Remote Lead AI Engineer - Generative Models

Placements24; Randburg; Hybrid; ZAR 2,000,000 - 3,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Executive salary

Performance bonuses

Equity options

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Professional development allowances

Conference attendance

Remote-friendly

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a visionary Remote Lead AI Engineer in Generative Models. You will guide the development of state-of-the-art generative systems, lead a distributed team of AI researchers, and define the technical strategy for ambitious AI initiatives in a fully remote setting.

You will contribute hands-on to model building, training, evaluation, and deployment, collaborate with product teams, publish research, and shape responsible AI practices across data, ethics, and scalability.

Qualifications

• PhD or Master's in CS/AI or related field.
• 7+ years in AI/ML R&D with 3+ years in generative models.
• Experience leading technical teams.
• Publish in top AI conferences (e.g., NeurIPS/ICML/ICLR).
• Experience with large-scale data processing and distributed training.
• Cloud experience (AWS/Azure/GCP) is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and deployment of advanced generative AI models.
• Define the technical vision and roadmap for generative AI research and products.
• Mentor and guide a team of AI engineers and researchers.
• Oversee data prep, training, evaluation, and deployment of models.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate AI capabilities.
• Stay at the forefront of research in generative models and NLP/vision.
• Ensure scalable, ethical deployment of generative AI solutions.
• Contribute to research publications and patents.
• Foster innovation and technical excellence within the team.

Skills

Team leadership

Generative AI

Deep learning

Research leadership

Education

PhD or Master's in CS/AI

Tools

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Job description

About the Role

Our client is at the cutting edge of artificial intelligence research and development, looking for a visionary Remote Lead AI Engineer specializing in Generative Models. This is a fully remote, senior leadership position where you will guide the development of novel AI systems capable of creating new content, from text and images to code and more. You will lead a talented team of AI engineers and researchers, define the technical strategy for generative AI initiatives, and contribute hands-on to building and deploying state-of-the-art models. This role requires deep expertise in deep learning, a passion for innovation, and proven leadership capabilities. If you are excited by the potential of generative AI and thrive in a remote-first, collaborative environment, this is an unparalleled opportunity to make a significant impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and implementation of advanced generative AI models (e.g., GANs, VAEs, Transformers for generation).
• Define the technical vision and roadmap for generative AI research and product development.
• Mentor and guide a team of highly skilled AI engineers and researchers.
• Oversee the entire lifecycle of generative model development, including data preparation, training, evaluation, and deployment.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate generative AI capabilities into products and services.
• Stay at the forefront of research in generative models, natural language processing, and computer vision.
• Ensure the scalability, efficiency, and ethical deployment of generative AI solutions.
• Contribute significantly to research publications and patents in the field of generative AI.
• Foster a culture of innovation, experimentation, and technical excellence within the AI team.

Requirements

• Ph.D. or Master's degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, or a related quantitative field.
• Extensive experience (7+ years) in AI/ML research and development, with a strong specialization in generative models (3+ years focus).
• Demonstrated experience leading technical teams and managing complex AI projects.
• Deep understanding of various generative model architectures and training techniques.
• Proficiency in Python and deep learning frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Proven track record of publishing in top-tier AI conferences (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR).
• Experience with large-scale data processing and distributed training.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to lead and inspire a remote team.
• Experience in cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP) is a plus.

Benefits

This Lead AI Engineer position is fully remote and offers a highly competitive executive salary, significant performance bonuses, and equity options. We provide a comprehensive benefits package, including top-tier health insurance and a robust retirement plan. Invest in your growth with generous allowances for professional development, including attendance at leading AI conferences and continuous learning opportunities. Enjoy the freedom and flexibility of working from anywhere, supported by a cutting-edge technology stack and a globally distributed, world-class team. Our client is committed to fostering groundbreaking innovation in AI and offers challenging, impactful projects that push the boundaries of what's possible.