Remote Lead Data Scientist — AI & ML Strategy

Placements24; Cape Town; Hybrid; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Comprehensive medical cover

Equity participation

Budget for professional development

Fully remote setup

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Data Scientist to spearhead AI/ML initiatives in Cape Town, with a fully remote setup across South Africa.

You will lead a team of data scientists and engineers, build production-grade models, shape the data strategy, and translate analytics into measurable business outcomes.

The role offers a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, equity participation, and strong commitments to professional development.

Qualifications

• Master's or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related quantitative field.
• 5+ years of experience in data science or machine learning, with at least 2 years in a leadership role.
• Proven track record of developing and deploying ML models in production.
• Experience with Python or R and relevant libraries (TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-learn).
• Strong understanding of statistical modeling, data mining, and ML algorithms.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and deployment of advanced ML models and AI solutions.
• Manage and mentor a team of data scientists, providing technical guidance.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to translate business requirements into analytical projects.
• Develop and maintain data pipelines ensuring data quality and accessibility.
• Stay updated on AI/ML advancements and incorporate new technologies.
• Present findings and recommendations to technical and non-technical audiences.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Data strategy

Communication

Problem solving

Education

Master's or PhD in CS/Math/Statistics

Tools

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Scikit-learn

Spark

Hadoop

Cloud platforms

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Data Scientist to spearhead AI/ML initiatives in Cape Town, with a fully remote setup across South Africa.

You will lead a team of data scientists and engineers, build production-grade models, shape the data strategy, and translate analytics into measurable business outcomes.

The role offers a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, equity participation, and strong commitments to professional development.