Senior Data Scientist - Machine Learning & AI

Placements24; East London; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and wellness benefits

Performance bonuses

Professional development budget

Hybrid work arrangement

Job summary

Our client in East London, Eastern Cape, ZA seeks a Senior Data Scientist with expertise in Machine Learning and AI to design, build, and deploy advanced ML models on large datasets. Hybrid work allows for in-office collaboration at the East London headquarters with remote flexibility.

You will partner with engineering, product, and business teams to deliver AI-driven solutions while mentoring junior data scientists and contributing to data governance practices.

Qualifications

• Master's or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related field.
• Minimum of 4 years of professional experience as a Data Scientist with a strong ML focus.
• Proficiency in Python or R and libraries such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-learn, Pandas.
• Solid understanding of ML algorithms (regression, classification, clustering, deep learning) and statistical modeling.
• Experience with SQL and data manipulation; familiarity with Spark/Hadoop is a plus.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills; experience in a hybrid work environment.
• Based in or willing to commute to East London, Eastern Cape, ZA for on-site collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Develop, train, and deploy machine learning models for prediction, classification, and clustering tasks.
• Analyze complex datasets to identify trends, patterns, and anomalies.
• Design data preprocessing pipelines and feature engineering strategies.
• Evaluate model performance using appropriate metrics and iterate to improve accuracy and robustness.
• Collaborate with software engineers to integrate ML models into production systems.
• Communicate complex analytical findings and recommendations to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Stay current with the latest advancements in machine learning, deep learning, and AI research.
• Mentor junior data scientists and contribute to knowledge sharing.
• Contribute to data governance and best practices.

Skills

Python

R

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Scikit-learn

SQL

Spark

Communication

Education

Master's or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or related field

Tools

Pandas

Jupyter

Git

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a dynamic technology innovator situated in East London, Eastern Cape, ZA, is actively recruiting a Senior Data Scientist with expertise in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence. This role is integral to developing advanced analytical solutions that drive business strategy and product innovation. You will be responsible for designing, building, and deploying sophisticated machine learning models, leveraging large datasets to extract actionable insights. The position requires a deep understanding of statistical modeling, predictive analytics, and various ML algorithms, as well as proficiency in programming languages common in data science. You will collaborate closely with engineering, product, and business teams to identify opportunities for AI-driven solutions. This hybrid position allows for a blend of in-office collaboration at our East London, Eastern Cape, ZA headquarters and remote work flexibility. We are seeking a data-driven individual with a passion for problem-solving and a strong track record of delivering impactful data science projects. Your contributions will directly shape the future of our data-centric initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, train, and deploy machine learning models for prediction, classification, and clustering tasks.
• Analyze complex datasets to identify trends, patterns, and anomalies.
• Design and implement data preprocessing pipelines and feature engineering strategies.
• Evaluate model performance using appropriate metrics and iterate to improve accuracy and robustness.
• Collaborate with software engineers to integrate ML models into production systems.
• Communicate complex analytical findings and recommendations to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Stay current with the latest advancements in machine learning, deep learning, and AI research.
• Mentor junior data scientists and contribute to the team's knowledge sharing.
• Contribute to the development of data governance and best practices.

Requirements

• Master's or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related quantitative field.
• Minimum of 4 years of professional experience as a Data Scientist, with a strong focus on Machine Learning.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R, and experience with relevant libraries (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-learn, Pandas).
• Solid understanding of machine learning algorithms (e.g., regression, classification, clustering, deep learning) and statistical modeling techniques.
• Experience with data manipulation and querying languages (e.g., SQL).
• Familiarity with big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Hadoop) is a plus.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain complex concepts clearly.
• Experience working in a hybrid work environment.
• Based in or willing to commute to East London, Eastern Cape, ZA for on-site collaboration.

Benefits

• Our client offers a competitive salary, comprehensive health and wellness benefits, performance bonuses, and a generous professional development budget.
• The hybrid work arrangement provides excellent work-life balance.
• We offer access to cutting-edge technology and challenging projects.
• Join a forward-thinking team in East London, Eastern Cape, ZA and make a tangible impact through data science and AI.