Remote Lead Data Scientist - Mining Analytics

Placements24; Centurion; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Fully remote role

Training and conferences

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a Remote Lead Data Scientist to spearhead analytics initiatives for a mining technology leader. Develop and deploy advanced models to optimize operations, predict failures, and improve resource exploration from your home office.

You will lead a team of data scientists, collaborating with geologists, engineers, and operations managers, translating complex insights into actionable business strategies in a fully remote setting.

Qualifications

• PhD or Master's degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related quantitative field.
• 10+ years of experience in data science, with at least 5 years in a leadership or senior role.
• Demonstrable experience applying ML and statistical modeling to mining or heavy industry problems.
• Expert proficiency in Python or R and data science libraries (e.g., Scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Strong experience with SQL and NoSQL; familiarity with Spark/Hadoop and cloud platforms; production ML deployment.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and deployment of machine learning models for mining operations (predictive maintenance, ore grade prediction, safety analytics).
• Design and implement data pipelines for large, diverse datasets.
• Mentor and manage a team of data scientists; provide technical guidance.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to identify business challenges and data-driven opportunities.
• Develop and present visualizations and reports for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Stay updated on ML, AI, and mining analytics advances and assess their applicability.
• Oversee experimentation design (A/B tests) to validate model performance.
• Ensure data quality, integrity, and security across projects.
• Drive adoption of data science best practices and contribute to data strategy.
• Contribute to R&D of novel algorithms for mining analytics.

Skills

Leadership experience

Stakeholder management

Remote team leadership

Visionary data strategy

Education

PhD or Master's in Data Science/CS/Statistics/Math

Tools

Python

R

Scikit-learn

TensorFlow

PyTorch

SQL

NoSQL

Spark

Hadoop

AWS/Azure/GCP

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a forward-thinking leader in the mining technology space, is seeking a highly accomplished Remote Lead Data Scientist to spearhead their analytics initiatives. This is a fully remote position, offering the flexibility to work from anywhere. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and implementing advanced analytical models to optimize mining operations, predict equipment failures, improve resource exploration, and enhance overall operational efficiency. You will lead a team of data scientists, guide research efforts, and collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including geologists, engineers, and operations managers. This role requires a visionary leader with a deep understanding of machine learning, statistical modeling, and data visualization, applied specifically within the context of the mining industry. The ability to translate complex data insights into actionable business strategies is paramount. This is an exceptional opportunity to shape the future of data-driven decision-making in a globally significant sector, all from the comfort of your home office. You will be instrumental in driving innovation and delivering tangible value through data.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and deployment of sophisticated machine learning models for mining operations (e.g., predictive maintenance, ore grade prediction, safety analytics).
• Design and implement data pipelines for collecting, cleaning, and transforming large datasets from diverse sources.
• Mentor and manage a team of data scientists, providing technical guidance and fostering professional growth.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to identify key business challenges and opportunities for data-driven solutions.
• Develop and present compelling visualizations and reports to communicate complex findings to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in data science, AI, and machine learning, and evaluate their applicability to the mining sector.
• Oversee the implementation of A/B testing and other experimental designs to validate model performance.
• Ensure data quality, integrity, and security across all projects.
• Drive the adoption of data science best practices and contribute to the company's data strategy.
• Contribute to the research and development of novel algorithms and methodologies for mining analytics, potentially impacting operations anywhere globally.

Requirements

• PhD or Master's degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related quantitative field.
• 10+ years of experience in data science, with at least 5 years in a leadership or senior role.
• Demonstrable experience applying machine learning and statistical modeling techniques to solve complex problems in the mining or heavy industry sectors.
• Expert proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R, and associated data science libraries (e.g., Scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Strong experience with SQL and NoSQL databases, as well as big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Hadoop).
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and deploying ML models in production environments.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proven ability to lead and mentor technical teams.
• A strong understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the mining industry is highly desirable.
• Must be comfortable working independently and collaboratively in a remote setting.

Benefits

• This position offers a highly competitive salary, comprehensive health and wellness benefits, and a generous performance bonus structure.
• As a fully remote role, it provides unparalleled flexibility.
• Our client invests heavily in employee development, offering access to cutting-edge training, conferences, and resources.
• You will have the opportunity to work on groundbreaking projects that are shaping the future of the mining industry globally.
• Generous paid time off and retirement savings plans are included.
• Join a company that values innovation, collaboration, and employee well-being, offering a truly impactful career path regardless of your geographical location.