Senior AI Research Scientist - Natural Language Processing

Placements24; Johannesburg; Hybrid; ZAR 1,976,000 - 3,458,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Fully remote work

Comprehensive health coverage

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior AI Research Scientist (NLP) for a fully remote role. You will push the boundaries of NLP, developing novel models and contributing to impactful AI research used worldwide.

You will tackle text generation, sentiment analysis, translation, and conversational AI, publishing in premier venues and mentoring a global team in a remote-first environment.

Qualifications

• PhD in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, ML, Computational Linguistics or related field.
• 5+ years post-doc or industry NLP research experience.
• Publications in ACL/EMNLP/NeurIPS/ICML preferred.
• Strong knowledge of modern NLP techniques and ML theory.
• Proficiency in Python and DL frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Excellent communication and collaboration for remote teams.

Responsibilities

• Conduct cutting-edge NLP research and model development.
• Implement, evaluate, and iterate on NLP algorithms (Transformers, LLMs).
• Design experiments, analyze results, and derive actionable insights.
• Collaborate with engineers and product managers to deploy research.
• Publish discoveries in top AI conferences and journals.
• Mentor junior researchers and contribute to team growth.
• Explore new NLP directions and drive innovation.
• Ensure ethical development of AI technologies.
• Contribute to intellectual property development.
• Stay updated on NLP/AI trends.

Skills

Python programming

Deep learning

NLP

Research excellence

Remote collaboration

Education

PhD in CS/AI/ML/Computational Linguistics

Tools

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a globally recognized leader in AI innovation, is seeking a highly accomplished Senior AI Research Scientist specializing in Natural Language Processing (NLP) for a fully remote position. This role is designed for an individual passionate about pushing the boundaries of AI, developing novel NLP models, and contributing to groundbreaking research that impacts millions worldwide. You will work on challenging problems in areas such as text generation, sentiment analysis, machine translation, and conversational AI, leveraging state-of-the-art techniques and contributing to impactful AI solutions. The ideal candidate will have a strong publication record, deep technical expertise, and a collaborative spirit, thriving in a dynamic, research-intensive, and remote-first environment. Your work will directly influence the future direction of AI technology.

Key Responsibilities

• Conducting cutting-edge research in Natural Language Processing (NLP) and related AI fields.
• Developing, implementing, and evaluating advanced NLP models and algorithms (e.g., Transformers, LLMs).
• Designing experiments, analyzing results, and deriving insights to advance NLP capabilities.
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams, including engineers and product managers, to translate research into practical applications.
• Publishing research findings in top-tier AI conferences and journals.
• Mentoring junior researchers and contributing to the team's technical growth.
• Exploring new research areas and identifying opportunities for innovation in NLP.
• Ensuring the ethical and responsible development of AI technologies.
• Contributing to the development of intellectual property (patents).
• Staying abreast of the latest advancements and trends in the NLP and AI research community.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Computational Linguistics, or a closely related quantitative field.
• A minimum of 5 years of post-doctoral or industry research experience in Natural Language Processing.
• Proven track record of impactful research with publications in leading NLP/AI conferences (e.g., ACL, EMNLP, NeurIPS, ICML).
• Deep expertise in modern NLP techniques, including deep learning architectures, language models, and representation learning.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, and experience with deep learning frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Strong theoretical understanding of machine learning algorithms and statistical modeling.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
• Outstanding communication and collaboration skills, essential for a remote team.
• Ability to work independently, manage research projects, and drive innovation in a remote setting.
• Experience with large-scale data processing and distributed computing is a plus.

Benefits

Our client offers a highly competitive salary, substantial stock options, and an exceptional remote benefits package, including comprehensive health coverage, retirement plans, and generous professional development budgets. This position provides unparalleled flexibility as a fully remote role, enabling work from virtually anywhere. You will be part of a world‑class research team, contributing to groundbreaking advancements in AI with global reach. Opportunities for continuous learning and career advancement are abundant. Join an innovative and collaborative culture that values scientific rigor and employee well-being, making a tangible difference in the future of Artificial Intelligence from your chosen location.