Principal Data Scientist - NLP & Generative AI

Placements24; Centurion; Hybride; ZAR 1 800 000 - 3 000 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Competitive compensation package

Hybrid work arrangement

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Professional development budget

State-of-the-art compute resources

Résumé du poste

Placements24 seeks a Principal Data Scientist to lead NLP and Generative AI initiatives, shaping strategy and driving production-ready models. You will mentor junior researchers, design rigorous experiments, and collaborate cross-functionally to deploy impactful solutions.

Based in Centurion, Gauteng, the role demands deep technical expertise and strong communication to translate business needs into data-driven AI strategies under a hybrid work model.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Computational Linguistics, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in data science, with a strong focus (7+ years) on NLP and Generative AI.
• Proven experience in leading complex data science projects and mentoring teams.
• Expertise in deep learning frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch) and libraries for NLP (e.g., Hugging Face Transformers, spaCy, NLTK).
• Strong programming skills in Python, with extensive experience in data manipulation and analysis libraries (Pandas, NumPy).
• Deep understanding of various NLP techniques, including text classification, sentiment analysis, named entity recognition, topic modeling, and modern generative models.
• Experience with large-scale data processing frameworks (e.g., Spark).
• Excellent understanding of machine learning principles and statistical modeling.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a proven ability to translate business problems into data science solutions.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills.

Responsabilités

• Lead the research, development, and implementation of advanced NLP and Generative AI models (e.g., LLMs, transformers, sequence-to-sequence models).
• Design and execute experiments to evaluate and improve model performance, focusing on accuracy, efficiency, and scalability.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to deploy models into production environments.
• Mentor and guide junior data scientists and researchers, fostering a culture of learning and technical excellence.
• Analyze large, complex datasets to extract insights and inform model development strategies.
• Stay at the forefront of NLP and Generative AI research, identifying and evaluating new techniques and technologies.
• Develop and present findings and recommendations to technical and business stakeholders.
• Define the roadmap for NLP and Generative AI initiatives within the organization.
• Contribute to the overall data science strategy and best practices.
• Ensure ethical considerations and bias mitigation are integrated into model development.

Connaissances

NLP

Generative AI

Deep Learning

Python

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Hugging Face Transformers

spaCy

NLTK

Pandas

NumPy

Spark

Formation

Ph.D. or Master's in CS/AI/Data Science/Computational Linguistics

Outils

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Hugging Face Transformers

spaCy

NLTK

Pandas

NumPy

Spark

Description du poste

About the Role

Our client, a global leader in AI & Emerging Technologies, is seeking an exceptional Principal Data Scientist to drive advancements in Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Generative AI. Based in Centurion, Gauteng, you will be instrumental in conceptualizing, developing, and deploying sophisticated AI models that understand and generate human language. This role demands deep technical expertise, a strategic mindset, and the ability to mentor junior scientists. You will tackle some of the most challenging problems in AI, working with vast datasets and cutting-edge methodologies. The successful candidate will play a key role in shaping the company's AI strategy, focusing on areas like advanced chatbots, content generation, and semantic analysis. This is a fantastic opportunity to make a significant impact within a highly innovative and collaborative environment. The Centurion, Gauteng location places you at the heart of a vibrant technological community, offering excellent connectivity and resources. We are looking for individuals who are passionate about leveraging data to create intelligent solutions and push the boundaries of AI research and application.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the research, development, and implementation of advanced NLP and Generative AI models (e.g., LLMs, transformers, sequence-to-sequence models).
• Design and execute experiments to evaluate and improve model performance, focusing on accuracy, efficiency, and scalability.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to deploy models into production environments.
• Mentor and guide junior data scientists and researchers, fostering a culture of learning and technical excellence.
• Analyze large, complex datasets to extract insights and inform model development strategies.
• Stay at the forefront of NLP and Generative AI research, identifying and evaluating new techniques and technologies.
• Develop and present findings and recommendations to technical and business stakeholders.
• Define the roadmap for NLP and Generative AI initiatives within the organization.
• Contribute to the overall data science strategy and best practices.
• Ensure ethical considerations and bias mitigation are integrated into model development.

Requirements

• Ph.D. or Master's degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Computational Linguistics, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in data science, with a strong focus (7+ years) on NLP and Generative AI.
• Proven experience in leading complex data science projects and mentoring teams.
• Expertise in deep learning frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch) and libraries for NLP (e.g., Hugging Face Transformers, spaCy, NLTK).
• Strong programming skills in Python, with extensive experience in data manipulation and analysis libraries (Pandas, NumPy).
• Deep understanding of various NLP techniques, including text classification, sentiment analysis, named entity recognition, topic modeling, and modern generative models.
• Experience with large-scale data processing frameworks (e.g., Spark).
• Excellent understanding of machine learning principles and statistical modeling.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a proven ability to translate business problems into data science solutions.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills.

Benefits

• Our client provides a highly competitive compensation package, including a significant annual bonus structure.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans are offered, along with a substantial company match for retirement savings.
• We invest heavily in our employees' growth, offering a generous budget for professional development, including conferences, workshops, and advanced certifications.
• The company promotes a dynamic work environment with opportunities for career progression and impact.
• Access to state-of-the‑art computing resources and a collaborative research community is guaranteed.
• This role is based in our modern offices in Centurion, Gauteng, with hybrid work arrangements available.
• Join a team dedicated to shaping the future of AI.