased. You will lead research into methodologies for detecting and mitigating bias, developing fair algorithms, and establishing robust ethical frameworks for AI deployment. The ideal candidate is a visionary leader with deep expertise in machine learning, a strong understanding of ethical AI principles, and a passion for building trust and fairness into artificial intelligence systems in a fully remote setting.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead research and development efforts in AI fairness, accountability, transparency, and ethics (FATE).
• Develop and implement quantitative metrics and tools for measuring and monitoring AI bias.
• Design and apply techniques to mitigate bias in datasets and machine learning models.
• Collaborate with ML engineers and product teams to integrate ethical AI principles into the development lifecycle.
• Stay abreast of evolving research in AI ethics, regulations, and industry best practices.
• Communicate complex ethical and technical concepts to diverse stakeholders, including leadership and engineering teams.

Requirements

• Ph.D. or equivalent experience in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related quantitative field with a specialization in AI/ML ethics or fairness.
• 7+ years of professional experience in data science, machine learning, and applied AI research.
• Deep understanding of fairness metrics, bias detection methods, and mitigation strategies in machine learning.
• Proficiency in programming languages (Python) and ML libraries.
• Experience with large-scale data analysis and model development.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills, with the ability to influence product direction.

Benefits

• An industry-leading salary and comprehensive benefits package.
• Fully remote work arrangement with flexible hours.
• Significant opportunities for career advancement and thought leadership in AI ethics.
• Access to advanced computational resources and research datasets.
• A mission-driven culture focused on building responsible and trustworthy AI technology.