Remote Lead Data Scientist

Placements24; Benoni; Hybrid; ZAR 1,500,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Job summary

Placements24, a forward-thinking analytics company, seeks a Remote Lead Data Scientist to spearhead advanced analytics initiatives in South Africa. You will mentor a team, develop ML models, and guide data-driven decision-making while shaping the company’s strategic direction.

Ideal candidates have 7+ years in data science, strong leadership, and deep expertise in statistical modeling, ML techniques, and scalable deployment; excellent communicator across technical and business stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a quantitative field (MS/PhD) required.
• 7+ years of data science experience with ML model deployment.
• 2+ years of people leadership or team management.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of data scientists, fostering a collaborative and innovative environment.
• Design, develop, and implement advanced statistical models and machine learning algorithms to solve complex business problems.
• Analyze large, complex datasets to identify trends, patterns, and insights.
• Translate business requirements into data science solutions and communicate findings effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Develop and deploy machine learning models into production environments.
• Define data science strategy and roadmap, aligning with business objectives.
• Oversee the end-to-end data science project lifecycle, from data collection and cleaning to model deployment and monitoring.
• Stay abreast of the latest research and advancements in data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.
• Collaborate with engineering and product teams to integrate data science capabilities into products and services.
• Ensure the ethical and responsible use of data and AI technologies.

Skills

Statistical modeling

Machine learning techniques

Experimental design

Python

R

SQL

Spark

Hadoop

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Education

Master's or Ph.D. in Statistics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, or a related quantitative field

Tools

Python

R

SQL

Spark

Hadoop

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a forward-thinking analytics company, is seeking an experienced and visionary Remote Lead Data Scientist to spearhead their advanced analytics initiatives. This role is entirely remote, offering flexibility and the opportunity to work from anywhere in South Africa. You will be responsible for leading a team of data scientists, developing sophisticated machine learning models, driving data-driven decision-making, and contributing to the company's strategic direction. The ideal candidate will possess exceptional analytical skills, a deep understanding of statistical modeling and machine learning, and strong leadership capabilities. You will work on challenging projects that leverage large datasets to extract actionable insights.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of data scientists, fostering a collaborative and innovative environment.
• Design, develop, and implement advanced statistical models and machine learning algorithms to solve complex business problems.
• Analyze large, complex datasets to identify trends, patterns, and insights.
• Translate business requirements into data science solutions and communicate findings effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Develop and deploy machine learning models into production environments.
• Define data science strategy and roadmap, aligning with business objectives.
• Oversee the end-to-end data science project lifecycle, from data collection and cleaning to model deployment and monitoring.
• Stay abreast of the latest research and advancements in data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.
• Collaborate with engineering and product teams to integrate data science capabilities into products and services.
• Ensure the ethical and responsible use of data and AI technologies.

Requirements

• Master's or Ph.D. in Statistics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, or a related quantitative field.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in data science, with a strong track record of developing and deploying machine learning models.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in leading or managing a team of data scientists or analysts.
• Expertise in statistical modeling, machine learning techniques (e.g., regression, classification, clustering, deep learning), and experimental design.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R, and experience with relevant libraries (e.g., scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Strong experience with SQL and data manipulation techniques.
• Familiarity with big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Hadoop) and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly.
• Proven ability to translate complex business problems into data science solutions.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Must be based in South Africa and possess reliable remote work capabilities.

Benefits

Our client offers an exceptional salary package, fully remote working conditions, and a comprehensive benefits suite including private medical aid, performance bonuses, and a substantial budget for professional development, conferences, and online courses. This role provides a unique opportunity to lead groundbreaking data science projects and shape the future of analytics in a dynamic, remote-first company. You'll work with cutting-edge technologies and a highly skilled, international team.