Principal ML Engineer, AI Research — Hybrid (Pretoria)

Placements24

Pretoria

Hybrid

ZAR 2,000,000 - 3,000,000

Full time

32 hours ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Salary package

Medical aid

Hybrid work model

Research infrastructure

Job summary

Placements24 is recruiting a Principal Machine Learning Engineer for a Pretoria based AI research division. You will lead design, development, and deployment of sophisticated ML systems, handling large datasets and cutting-edge models.

The ideal candidate has a PhD or MSc, 8+ years in ML, deep learning with TensorFlow or PyTorch, Python expertise, and proven production experience. You will mentor teams and collaborate across product and software teams in a hybrid work environment.

Qualifications

Master's or PhD in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, or a related quantitative field.
8+ years of professional experience in machine learning engineering or a related role.
Extensive experience with deep learning frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, or Keras.
Strong proficiency in Python, with a solid understanding of data structures and algorithms.
Proven experience in developing and deploying ML models in production environments.
Expertise in NLP, computer vision, or reinforcement learning is highly desirable.
Experience with big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Hadoop) and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Excellent communication and leadership abilities, with a track record of mentoring teams.

Responsibilities

Lead the design, development, and implementation of advanced machine learning models and algorithms.
Work with large, complex datasets, ensuring data quality and relevance for model training.
Develop and maintain scalable ML pipelines for training, evaluation, and deployment.
Research and integrate state-of-the-art ML techniques and tools into existing systems.
Collaborate with software engineers, data scientists, and product managers to deliver AI-powered solutions.
Mentor junior engineers and contribute to the technical vision of the AI research team.
Stay abreast of the latest advancements in machine learning, deep learning, and AI research.
Optimize model performance for accuracy, efficiency, and scalability.
Communicate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Contribute to intellectual property generation through patents and publications.