Remote Principal AI Engineer - Cloud Infrastructure

Placements24; Pretoria; Hybrid; ZAR 2,953,000 - 4,266,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Professional development budget

Home office stipend

Performance bonuses

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a highly experienced Remote Principal AI Engineer to architect, build, and scale cloud AI infrastructure. You will lead MLOps pipelines, distributed training, and cross‑functional collaboration with researchers to support cutting‑edge AI work.

You will mentor engineers, drive best practices, and stay ahead of cloud AI trends in a remote‑first environment, enabling high performance and low latency across global teams.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 10+ years of software engineering, with at least 5 years in large-scale cloud infrastructure for AI/ML.
• Deep expertise in AWS, Azure, or GCP and related services for compute, storage, networking, and ML.
• Proficiency with infrastructure-as-code tools such as Terraform or CloudFormation.
• Strong experience with containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and tools (Jenkins, GitLab CI, etc.).
• Solid understanding of ML workflows and MLOps principles.
• Excellent programming skills in Python, Go, or Java.
• Proven ability to lead technical initiatives and mentor engineers remotely.

Responsibilities

• Architect scalable, cost-effective cloud infra for AI/ML workloads across major cloud providers.
• Design and build robust MLOps pipelines for training, deployment, monitoring, and management.
• Develop distributed training frameworks and infrastructure to accelerate large-scale AI models.
• Optimize AI model performance and resource utilization in cloud environments.
• Lead the technical direction for AI infrastructure and set engineering standards.
• Collaborate with researchers and data scientists to meet infrastructure needs.
• Triage complex infra issues to ensure high availability and low latency.
• Mentor junior engineers and promote technical excellence in a remote setting.
• Stay current with emerging cloud technologies and AI infra trends.

Skills

Python

Go

Java

Terraform

Kubernetes

Docker

CI/CD

ML workflows

Problem solving

Education

Master's or PhD in CS/Engineering

Tools

Terraform

CloudFormation

Jenkins

GitLab CI

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a global leader in AI and Emerging Technologies, is actively seeking a highly experienced and visionary Remote Principal AI Engineer to spearhead the development and optimization of our cloud-based AI infrastructure. This is a fully remote position, offering unparalleled flexibility and the opportunity to make a significant impact from anywhere. You will be responsible for architecting, building, and scaling robust, high-performance AI platforms that support our cutting‑edge research and product development initiatives. The ideal candidate possesses a deep understanding of cloud computing, distributed systems, and the nuances of deploying large‑scale machine learning models. Join us in driving the future of AI with a company that values innovation, collaboration, and empowers its employees to thrive in a remote‑first environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect and implement scalable, reliable, and cost‑effective cloud infrastructure for AI/ML workloads across major cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Design and build robust MLOps pipelines for automated model training, deployment, monitoring, and management.
• Develop and maintain distributed training frameworks and infrastructure to accelerate the development of large‑scale AI models.
• Optimize AI model performance and resource utilization within cloud environments.
• Lead the technical direction for AI infrastructure, setting standards and best practices for the engineering team.
• Collaborate with AI researchers and data scientists to understand their infrastructure needs and provide solutions.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex infrastructure issues, ensuring high availability and low latency.
• Mentor and guide junior engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous improvement in a remote setting.
• Stay current with emerging cloud technologies and AI infrastructure trends, evaluating and recommending new tools and platforms.

Requirements

• Master's or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 10+ years of experience in software engineering, with at least 5 years focused on building and managing large‑scale cloud infrastructure, specifically for AI/ML.
• Deep expertise in at least one major cloud platform (AWS, Azure, GCP) and associated services for compute, storage, networking, and ML.
• Proficiency in infrastructure‑as‑code tools such as Terraform or CloudFormation.
• Strong experience with containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and related tools (Jenkins, GitLab CI, etc.).
• Solid understanding of machine learning workflows and MLOps principles.
• Excellent programming skills in languages such as Python, Go, or Java.
• Proven ability to lead technical initiatives and mentor other engineers in a remote capacity.
• Exceptional problem‑solving skills and the ability to work autonomously.

Benefits

• This fully remote role offers a highly competitive salary, comprehensive health benefits (medical, dental, vision), and a generous retirement savings plan.
• We provide a flexible work environment, encouraging work‑life balance.
• Employees receive an annual professional development budget for conferences, training, and certifications.
• We also offer a home office stipend to ensure you have a productive and comfortable workspace.
• Performance bonuses are awarded based on individual and company achievements.
• Join our distributed team and contribute to groundbreaking AI advancements from the comfort of your own home, regardless of your location.
• This role offers significant opportunities for career advancement and impact.