Senior Machine Learning Engineer at Old Mutual

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Old Mutual is a firm believer in the African opportunity and our diverse talent reflects this.

Job Description

The Senior ML/AI Engineer will lead the design, development, and deployment of machine learning models and artificial intelligence solutions, focusing on solving complex business challenges through predictive analytics, natural language processing, and deep learning techniques.

The role involves collaborating closely with data scientists, data engineers, and business stakeholders to create scalable, production-grade ML/AI models that align with the organization's strategic goals. Additionally, the Senior ML/AI Engineer will drive innovation by exploring new AI methodologies, including large language models, and integrating them into data solutions for enhanced customer engagement and business insights.

Responsibilities

Machine Learning Model Development:

• Build, train, and deploy advanced machine learning models, including regression, classification, clustering, and recommendation algorithms, that deliver business value.
• Implement NLP, deep learning, and computer vision solutions as required to support customer-centric applications and predictive analytics.
• Apply knowledge of large language models (LLMs) to develop conversational AI and recommendation systems for customer engagement.

AI System Design & Deployment:

• Design end-to-end ML/AI pipelines that support the continuous integration and deployment of machine learning models into production environments.
• Leverage MLOps best practices for model versioning, retraining, performance monitoring, and scalability.
• Ensure models are optimized for latency, accuracy, and scalability by deploying on cloud platforms such as AWS, GCP, or Azure.

Data Gathering and Preprocessing:

• Collaborate with data engineering teams to design and optimize ETL/ELT pipelines for AI-specific data needs.
• Engineer and preprocess large, complex datasets from various sources to ensure model robustness, accuracy, and generalizability.
• Contribute to the centralized data knowledge management system to streamline data access for ML/AI use cases.

Predictive Analytics & Foresight Generation:

• Perform predictive analytics to support business strategies, creating foresight-driven models that enhance customer experiences and drive revenue growth.
• Evaluate and implement techniques for model interpretability, explainability, and bias reduction.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement:

• Partner with business stakeholders to identify areas where ML/AI can drive value and translate these into actionable AI projects.
• Work closely with data scientists, data engineers, and software development teams to ensure successful model deployment and alignment with data architecture.
• Document processes, code, and models for knowledge sharing and team scalability.

Continuous Improvement & Research:

• Stay updated on advancements in ML/AI, particularly LLMs and generative AI, and identify opportunities to apply these innovations to business problems.
• Conduct ongoing model evaluation and improvement based on performance metrics, customer feedback, and evolving business needs.

Experience Requirements:

• 5+ years of hands-on experience in machine learning, AI engineering, or data science, with a track record of successfully deploying models in production.
• Extensive experience working with large datasets, building and fine-tuning ML models, and deploying on cloud platforms.
• Demonstrated expertise in deep learning frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch) and familiarity with NLP and large language models.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or a related field.
• Master’s or Ph.D. in Machine Learning, AI, or a similar field is strongly preferred for a senior role.

Preferred Technical Skills:

• Proficiency in Python and ML libraries (e.g., scikit-learn, Keras, Hugging Face).
• Strong experience in cloud-based ML services (e.g., AWS SageMaker, GCP AI Platform, Azure ML).
• Knowledge of MLOps tools and practices (e.g., MLflow, Airflow, Docker, Kubernetes).

Skills

Action Planning, Business Requirements Analysis, Computer Literacy, Database Administration, Database Reporting, Data Compilation, Data Controls, Data Management, Data Modeling, Executing Plans, Gap Analysis, Information Technology (IT) Support, IT Architecture, IT Implementation, IT Network Security, Market Analysis, Test Case Management, User Requirements Documentation

Competencies

Action Oriented

Business Insight

Cultivates Innovation

Drives Results

Ensures Accountability

Manages Complexity

Optimizes Work Processes

Persuades

Education

NQF Level 9 – Masters

Closing Date

23 June 2026 , 23:59

The appointment will be made from the designated group in line with the Employment Equity Plan of Old Mutual South Africa and the specific business unit in question.

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