Senior AI Research Scientist – ML (Hybrid)

Placements24; Pietermaritzburg; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

State-of-the-art research facilities

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior AI Research Scientist in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, to lead research and development in AI and emerging technologies. You will design and deploy cutting-edge AI models, collaborate with engineers, and publish findings in top venues.

The role emphasizes research excellence, strong mathematical foundations, and ability to translate concepts into production-ready systems in a hybrid work environment.

Qualifications

• PhD or Master’s in Computer Science, AI, ML or related quantitative field.
• Proven research record in AI/ML with publications or significant project contributions.
• Strong theoretical understanding of ML, DL, statistical modelling and math concepts.
• Proficiency in Python and AI/ML libraries (TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn).
• Experience with data manipulation, feature engineering, and deployment pipelines.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical and communication skills.
• Collaborative skills and ability to explain complex concepts to diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research into novel ML algorithms and deep learning architectures.
• Develop, train, and evaluate state-of-the-art AI models (NLP, CV, predictive analytics).
• Design experiments to validate hypotheses and measure performance.
• Collaborate with engineering to productionize research prototypes.
• Stay current with AI/ML advancements and publish findings.
• Mentor junior researchers and share knowledge within the team.
• Analyze large datasets to identify patterns and opportunities.

Skills

PhD/Master's in CS/AI

Python

TensorFlow/PyTorch

Machine Learning

Data Analysis

Model Deployment

Communication

Research Publications

Education

PhD in Computer Science/AI

Master's in CS/AI

Tools

TensorFlow

PyTorch

scikit-learn

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Senior AI Research Scientist in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, to lead research and development in AI and emerging technologies. You will design and deploy cutting-edge AI models, collaborate with engineers, and publish findings in top venues.

The role emphasizes research excellence, strong mathematical foundations, and ability to translate concepts into production-ready systems in a hybrid work environment.