Principal Data Scientist – Genomics & AI Leader (Rustenburg)

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

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

Retirement plan

Relocation support

Professional growth opportunities

Flexible working

Job summary

Placements24 in Rustenburg, North West, is seeking a Principal Data Scientist to lead advanced ML and biomedical analytics initiatives. You will mentor junior scientists, shape data science strategy, and collaborate with genetics, clinical and software teams to translate complex datasets into actionable insights.

The role requires a PhD and 8+ years of life sciences data experience, deep Python/R expertise, and proven deployment of predictive models on large-scale genomic data.

Qualifications

• PhD in a quantitative field (Data Science, CS, Statistics or Bioinformatics).
• 8+ years hands-on data science experience in life sciences/healthcare.
• Proven track record deploying predictive models on complex biological data.
• Proficiency in Python or R and libraries (scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch, pandas, NumPy).
• Experience with large-scale data processing and SQL/NoSQL databases.

Responsibilities

• Develop, validate, and deploy advanced ML models for genomic data analysis.
• Lead exploration and interpretation of multi-modal data (genomics, transcriptomics, EHR).
• Design data mining and predictive modeling to identify biomarkers and targets.
• Collaborate with geneticists, bioinformaticians, clinicians, and engineers to deliver data-driven solutions.
• Mentor junior scientists and foster scientific rigor and excellence.
• Stay current with advancements in data science, genomics, and related fields.
• Communicate complex findings to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Contribute to IP through publications and patents.

Skills

Python

R

scikit-learn

TensorFlow

PyTorch

pandas

NumPy

ML engineering

Education

Ph.D. in Data Science / Computer Science / Statistics / Bioinformatics

Tools

SQL

NoSQL

Spark

Git

Job description

Placements24 in Rustenburg, North West, is seeking a Principal Data Scientist to lead advanced ML and biomedical analytics initiatives. You will mentor junior scientists, shape data science strategy, and collaborate with genetics, clinical and software teams to translate complex datasets into actionable insights.

The role requires a PhD and 8+ years of life sciences data experience, deep Python/R expertise, and proven deployment of predictive models on large-scale genomic data.