Principal Machine Learning Engineer

Placements24; Stellenbosch; Hybrid; ZAR 1,300,000 - 2,150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Home office stipend

Remote-first culture

Competitive salary + bonus

Health benefits

Job summary

WhatJobs Direct is seeking a Principal Machine Learning Engineer for a fully remote role. You will lead end-to-end ML development, design scalable pipelines, and apply state-of-the-art algorithms to real-world problems.

You will mentor junior engineers and shape our AI strategy across teams. The ideal candidate holds a PhD or Master’s in a quantitative field and 7+ years of hands-on ML experience with Python, TensorFlow/PyTorch, and Spark.

Qualifications

• PhD or Master’s in Computer Science, ML, AI, Statistics or related quantitative field.

Responsibilities

• Lead end‑to‑end development and deployment of ML models.
• Design and optimize scalable ML pipelines and infrastructure.
• Research and apply state‑of‑the‑art ML algorithms and techniques.
• Collaborate with data scientists and software engineers to productionize models.
• Mentor junior engineers and data scientists, promote ML best practices.
• Evaluate models, run A/B tests, iterate for accuracy and efficiency.
• Stay abreast of ML and AI research developments.
• Develop monitoring for ML models in production.
• Contribute to the company’s AI/ML strategy.
• Ensure ethical and responsible AI development and deployment.
• Communicate complex technical concepts to diverse stakeholders.

Skills

PhD or Master’s in ML/CS

7+ years ML engineering

Python

ML libraries

ML algorithms

MLOps

Cloud platforms

Spark

Software engineering

Leadership

Communication

Education

PhD in CS/ML/AI/Stats

Master’s in related field

Tools

TensorFlow

PyTorch

scikit-learn

MLOps tooling

Spark

Job description

About the Role

WhatJobs Direct is seeking a highly innovative and experienced Principal Machine Learning Engineer for a fully remote position. This role is ideal for a visionary individual passionate about leveraging advanced machine learning techniques to solve complex real-world problems. You will be instrumental in designing, developing, and deploying sophisticated ML models and pipelines that drive significant business impact. As a principal engineer, you will provide technical leadership, mentor junior team members, and collaborate with stakeholders across the organization to define and execute our machine learning strategy. This is a remote-first opportunity, offering flexibility and the chance to work with cutting-edge technologies from anywhere. You will have the autonomy to explore new algorithms, frameworks, and tools, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in AI and ML. We are committed to building a world-class ML team and seeking individuals who are eager to contribute to a collaborative and forward-thinking environment. Your expertise will be critical in shaping the future of our AI-driven products and services.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end development and deployment of machine learning models, from conception to production.
• Design, implement, and optimize scalable ML pipelines and infrastructure.
• Research and apply state-of-the‑art machine learning algorithms and techniques.
• Collaborate with data scientists and software engineers to integrate ML models into production systems.
• Mentor and guide junior engineers and data scientists, fostering best practices in ML development.
• Evaluate model performance, conduct A/B testing, and iterate to improve accuracy and efficiency.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in machine learning, deep learning, and AI research.
• Develop and maintain robust monitoring systems for ML models in production.
• Contribute to the formulation of the company’s AI and ML strategy.
• Ensure the responsible and ethical development and deployment of AI systems.
• Communicate complex technical concepts to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.

Requirements

• Ph.D. or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Statistics, or a related quantitative field.
• 7+ years of hands‑on experience in machine learning engineering, with a strong focus on building and deploying production‑level models.
• Expertise in programming languages such as Python, and proficiency with ML libraries/frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit‑learn).
• Deep understanding of various ML algorithms (supervised, unsupervised, deep learning) and their applications.
• Experience with MLOps principles and tools for model deployment, monitoring, and management.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and their ML services.
• Experience with big data technologies (e.g., Spark) and distributed computing.
• Strong grasp of software engineering best practices, including version control and testing.
• Excellent problem‑solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills.
• Exceptional communication and leadership abilities.

Benefits

• This is a fully remote position, offering unparalleled flexibility and work‑life balance.
• Our client provides a highly competitive salary, comprehensive health benefits including medical, dental, and vision coverage, and an attractive bonus structure.
• Opportunities for professional development are abundant, including funding for conferences, workshops, and certifications.
• We foster a collaborative and innovative culture with regular virtual team events.
• Employees have access to cutting‑edge tools and technologies.
• A home office stipend is provided to ensure a productive remote work setup.
• We also offer a generous retirement savings plan.
• Our client is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.