Principal Machine Learning Engineer

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

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Health insurance

Hybrid work model

Professional development budget

Equity options

Career growth opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 in Upington, Northern Cape is seeking a Principal Machine Learning Engineer to lead design, development and deployment of advanced ML models. You will mentor engineers, drive technical strategy, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver scalable AI solutions.

The role offers a hybrid work model, a strong emphasis on research, and opportunities to publish and contribute to product innovation across AI platforms.

Qualifications

• PhD or Master's in CS/AI/ML or related field.
• Proven track record leading complex ML projects.
• Deep knowledge of ML algorithms and DL architectures.
• Experience with production ML deployments.
• Strong communication and leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development, and deployment of sophisticated ML models and algorithms.
• Research and apply state-of-the-art ML techniques to real-world problems.
• Develop and maintain robust ML pipelines for data preprocessing, training, evaluation, and deployment.
• Collaborate with data scientists, engineers, and product managers to integrate ML solutions into products.
• Mentor junior engineers and data scientists; stay abreast of ML advancements.
• Contribute to ethical and responsible AI development and deployment.

Skills

ML Leadership

Python

Distributed Computing

Cloud Platforms

MLOps

Communication

Education

PhD or Master's in CS/AI/ML/Statistics

Tools

TensorFlow

PyTorch

scikit-learn

Keras

Spark

AWS

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a cutting-edge artificial intelligence research and development firm, is seeking a highly accomplished Principal Machine Learning Engineer to join their innovative team in Upington, Northern Cape. This is a leadership role where you will drive the design, development, and deployment of advanced machine learning models and systems that solve complex real-world problems. You will be instrumental in setting technical direction, mentoring junior engineers, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to push the boundaries of AI. This position offers a hybrid work model, enabling effective collaboration and personal flexibility. We are looking for an individual with a deep theoretical understanding and practical experience in machine learning, a passion for innovation, and a proven ability to deliver impactful AI solutions. You will work at the forefront of AI technology, shaping the future of our products and services.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and implementation of sophisticated machine learning models and algorithms.
• Research and apply state-of-the-art ML techniques to solve challenging business problems.
• Develop and maintain robust ML pipelines for data preprocessing, model training, evaluation, and deployment.
• Collaborate with data scientists, software engineers, and product managers to integrate ML solutions into products and services.
• Optimize ML models for performance, scalability, and efficiency.
• Evaluate and select appropriate ML frameworks, tools, and technologies.
• Mentor and guide junior machine learning engineers and data scientists.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in machine learning, deep learning, and related fields.
• Contribute to the company's intellectual property through research and publications.
• Ensure the ethical and responsible development and deployment of AI systems.

Requirements

• Ph.D. or Master's degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Statistics, or a related quantitative field.
• Extensive experience as a Machine Learning Engineer, with a proven track record of leading complex projects.
• Deep understanding of machine learning algorithms, statistical modeling, and deep learning architectures (e.g., CNNs, RNNs, Transformers).
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, and relevant ML libraries (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn, Keras).
• Experience with large-scale data processing and distributed computing frameworks (e.g., Spark).
• Strong understanding of data structures, algorithms, and software engineering principles.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and MLOps practices.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and leadership abilities.
• Experience with deploying ML models into production environments.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and significant bonus potential.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Hybrid work model offering flexibility and work-life balance.
• Generous budget for professional development, including research, conferences, and publications.
• Opportunity to work on groundbreaking AI research and development.
• Access to cutting-edge computational resources and datasets.
• Collaborative and intellectually stimulating work environment.
• Paid time off and company holidays.
• Stock options or equity grants.
• Opportunities for significant career growth and leadership.