Senior Machine Learning Engineer - Computer Vision

Placements24; South Africa; Hybrid; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Hybrid work model

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Machine Learning Engineer (Computer Vision) to join our innovative team in Pretoria, Gauteng, ZA. This hybrid role covers the full ML lifecycle from data processing to deployment, collaborating with researchers and engineers to push visual AI forward.

The ideal candidate has a PhD/masters in ML or CV, 5+ years of experience, expert Python, and hands-on OpenCV/Pillow, plus cloud/MLOps exposure.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field with a specialization in Machine Learning or Computer Vision.
• 5+ years of experience in machine learning engineering, with a strong focus on computer vision applications.
• Proficiency in Python and deep learning frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, or Keras.
• Hands‑on experience with computer vision libraries like OpenCV, Pillow, and image processing techniques.
• Experience with deploying ML models in production environments, preferably in a hybrid work setting.
• Strong understanding of model optimization techniques, including quantization and pruning.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and MLOps practices is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and implement advanced ML models for computer vision tasks, including object detection, image segmentation, and facial recognition.
• Optimize ML models for performance, scalability, and efficiency on various hardware platforms.
• Build and maintain robust data pipelines for training and evaluating computer vision models.
• Collaborate with software engineers to integrate ML models into production systems and applications.
• Conduct research into new ML techniques and algorithms to improve model accuracy and capabilities.
• Stay current with the latest advancements in computer vision and deep learning literature and tools.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to the team's technical growth and best practices.
• Troubleshoot and debug issues related to model performance and deployment.

Skills

Problem solving

Analytical thinking

Communication

Education

Master's or PhD in Computer Science / Electrical Engineering with ML/Computer Vision specialization

Tools

Python

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Keras

OpenCV

Pillow

AWS

Azure

GCP

MLOps

Job description

About the Role Our client is at the forefront of AI & Emerging Technologies and seeks a Senior Machine Learning Engineer with expertise in Computer Vision to join their innovative team in Pretoria, Gauteng, ZA. This hybrid role offers a dynamic work environment where you will contribute to developing state-of-the-art computer vision systems and algorithms. You will be responsible for the entire ML lifecycle, from data preprocessing and model training to deployment and optimization in real-world applications. Collaborating with a dedicated team of researchers and engineers, you will tackle challenging problems and push the boundaries of visual AI. This position requires a blend of strong theoretical knowledge, hands‑on engineering skills, and a passion for creating intelligent systems. You will have the opportunity to work with large-scale datasets and cutting‑edge hardware, contributing to impactful projects that shape the future of AI. The Pretoria office provides a collaborative setting conducive to innovation and knowledge sharing.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and implement advanced machine learning models for computer vision tasks, including object detection, image segmentation, and facial recognition.
• Optimize ML models for performance, scalability, and efficiency on various hardware platforms.
• Build and maintain robust data pipelines for training and evaluating computer vision models.
• Collaborate with software engineers to integrate ML models into production systems and applications.
• Conduct research into new ML techniques and algorithms to improve model accuracy and capabilities.
• Stay current with the latest advancements in computer vision and deep learning literature and tools.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to the team's technical growth and best practices.
• Troubleshoot and debug issues related to model performance and deployment.

Requirements

• Master's degree or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field with a specialization in Machine Learning or Computer Vision.
• 5+ years of experience in machine learning engineering, with a strong focus on computer vision applications.
• Proficiency in Python and deep learning frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, or Keras.
• Hands‑on experience with computer vision libraries like OpenCV, Pillow, and image processing techniques.
• Experience with deploying ML models in production environments, preferably in a hybrid work setting.
• Strong understanding of model optimization techniques, including quantization and pruning.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and MLOps practices is a plus.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based incentives.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Opportunities for professional growth, including advanced training and conference attendance.
• Hybrid work model allowing for flexibility between home and office in Pretoria, Gauteng, ZA.
• Access to advanced computing infrastructure and datasets.
• Collaborative and innovative work environment.
• Generous paid time off.