AI research engineer
Bending Spoons · Spain
- Hybrid
- Full-time
- £150,000 / year
- Spain
Job highlights
- Build AI-powered product experiences for millions.
- Drive AI innovation from exploration to production.
- Own data lifecycle and quality with AI.
- Work in talented, entrepreneurial teams.
- Experience rapid career growth and competitive pay.
About the role
About Bending Spoons
At Bending Spoons, we’re striving to build one of the all-time great companies. A company that serves a huge number of customers, where team members grow to their full potential, functions at unparalleled levels of effectiveness and efficiency, creates value for shareowners at an extraordinary rate, and adheres to high ethical standards. We acquire and improve digital businesses for long-term operation, making deep transformations to speed up innovation, benefit customers, and strengthen business performance. Our hierarchy is minimal, teams are small and talent-dense, and we operate established products with startup ambition, agility, and urgency. We integrate AI deeply into our work, reinforcing human judgment with machine intelligence. For talented, driven, and collaborative individuals, Bending Spoons offers an opportunity to learn, make an impact, and progress careers at an exceptionally high rate.Responsibilities
- Build AI-powered product experiences.
- Partner with product teams to identify AI opportunities and build transformative systems for millions of users.
- Take ideas from exploration to production, designing reliable systems that scale.
- Stay close to the AI frontier, evaluating new models and techniques, and translating advances into product capabilities.
- Strengthen data foundations, owning the data lifecycle and using AI-assisted curation for high-quality datasets.
- Own impact end-to-end, setting priorities, managing execution, and delivering robust systems in fast-moving environments.
What We Look For
- **Reasoning ability:** Solve complex problems from first principles, structure ideas sharply, resist biases, and identify critical details.
- **Drive:** Extreme ambition matched by initiative, effort, and tenacity. Deep sense of responsibility and a high, rising bar for performance.
- **Team spirit:** Generosity without expectation of return, supporting the best idea, willingness to help the team, reliability, honesty, and transparency.
- **Proficiency in English:** Read, write, and speak proficiently.
What We Offer
- **Incredibly talented, entrepreneurial teams:** Work in small, result-oriented, autonomous teams with bright individuals.
- **Exceptional opportunity for growth:** We hire outstanding potential and prioritize placing individuals in ideal positions to thrive. Spooners in their 20s lead multi-million dollar products, with rapid career progression for high performers.
- **Competitive pay and equity:** Typically, salaries range from £85,797 to £250,512 in London, and €66,065 to €188,848 elsewhere in Europe, varying by location and impact. Compensation grows rapidly with experience. We offer company equity at a discounted price. Potential for a 50% tax cut if relocating to Italy.
- **Comprehensive Benefits:** Flexible hours, remote working, unlimited learning and training support, top-tier health insurance, generous relocation package, parental support, and a yearly retreat.
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
We prioritize verifiable signals of excellence over seniority. Don't self-reject if you feel you lack experience; if you believe you could excel, apply. Our screening is followed by challenging tests that may take several hours. We maintain high standards and only extend offers to the right candidates, which may lead to roles remaining open or being reposted. We consider all applicants and provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. If you've applied before without an offer, we recommend waiting at least one year. Bending Spoons is demanding but offers extraordinary learning and career growth. We recommend starting in our Milan office for the first few months to rapidly absorb company culture and build team trust, with relocation support provided. Post-onboarding, you can work from Milan, London, or remotely from approved countries. If the role excites you, apply now!Key skills/competency
AI Research Engineer, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, AI Product Development, System Design, Scalability, Data Lifecycle Management, Python, TensorFlow, PyTorch.Skills & topics
- AI Research Engineer
- Machine Learning
- Deep Learning
- AI
- Artificial Intelligence
- Software Engineering
- Python
- TensorFlow
- PyTorch
- Data Science
- Product Development
- Engineering
- Research
- London
- Milan
- Remote
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight AI research, machine learning projects, and quantifiable impact relevant to Bending Spoons' focus on AI-powered products and operational efficiency.
- Showcase problem-solving: Prepare to demonstrate your reasoning ability and first-principles thinking during the challenging selection tests.
- Emphasize team spirit: Illustrate your collaborative approach, generosity, and support for team success in your application and interviews.
- Understand the culture: Research Bending Spoons' mission and values to align your application with their ambitious, high-standard environment.
Technical preparation
Master core ML/DL concepts.,Practice Python for AI development.,Build projects with TensorFlow/PyTorch.,Design scalable AI systems.
Behavioral questions
Demonstrate complex problem-solving.,Showcase extreme ambition and drive.,Illustrate strong team spirit.,Provide examples of end-to-end ownership.
Frequently asked questions
- What AI skills are most crucial for an AI Research Engineer at Bending Spoons?
- For an AI Research Engineer at Bending Spoons, key AI skills include a strong foundation in machine learning and deep learning, experience in building AI-powered product experiences, system design for AI at scale, and proficiency in managing the data lifecycle. Familiarity with relevant tools and frameworks like Python, TensorFlow, or PyTorch is also highly valued.
- How challenging are the selection tests for the AI Research Engineer role at Bending Spoons?
- The selection tests for the AI Research Engineer role at Bending Spoons are designed to be challenging. They may involve unfamiliar problems and can take several hours. The company emphasizes verifiable signals of excellence, so prepare for rigorous assessments of your problem-solving and technical capabilities.
- Can I apply for the AI Research Engineer position if I have an 'imperfect' CV or less experience?
- Yes, Bending Spoons encourages applications even with an 'imperfect' CV or less formal experience. They prioritize verifiable signals of excellence and your potential to excel over time. If you believe you can thrive in the role, they advise against self-rejection.
- What is the typical career progression for an AI Research Engineer at Bending Spoons?
- Bending Spoons offers an exceptional opportunity for growth. Spooners in their 20s often lead products worth hundreds of millions of dollars. If you demonstrate exceptional capability and make significant contributions, you can expect rapid career advancement and increasing responsibility.
- Does Bending Spoons offer remote work for AI Research Engineers?
- Yes, Bending Spoons offers remote work for AI Research Engineers in selected countries. However, they recommend spending the first few months in their Milan office to quickly absorb the company culture and build team trust, with relocation support provided. The long-term work arrangement (office-based or remote) is agreed upon at the offer stage.
- What is the salary range for an AI Research Engineer at Bending Spoons?
- Salaries for AI Research Engineers at Bending Spoons vary by location and experience. In London, typical annual salaries range from £85,797 for early-career individuals to £112,189-£250,512 for those with considerable experience. Elsewhere in Europe, ranges are from €66,065 to €188,848. Compensation grows rapidly with experience and contributions.
- How does Bending Spoons integrate AI into its operations?
- Bending Spoons integrates AI deeply into how they work, ensuring human judgment and machine intelligence reinforce each other. This includes building AI-powered product experiences, using AI in data acquisition and curation, and leveraging AI to enhance operational effectiveness and efficiency across the company.