The fields of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Science, and Data Engineering are among the fastest-growing and most competitive in today’s tech landscape. Companies across industries are racing to hire professionals who can not only manage data effectively but also turn it into meaningful insights and intelligent solutions.

In this article, we break down the core roles in this space, technical requirements, candidate expectations, and how recruitment agencies like Simply Talented can support your hiring strategy.

Key Roles in AI & Data

Data Science / AI:

• Data Scientist
• Machine Learning Engineer
• NLP Engineer (Natural Language Processing)
• Computer Vision Engineer
• AI Researcher / Applied AI Scientist
• MLOps Engineer

Data Engineering:

• Data Engineer
• Big Data Engineer
• Cloud Data Engineer (AWS, Azure, GCP)
• Analytics Engineer (e.g., dbt, Snowflake)
• ETL Developer / DataOps Engineer

Leadership & Strategic Roles:

• Head of Data / Director of AI
• AI Solutions Architect
• Technical Lead (Data/AI)
• AI Product Manager

Technical Skill Sets

For Data Scientists and ML Engineers:

• Python, R
• Libraries: scikit-learn, pandas, NumPy, TensorFlow, PyTorch, XGBoost
• NLP, Computer Vision, Time-Series Analysis
• Experience with MLOps tools and deployment

For Data Engineers:

• Python, SQL, Java/Scala (for big data frameworks)
• Data pipeline orchestration: Airflow, dbt, Luigi
• Data lakes and warehouses: Snowflake, Redshift, BigQuery
• Real-time data systems: Kafka, Spark
• Experience with ETL design, data modelling, and DevOps principles

Candidate Expectations

Today’s top candidates look for:

• Cutting-edge technology (LLMs, HuggingFace, PyTorch, dbt)
• Data maturity and access to real use cases
• Clear development paths and R&D opportunities
• Remote or hybrid flexibility
• Collaborative culture with real ownership
• Salary transparency:
  • Mid-Level: 18–26k PLN B2B
  • Senior: 25–35k PLN B2B
  • Lead/Head of AI: 35–50k+ PLN B2B

How Simply Talented Supports AI & Data Hiring

We specialise in identifying and engaging top-tier talent in Poland and CEE with proven skills in:

• Data Science, AI Engineering, and MLOps
• Data Engineering and DataOps
• Niche roles like LLM Specialist, AI Researcher, or Real-Time Data Platform Engineers

If you’re scaling your data or AI teams or entering the Polish market, we offer a comprehensive, high-quality solution tailored to your hiring goals.