Senior Machine Learning Scientist - NLP

Placements24; Stellenbosch; Hybrid; ZAR 3,001,000 - 3,835,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary bonus

Health insurance

Paid time off

Growth opportunities

Computing resources

Remote-first

Impact on NLP

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Machine Learning Scientist specialized in NLP to join a globally distributed, remote team. You will lead research and development of cutting-edge NLP models for text generation, sentiment analysis, translation, and information extraction.

The role emphasizes independent ownership, collaboration with engineers, and ongoing publication of findings while contributing to a remote-first culture and scalable AI systems.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or master’s degree with a strong NLP focus.
• 5+ years of ML experience with NLP specialization.
• Proven track record developing and deploying NLP models.
• Deep learning frameworks: PyTorch or TensorFlow.
• Strong Python and NLP libraries (HuggingFace, NLTK, spaCy).
• Experience with large text corpora and distributed computing.

Responsibilities

• Lead R&D efforts in NLP using state-of-the-art techniques.
• Design, implement, and evaluate advanced NLP models (transformers, LSTMs).
• Develop solutions for text classification, NER, QA, and summarization.
• Conduct experiments to benchmark and improve model performance.
• Collaborate with software engineers to productionize NLP models.
• Mentor junior scientists and engineers in NLP/ML.
• Stay updated with latest NLP research and roadmaps.
• Publish findings in top conferences and journals.
• Analyze large text datasets to extract insights.

Skills

NLP expertise

Research leadership

Python programming

Collaboration

Education

PhD or Master's in CS/AI/Computational Linguistics

Tools

PyTorch

TensorFlow

HuggingFace Transformers

NLTK

spaCy

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a cutting-edge firm at the forefront of AI and emerging technologies, is actively seeking a highly accomplished Senior Machine Learning Scientist with expertise in Natural Language Processing (NLP). This position is entirely remote , allowing you to contribute your talents from anywhere while being a key member of our globally distributed team. You will lead research and development initiatives focused on creating and refining advanced NLP models for a variety of applications, including text generation, sentiment analysis, machine translation, and information extraction. This role offers the exciting prospect of working on challenging problems that push the boundaries of AI, impacting how users interact with information and technology. We are committed to fostering a dynamic and collaborative remote work culture, providing the resources and support necessary for success. If you are a seasoned NLP expert passionate about advancing the field and eager to make a significant contribution, this is an unparalleled opportunity. Your work will be instrumental in developing intelligent systems that understand and process human language with unprecedented accuracy and nuance. Join us in pioneering the next generation of NLP technologies.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead research and development efforts in Natural Language Processing (NLP), focusing on state-of-the-art techniques.


• Design, implement, and evaluate advanced NLP models, including transformers, LSTMs, and other deep learning architectures.


• Develop solutions for tasks such as text classification, named entity recognition, question answering, and summarization.


• Conduct experiments to benchmark and improve model performance on various datasets.


• Collaborate with software engineers to integrate NLP models into production systems and applications.


• Mentor junior scientists and engineers, sharing expertise in NLP and machine learning.


• Stay abreast of the latest research and advancements in NLP and related fields.


• Contribute to the formulation of research strategies and roadmaps for NLP initiatives.


• Publish research findings in top-tier conferences and journals.


• Analyze and interpret large text datasets to extract valuable insights.

Requirements

• Ph.D. or Master's degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Computational Linguistics, or a related field with a strong NLP focus.


• Extensive experience (5+ years) in machine learning, with a specialization in Natural Language Processing.


• Proven track record of developing and deploying advanced NLP models.


• Deep expertise in deep learning frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow.


• Strong programming skills in Python and experience with NLP libraries (e.g., Hugging Face Transformers, NLTK, spaCy).


• Solid understanding of linguistic principles and computational linguistics.


• Experience working with large text corpora and distributed computing environments.


• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.


• Outstanding communication and collaboration skills, essential for a remote team.


• Ability to work independently and take ownership of projects.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary package and performance-based bonuses.


• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.


• Generous paid time off and flexible working hours.


• Significant opportunities for professional growth and development, including conference attendance and research contributions.


• Access to world-class computing resources for research.


• A truly remote-first work environment fostering collaboration and flexibility.


• Direct impact on shaping innovative NLP solutions.