Senior Process Data Scientist (South Africa)

We are Draslovka  

Draslovka is expanding our Mining Solutions service offering with an industry-breaking SaaS, Machine learning product (AI), and we are looking for passionate professionals who can make this happen. The final product will have a significant impact and will make a mark in the transition to a new energy future for our society.    

We are a Czech, family-owned international leader in chemical specialties on a mission to unlock the transformation of many critical industries. We have operations in the Czech Republic, United States, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and India, and serve customers around the world.   

What You’ll Do

• Develop predictive models and anomaly detection systems using industrial sensor and IoT data, with a focus on process optimization in mineral processing plants.
• Bring process engineering domain knowledge of mineral processing plants, specifically milling, flotation, and leaching, to help shape the future of AI-driven process optimization.
• Understand how MetOptima, our end-to-end optimization system, integrates with advanced process control (APC) systems.
• Work directly with customers to identify opportunities for data-driven performance improvement and optimization.
• Contribute to the development of hybrid models combining fundamental and data-driven approaches.
• Write Python code and Jupyter notebooks for research, prototyping, and data analysis.
• Analyze complex industrial datasets to uncover insights and identify process trends.
• Collaborate with a cross-functional team of data scientists, software engineers, metallurgists, product managers and designers to deliver production-grade ML pipelines - including data exploration, feature engineering, model development, and performance evaluation. 

What You Bring

• A Bachelor's degree in Engineering (ideally Chemical or Process Engineering); a Master’s or Ph.D. is a strong plus.
• Solid experience and understanding of minerals processing, particularly in milling, flotation, and leaching operations.
• Familiarity with Advanced Process Control (APC) systems; experience with Model Predictive Control is an advantage.
• 4+ years of experience in statistical analysis, machine learning, or predictive modeling of dynamic systems.
• Hands-on experience working with large-scale datasets and data visualization tools.
• Python programming skills and working knowledge of SQL.
• Familiarity with time-series data and data pipelines is a plus.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical topics to non-technical stakeholders.
• Proficiency in English (written and spoken).

Why Join Draslovka

• We utilize our extensive R&D expertise and success to make the future of the metal mining industry and agriculture industry truly environmentally sustainable with our smart chemistry.
• Work on meaningful problems – What we build must make sense. Every engineer has full visibility into the "why" behind their work and a say in designing the best solutions.
• Start-up mindset, global impact – Enjoy the agility of a start-up backed by a global leader, giving you the freedom to innovate with the resources to make an industry-wide impact.
• Collaboration with global teams – Work with talented engineers, data scientists, and domain experts across Czechia, South Africa, the USA, and Australia.
• Occasional travel - While regular travel is not expected, some travel will be required a few times a year. This includes quarterly planning sessions in Prague and occasional visits to customer sites.
• Autonomy and flexibility – Choose how you work with hybrid options, empowering you to work both on-site and remotely.
• Real sustainability impact – Your work will directly contribute to reducing cyanide use in mining, driving a shift toward greener, more responsible industry practices.