Remote Lead Data Scientist

Placements24; George; Hybrid; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Fully remote work with flexible hours

Health insurance

Home office setup allowance

Professional development

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking an experienced Lead Data Scientist to join a fully remote team supporting operations in George, Western Cape. This leadership role entails mentoring a team of data scientists, defining best practices, and driving data-driven initiatives from discovery to deployment.

You will oversee the end-to-end data science lifecycle, collaborate with engineering and product teams, and stay ahead of ML and AI advancements.

Qualifications

• Masters or PhD in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related quantitative field.
• 8+ years of professional experience in data science, with at least 2 years in a leadership or management capacity.
• Proven track record of deploying machine learning models in production environments.
• Expertise in Python or R, and proficiency with data science libraries (TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn).
• Strong understanding of statistical modeling, ML algorithms, and experimental design.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of data scientists, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous learning.
• Design, develop, and implement ML models and analytical solutions to address business needs.
• Define and drive the company's data science roadmap, aligning with strategic objectives and industry best practices.
• Collaborate with stakeholders across engineering, product, and business units to identify data-driven improvements.
• Oversee the entire data science project lifecycle from data acquisition to deployment.
• Stay abreast of advancements in data science, ML, and AI, and evangelize their adoption where appropriate.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Master's or PhD in Computer Science/Statistics/Math

Tools

Python

R

TensorFlow

PyTorch

scikit-learn

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking an experienced and visionary Lead Data Scientist to join their fully remote team, supporting operations in George . This leadership role is critical in guiding the company's data science initiatives, from conceptualization to deployment. You will mentor a team of data scientists, define best practices, and champion the use of advanced analytics to solve complex business challenges and drive innovation. This is an unparalleled opportunity to shape the future of data-driven strategies in a company that values cutting-edge technology and collaborative remote work, allowing you to contribute from anywhere while influencing key business outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of data scientists, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous learning.
• Design, develop, and implement sophisticated machine learning models and analytical solutions to address business needs.
• Define and drive the company's data science roadmap, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and industry best practices.
• Collaborate with stakeholders across engineering, product, and business units to identify opportunities for data-driven improvements.
• Oversee the entire data science project lifecycle, including data acquisition, cleaning, feature engineering, model training, validation, and deployment.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in data science, machine learning, and AI, and evangelize their adoption where appropriate.

Requirements

• Master's or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related quantitative field.
• 8+ years of professional experience in data science, with at least 2 years in a leadership or management capacity.
• Proven track record of successfully deploying machine learning models in production environments.
• Expertise in programming languages such as Python or R, and proficiency with data science libraries (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn).
• Strong understanding of statistical modeling, machine learning algorithms, and experimental design.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary with performance-based bonuses and stock options.
• Fully remote work environment with flexible working hours.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• Generous allowance for home office setup and professional development.
• Opportunity to work on challenging, impactful projects with a leading-edge technology stack.