AI research engineer

At Bending Spoons, we're striving to build one of the all-time great companies. A company that serves a huge number of customers. A company where team members grow to their full potential. A company that functions at unparalleled levels of effectiveness and efficiency. A company that creates value for shareowners at an extraordinary rate. And a company that does so while adhering to high ethical standards.

To achieve this objective, we execute the following strategy: We acquire a digital business with untapped potential and make it as successful as we can by leveraging our platform—which comprises our expertise, technologies, data, brand, talents, and company culture. Then, we invest the proceeds into making our platform more powerful, and into acquiring new businesses. Thus, our strategy sees us combine an investor's attention to capital allocation with the hands-on approach of an operator.

For a talented, driven, and collaborative individual, working at Bending Spoons is an opportunity to learn, make an impact, and progress their career at an exceptionally high rate. That's our promise to such a candidate.

A few examples of your responsibilities

• Power digital products with AI.
  Work with product teams to identify high-impact opportunities where AI can transform the user experience for millions—and then build the solutions to make them happen. Drive the process from possibility to production, delivering code that's robust, reproducible, and built for scale.
• Explore ways to push the boundaries of our AI capabilities.
  Stay at the bleeding edge of AI by investigating new models, techniques, and research. Learn fast across new domains, share findings with the team, and turn breakthrough ideas into production systems that deliver real-world impact.
• Refine data foundations for exceptional results.
  Own the full data lifecycle—from acquisition and labeling to loading and management—to ensure our models are trained on clean, high-quality datasets that power top-performing systems.
• Own your impact, end-to-end.
  Set smart priorities, manage execution, and consistently deliver high-quality results, even in ambiguous or fast-changing environments. Balance technical depth with strong ownership, growing your skills while delivering meaningful contributions.

What we look for

• Reasoning ability.
  Given the necessary knowledge, you can solve complex problems. You think from first principles, and structure your ideas sharply. You resist the influence of biases. You identify and take care of the details that matter.
• Drive.
  You're extremely ambitious in everything you do—and your initiative, effort, and tenacity match the intensity of your ambition. You feel deeply responsible for your work. You hold yourself to a high—and rising—bar.
• Team spirit.
  You give generously and without the expectation of receiving in return. You support the best idea, not your idea. You're always happy to get your hands dirty to help your team. You're reliable, honest, and transparent.
• Proficiency in English.
  You read, write, and speak proficiently in English.

What we offer

• Incredibly talented, entrepreneurial teams.
  You'll work in small, result-oriented, autonomous teams alongside some of the brightest people in your field.
• An exceptional opportunity for growth.
  We go to great lengths to hire individuals of outstanding potential—then, our priority is to put them in the ideal position to thrive. Spooners in their 20s lead products worth hundreds of millions of dollars. And if you've got what it takes, you'll soon be playing an essential role in major projects, too.
• Competitive pay and access to equity in the company.
  Typically, we offer individuals at the start of their career an annual salary of £85,797 in London and €66,065 elsewhere in Europe. For a candidate that we assess as possessing considerable relevant experience, the salary on offer tends to be between £112,189 and £250,512 in London, and €107,837 and €188,848 elsewhere in Europe. Compensation varies by location and expected impact, and grows rapidly as you gain experience and translate it into greater contributions. For individuals who demonstrate exceptional capability, we may offer compensation that extends beyond the usual ranges to reflect their higher expected impact. If you're offered a permanent contract, you'll also be able receive some of your pay in company equity at a discounted price, thus participating in the value creation we achieve together. If relocating to Italy, you may enjoy a 50% tax cut.
• All. These. Benefits.
  Flexible hours, remote working, unlimited backing for learning and training, top-of-the-market health insurance, a rich relocation package, generous parental support, and a yearly retreat to a stunning location. We help each Spooner set up the conditions to do their best work.

Commitment & contract
Permanent or fixed-term. Full-time or part-time.

Location
Milan (Italy), London (UK), Madrid (Spain), Warsaw (Poland) or remote in selected countries.

The selection process
In our screening process, we prioritize verifiable signals of excellence, regardless of seniority. Some people hold back because they feel they lack experience or have an "imperfect" CV. If you like the role and believe you could excel over time, don't self-reject.

If you pass our screening, you'll be asked to complete one or more tests. They are challenging, may involve unfamiliar problems, and can take several hours.

We set the bar high and won't extend an offer until we're confident we've found the right candidate. This is why a job may remain open for months or be reposted several times.

We consider all applicants for employment and provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities—please let us know through this form.

Before you apply
If you've applied before but didn't receive an offer, we recommend waiting at least one year before applying again.

Bending Spoons is a demanding environment. We're extremely ambitious and we hold ourselves—and one another—to a high standard. While this tends to lead to extraordinary learning, achievement, and career growth, it also requires significant commitment.

To help you ramp up quickly and set yourself up for success, we recommend spending your first few months working from our Milan office, regardless of your long-term work location. It's the best way to rapidly absorb our company culture and build trust with your new teammates. We'll support you with generous travel and accommodation assistance. After that, you're welcome to work from our offices in Milan or London, or remotely from approved countries—depending on what we agree at the offer stage.

If the role speaks to you and you're excited to give your best, we'd love to hear from you. Apply now—we can't wait to meet you.