Senior AI Platform Engineer

Placements24; Mbombela (Nelspruit); On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Paid time off

Professional development opportunities

Retirement savings plan

Cutting-edge AI projects

Job summary

Placements24 in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, seeks a Senior AI Platform Engineer to design and scale AI/ML infrastructure. You will own MLOps pipelines, cloud-based platforms, and container orchestration, collaborating with data scientists and software engineers to deliver reliable, secure systems.

This role emphasizes IaC, automation, and cost optimization, with a focus on high availability and performance across AI workloads. Relocation to Nelspruit is expected where required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in CS, Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years in software engineering, DevOps or platform engineering with a focus on AI/ML infra.
• Experience building and managing MLOps pipelines and ML platforms.
• Proficiency in cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP) and their AI/ML services.
• Containerization with Docker and orchestration with Kubernetes.
• Proficiency in scripting languages (Python, Bash) and IaC tools (Terraform, Ansible).
• Strong CI/CD knowledge; excellent problem-solving and communication skills.
• Experience with big data technologies is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and manage scalable AI/ML infrastructure and platforms.
• Implement and automate MLOps pipelines for training, deployment, monitoring, and management.
• Optimize platform performance, resource usage, and cost-effectiveness.
• Ensure security, reliability, and availability of AI/ML systems and data.
• Collaborate with data scientists, ML engineers, and software developers to provide platform solutions.
• Develop IaC using Terraform or Ansible.
• Manage container orchestration platforms (Kubernetes) for AI workloads.
• Monitor system health, troubleshoot issues, and prevent recurrence.
• Stay current with emerging AI infra and MLOps practices.
• Contribute to architectural decisions and technical roadmap.

Skills

Cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP)

Python

CI/CD

Communication

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in CS/Engineering

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Terraform

Ansible

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a recognized leader in the AI & Emerging Technologies sector, is seeking a highly skilled Senior AI Platform Engineer to join their innovative team located in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, ZA . This role is critical for building, scaling, and maintaining the robust infrastructure that powers our client's advanced AI and machine learning initiatives. You will be responsible for designing and implementing scalable ML platforms, ensuring high availability, performance, and security. The ideal candidate possesses strong expertise in MLOps, cloud infrastructure, and distributed systems. Join a company that is at the forefront of AI innovation and offers a challenging yet rewarding environment for engineers passionate about building the future of artificial intelligence.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, build, and manage scalable and reliable AI/ML infrastructure and platforms.
• Implement and automate MLOps pipelines for model training, deployment, monitoring, and management.
• Optimize platform performance, resource utilization, and cost-effectiveness.
• Ensure the security, reliability, and availability of AI/ML systems and data.
• Collaborate with data scientists, ML engineers, and software developers to understand their needs and provide platform solutions.
• Develop and maintain infrastructure as code (IaC) using tools like Terraform or Ansible.
• Manage container orchestration platforms (e.g., Kubernetes) for AI workloads.
• Monitor system health, troubleshoot issues, and implement solutions to prevent recurrence.
• Stay current with emerging technologies and best practices in AI infrastructure and MLOps.
• Contribute to architectural decisions and technical roadmap for the AI platform.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in software engineering, DevOps, or platform engineering, with a significant focus on AI/ML infrastructure.
• Proven experience in building and managing MLOps pipelines and ML platforms.
• Strong proficiency in cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and their AI/ML services.
• Expertise in containerization technologies (Docker) and orchestration tools (Kubernetes).
• Proficiency in scripting languages such as Python, Bash.
• Experience with infrastructure as code tools (e.g., Terraform, Ansible).
• Solid understanding of CI/CD principles and tools.
• Excellent problem-solving, troubleshooting, and communication skills.
• Experience with big data technologies is a plus.
• Must be legally authorized to work in South Africa and be based in or willing to relocate to Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, ZA .

Benefits

• Our client offers a highly competitive salary package, including a substantial base salary and annual bonuses based on performance.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans are provided.
• Employees are entitled to generous paid time off, including vacation days, sick leave, and public holidays.
• Opportunities for continuous learning and professional development are actively supported through training programs, workshops, and conference attendance.
• Employees have access to cutting-edge technology and work on impactful AI projects.
• A retirement savings plan with company contributions is included.
• The work environment is dynamic and collaborative, fostering innovation and growth.
• This role provides excellent career advancement opportunities within a leading tech company.