Senior Machine Learning Engineer - AI for Drug Discovery

Placements24; Durban; On-site; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Annual leave

Retirement plan

On-site gym

Professional development

Job summary

Placements24 is recruiting a Senior Machine Learning Engineer for an on-site role in Durban. You will develop and deploy ML models across drug discovery pipelines, handling large biochemical and clinical datasets, working closely with scientists to translate needs into ML solutions.

Responsibilities include implementing advanced ML algorithms, building robust data pipelines, and ensuring production-grade model performance. Strong Python and ML library expertise is essential.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Statistics, Computational Chemistry, or a related field.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience in developing and deploying ML models in a research or industry setting.
• Strong proficiency in Python and ML libraries such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn.
• Experience with cheminformatics and/or bioinformatics data and tools.
• Solid understanding of ML theory, algorithms, and best practices.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and big data technologies is a plus.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver production-ready ML systems.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, train, and deploy ML models for drug discovery applications.
• Work with large datasets including chemical structures and biological data.
• Collaborate with chemists, biologists, and pharmacologists to translate needs into ML solutions.
• Implement and evaluate advanced ML algorithms including deep learning and graph neural networks.
• Develop robust data pipelines for ingestion, preprocessing, and feature engineering.
• Ensure scalability, reliability, and performance of ML models in production.

Skills

Python proficiency

ML modeling

Data pipeline design

Communication

Education

Master's or PhD in CS/ML/Computational Chemistry

Tools

TensorFlow

PyTorch

scikit-learn

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a dynamic and rapidly growing pharmaceutical research company based in Durban , is looking for a highly skilled Senior Machine Learning Engineer to join their innovative AI division. This role is crucial for developing and deploying machine learning models that accelerate drug discovery and development pipelines. You will work at the intersection of artificial intelligence, chemistry, and biology, leveraging massive datasets to uncover new therapeutic insights. This is an on-site position, designed to foster close collaboration with our world-class research scientists and laboratory teams, ensuring seamless integration of AI solutions into our experimental workflows. Join a forward-thinking organization dedicated to making a significant impact on global health.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, train, and deploy machine learning models for applications in drug discovery (e.g., target identification, hit identification, lead optimization).
• Work with large and complex datasets, including chemical structures, biological assays, and clinical data.
• Collaborate closely with medicinal chemists, biologists, and pharmacologists to understand their needs and translate them into ML solutions.
• Implement and evaluate advanced ML algorithms, including deep learning, reinforcement learning, and graph neural networks.
• Develop robust data pipelines for data ingestion, preprocessing, and feature engineering.
• Ensure the scalability, reliability, and performance of ML models in production environments.
• Communicate complex technical concepts and findings to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Stay abreast of the latest research and advancements in machine learning and artificial intelligence, particularly as applied to the pharmaceutical industry.
• Contribute to the company's intellectual property through publications and patent applications.

Requirements

• Master's or Ph.D. degree in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Statistics, Computational Chemistry, or a related field.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience in developing and deploying machine learning models in a research or industry setting.
• Strong proficiency in Python and ML libraries such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn.
• Experience with cheminformatics and/or bioinformatics data and tools.
• Solid understanding of machine learning theory, algorithms, and best practices.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and big data technologies is a plus.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver production-ready ML systems.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and bonus structure.
• Comprehensive health insurance plans.
• Generous annual leave and company holidays.
• Retirement savings plan.
• On-site gym and wellness programs.
• Professional development and training opportunities.
• Collaborative and innovative work environment.
• Opportunities for career advancement within a growing organization.
• Access to cutting-edge research infrastructure.