Senior AI Engineer - NLP Specialist

Placements24; Mossel Bay; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Health insurance

Flexible PTO

Home office stipend

Professional development

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior AI Engineer specializing in NLP to join our remote-first team. You will design and deploy advanced NLP models, build scalable data pipelines, and collaborate with product and software teams to ship production-grade solutions.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years of AI/ML experience with NLP, strong Python skills, deep learning frameworks, cloud and containerization, and a track record of delivering in production.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Computational Linguistics, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in AI/ML engineering, with a strong focus on NLP.
• Proficiency in Python and core NLP libraries (e.g., NLTK, SpaCy, Hugging Face Transformers).
• Hands-on experience with deep learning frameworks like TensorFlow or PyTorch.
• Proven track record of deploying NLP models into production environments.
• Strong understanding of machine learning principles, algorithms, and model evaluation metrics.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and effectively in a fully remote setting.
• Experience with large-scale text data processing.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and implement state-of-the-art NLP models and algorithms (e.g., sentiment analysis, text classification, entity recognition, machine translation).
• Build and optimize robust data pipelines for text data processing and feature extraction.
• Collaborate with product managers and software engineers to integrate NLP solutions into production systems.
• Evaluate and fine-tune existing NLP models for improved performance and accuracy.
• Stay abreast of the latest research and advancements in NLP and deep learning.
• Contribute to the development of internal AI tools and platforms.
• Mentor junior engineers and share knowledge within the team.
• Ensure the ethical considerations and bias mitigation in NLP model development.
• Conduct experiments and analyze results to drive decision-making.
• Participate in code reviews and contribute to maintaining high code quality standards.

Skills

NLP expertise

Python programming

Remote collaboration

Mentoring / leadership

Education

Master's or PhD in Computer Science / AI / Computational Linguistics or related field

Tools

NLTK

SpaCy

Hugging Face Transformers

TensorFlow

PyTorch

AWS

Azure

GCP

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a highly skilled Senior AI Engineer with a specialization in Natural Language Processing (NLP) to join their fully remote team. This is an exceptional opportunity to work on cutting-edge AI projects, developing and deploying advanced NLP solutions that enhance user experiences and drive business insights. As a remote-first organization, we value asynchronous collaboration, clear communication, and the autonomy of our team members. You will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our AI capabilities, contributing your expertise to a passionate and innovative team. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment where brilliant minds can thrive regardless of their geographical location.

Key Responsibilities

Design, develop, and implement state-of-the-art NLP models and algorithms (e.g., sentiment analysis, text classification, entity recognition, machine translation). Build and optimize robust data pipelines for text data processing and feature extraction. Collaborate with product managers and software engineers to integrate NLP solutions into production systems. Evaluate and fine-tune existing NLP models for improved performance and accuracy. Stay abreast of the latest research and advancements in NLP and deep learning. Contribute to the development of internal AI tools and platforms. Mentor junior engineers and share knowledge within the team. Ensure the ethical considerations and bias mitigation in NLP model development. Conduct experiments and analyze results to drive decision-making. Participate in code reviews and contribute to maintaining high code quality standards.

Requirements

Master's or PhD degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Computational Linguistics, or a related field. 5+ years of experience in AI/ML engineering, with a strong focus on NLP. Proficiency in Python and core NLP libraries (e.g., NLTK, SpaCy, Hugging Face Transformers). Hands-on experience with deep learning frameworks like TensorFlow or PyTorch. Proven track record of deploying NLP models into production environments. Strong understanding of machine learning principles, algorithms, and model evaluation metrics. Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes). Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills. Demonstrated ability to work independently and effectively in a fully remote setting. Experience with large-scale text data processing.

Benefits

Our client offers a highly competitive salary, stock options, and a comprehensive benefits package tailored for remote employees, including health insurance, flexible paid time off, and a home office setup stipend. We provide ample opportunities for professional development, including access to online courses, workshops, and virtual conferences. Join a culture that promotes innovation, continuous learning, and work-life balance. You'll have the chance to work on challenging and impactful projects with a global team of experts. This role based remotely offers unparalleled flexibility and career growth opportunities in the exciting field of AI and NLP.