Lead AI/ML Engineer

Location: Amsterdam / Hybrid | Team: Engineering | Reports to: VP of Engineering

At Speakap, we’re transforming how organizations connect, communicate, and collaborate with their frontline employees. Based in the Netherlands with a growing global presence and over 600 customers, our employee experience platform is already making a real impact — and we’re just getting started.

As we scale, we’re building a dedicated AI team — and we’re looking for a founding Lead AI/ML Engineer to take the reins. This role embodies aspects ranging from Applied Scientist to ML Engineer. In this hands-on, high-impact role, you’ll shape our AI strategy, drive rapid experimentation, build and ship intelligent features, and mentor engineers as we integrate AI into the core of our platform.

What You’ll Do

• Own the AI technical direction and lead end-to-end development and delivery of AI features — from experimentation to production deployment and monitoring.

• Work hands-on with large foundation models (e.g. GPT, Claude, DeepSeek), handling everything from prompt engineering fine-tuning to integration (e.g. via Amazon Bedrock).

• Identify opportunities for, and potentially lead the development of, custom models where off-the-shelf solutions fall short.

• Establish and refine MLOps pipelines and practices using tools like Amazon SageMaker and other AWS services.

• Collaborate with product managers and engineers to turn ideas into high-impact, user-facing features.

• Actively mentor and upskill engineers transitioning into AI/ML, fostering a collaborative, practical, learning-focused culture and sharing best practices with patience and empathy.

• Contribute to a strong, scalable engineering foundation in close alignment with our VP of Engineering, who’s focused on operational excellence and high-performance delivery.

What We’re Looking For

• 5+ years of experience in AI/ML engineering, with a proven track record of shipping production-ready features (ideally SaaS).

• MSc in Computer Science, AI, Machine Learning, or a related field.

• Hands-on experience with LLMs, prompt design, and model integration (e.g., via Amazon Bedrock).

• Strong Python skills and familiarity with standard AI/ML libraries (e.g., PyTorch/TensorFlow, Hugging Face, scikit-learn, Pandas, NLP libraries).

• Solid software engineering foundations: APIs, testing, CI/CD, version control (Git), etc.

• Experience with AWS, especially Amazon SageMaker for training, deployment, and MLOps. Familiarity with other AWS AI services (e.g., Bedrock, Comprehend) is a plus.

• A pragmatic builder mindset, balancing innovation with practical application and rapid value delivery.

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, particularly within cross-functional teams.

Nice to have

• Experience mentoring or training engineers in AI/ML practices.

• Background applying AI/ML in human-centric domains like HR Tech, Employee Experience (EX), or Customer Experience (CX).

• Familiarity with agile product teams and rapid iteration cycles.

Why Join Speakap?

• Be the first to shape AI at a product-driven company with real impact.

• Work closely with leadership, including a VP of Engineering committed to team performance, delivery excellence, and scalable execution.

• Competitive salary, 26 vacation days, hybrid flexibility, and a dynamic international team.

• Room to grow, experiment, and help define how we use AI to improve the employee experience.

Ready to lead the future of AI at Speakap? Apply now — we’d love to hear from you.