Linkfields Innovations is a forward-thinking technology firm specializing in digital transformation and intelligent automation. They help businesses modernize their operations using cutting-edge tech like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). Joining this team means working at the forefront of the “Fourth Industrial Revolution” (4IR) right here in South Africa.
Job Summary: Software Automation Intern (AI/ML)
- Job Title: Software Automation Intern
- Specialization: AI / Machine Learning
- Location: South Africa (Gauteng focus)
- Closing Date: Late January 2026
Key Responsibilities
- Model Building: Research, build, and test ML models while optimizing algorithms for better performance.
- Data Prep: Clean and transform raw datasets through feature engineering and preprocessing.
- Analysis & Insights: Dive into data to find patterns and document experiment results for the team.
- Pipeline Support: Collaborate with developers to enhance Machine Learning pipelines and support system rollouts.
Minimum Requirements
- Education: Recently completed Bachelor’s or Honours degree in Computer Science, Data Science, AI/ML, or Mathematics/Statistics.
- Coding Skills: Proficiency in Python and standard libraries (NumPy, Pandas, Scikit-Learn).
- Frameworks: Basic understanding of TensorFlow or PyTorch.
- Data Management: Familiarity with MySQL and working with large datasets.
- Cloud Awareness: Exposure to platforms like AWS, Azure, or GCP.
- Bonus Skills: Knowledge of NLP (Natural Language Processing), Computer Vision, or API deployment.
Career Advice: Breaking into AI/ML
- Showcase Your Projects: Since you are a recent graduate, your “experience” is your university projects or GitHub repository. Include a link to your code so Linkfields can see how you solve problems.
- Focus on Data Cleaning: In school, datasets are often “clean.” In the real world (like at Linkfields), data is messy. Mentioning your skills in Data Preprocessing shows you understand the hard part of the job.
- Stay Curious: AI changes every week. Mention a specific AI trend or recent paper you’ve read during your interview to show you are a “New Thinker.”
Possible Interview Questions
- Technical: “Can you explain the difference between supervised and unsupervised learning to a non-technical client?”
- Coding: “Which Python library would you use for feature engineering on a dataset with 1 million rows, and why?”
- Problem Solving: “If your model is showing 99% accuracy but failing in real-world testing, what is the first thing you would check?”
- Analytical: “How do you ensure data integrity when merging two different MySQL databases?”