How to hire an AI engineer: 253 companies are hiring now
What you compete with, counted from today’s 624 open AI engineer postings: who is hiring, where, what they pay and how long postings stay up. Then six steps, each with a free template or tool.
- Companies hiring now
- 253
- Open postings
- 624
- Median advertised pay
- $229K
- Remote
- 21%
- Half are open for over
- 69 days
What you compete with
| Companies hiring this work now | 253: OpenAI (51), Capco (22), Cresta (17), Scale AI (16), Databricks (14), Mistral.ai (14) |
|---|---|
| Countries named most | 🇺🇸United States (317), 🇬🇧United Kingdom (62), 🇮🇳India (30), 🇨🇦Canada (27), 🇸🇬Singapore (23) |
| Pay advertised | $190K – $275K for the middle half; median $229K (250 postings with a yearly US-dollar range) |
| Postings that state pay | 46% |
| Where the work is done | Remote 21% · hybrid 20% · on site or not stated 59% |
| Experience asked | Median 5 years |
| Skills named most | LLM (73%), AI (70%), Python (63%), RAG (30%), AWS (27%) |
| Benefits named most | Parental leave (26%), Equity (16%), Relocation support (10%), Visa sponsorship (4%) |
| How long postings stay up | Half of today’s open postings have been up more than 69 days; postings that closed since we started tracking stayed up a median of 130 days |
Counted from the 624 open postings for this work on Nov 14, 2026, read from employers’ own careers pages and recounted on every update.
Six steps to hire an AI engineer
- Set the pay range first. Today’s 250 AI engineer postings that state a yearly US-dollar range offer $190K to $275K for the middle half. Three quarters of them offer more than the lower figure. 46% of the postings state pay; in several US states and EU countries the law requires it. See AI engineer pay in detail.
- Write the description. Start from the AI engineer job description template, then check it with the job description checker: the pay, the place of work and the must-haves should be clear before the second paragraph.
- Decide where the person can work. 21% of today’s AI engineer postings are remote and 20% hybrid. If yours is remote, name the countries or time zones; “remote” alone brings applications you cannot accept.
- Post it where people look. Post the job free on this site, add it to your own careers page and send it to people you know who do this work.
- Screen for the skills that matter. Today’s postings name LLM, AI, Python most often: check them in the work, not only in the resume. Score every candidate on the same points with the interview scorecard; the AI engineer interview questions show what good candidates prepare for.
- Decide quickly. Half of today’s open AI engineer postings have been up more than 69 days: a candidate who waits for your answer may be talking to other employers meanwhile. Tell every candidate when you will decide, and keep to it.
Questions about hiring AI engineers
- How much does it cost to hire an AI engineer?
- The pay is the largest part: today’s AI engineer postings that state a yearly US-dollar range advertise a median of $229K. Add advertising, agency fees if you use one and the hours your team spends interviewing; the cost per hire calculator on this site adds them up. Posting on this site is free.
- How long does it take to hire an AI engineer?
- Half of today’s open AI engineer postings have been up more than 69 days, and postings for this work that closed since we started tracking stayed up a median of 130 days. A posting can close before the person starts, so plan for a few weeks more.
- Where can I find AI engineers?
- 253 companies are hiring AI engineers on this site today. Post your job here free, on your own careers page and in communities where AI engineers meet; the table on this page lists the countries named most in today’s postings.
Everything about AI engineer work
See also: AI engineer job description template · 624 open AI engineer jobs · cost per hire calculator · all hiring guides