In September, the Polish tech job portal Just Join IT recorded a sharp increase in postings for AI specialists. Recruiters from IT, HR, consulting, and finance are leading the race to hire top talent. Average monthly salary ranges vary widely—from the mid-teens to as high as PLN 30,000 net. The most in-demand roles include AI Engineer, Machine Learning Engineer, and AI Developer, with the majority of offers located in Warsaw (30.1%) and Kraków (17.9%), often with hybrid or remote options.
AI Adoption Drives Record Recruitment
The scale of demand is best illustrated by the momentum in early September: during the first three weeks, Just Join IT logged a record 392 new postings in the AI/ML (Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning) category. In total, there are now 722 active AI/ML job offers on the portal. This surge has been consistent since the beginning of the year. In Q2 2025, companies posted 70% more AI/ML roles than in Q1, and Q3 has already shown another 16% rise before its close.
The rapid growth in postings is driven by the mass adoption of generative AI by Polish firms. Businesses across sectors—from traditional banking to modern e-commerce—are urgently seeking experts to implement large language models (LLMs), develop generative AI solutions, and automate processes.
IT Sector Leads the Way
Recruitment trends reveal which sectors of the Polish economy are undergoing the fastest transformation. Ten key industries account for nearly 87% of all postings. The IT sector dominates, with product firms and tech companies responsible for over one-third of listings. Outsourcing firms, software houses, and BPO centers follow closely with 24.6%. Recruitment agencies account for 10%, consulting firms 6%, and banking/finance 3.5%. Other growing sectors include telecommunications (1.3%) and e-commerce (1.2%).
High Salaries for Experienced Specialists
The AI market heavily favors experienced professionals. Most postings (53.3%) target senior-level candidates, 38.3% mid-level, just 5.2% junior, and 3.1% executive-level directors. The most sought-after roles include AI Engineer, Machine Learning Engineer, MLOps Engineer, and Data Scientist, with salaries ranging up to nearly PLN 30,000 net per month:
- AI Engineer: PLN 21,000–29,000
- ML Engineer: PLN 21,000–28,000
- MLOps Engineer: PLN 24,500–28,500
- Data Scientist: PLN 18,500–25,000
High pay reflects growing competition for talent. Each role attracts dozens of applications, underscoring the intensity of both candidate and employer competition.
“It’s no coincidence that the number of AI postings keeps rising. This represents a fundamental shift in how companies think about technology,” says Piotr Nowosielski, CEO of Just Join IT. “Companies across sectors, from banking to e-commerce, now see AI not as a futuristic toy but as a tool that can already drive competitiveness and efficiency.”
Nowosielski emphasizes that this AI hiring boom requires thoughtful recruitment strategies: employers must accept that the best-qualified candidates are in a strong position to dictate terms, expecting high salaries, flexible work, and meaningful project choices.
Flexibility and Geographic Concentration
To remain competitive, companies are offering highly flexible employment conditions. The majority of contracts are B2B (62.1%), compared with 32% traditional employment contracts. Remote work dominates (55.9%), followed by hybrid (38.8%), while only 5.3% of employers require full office presence.
Geographically, demand is concentrated in Poland’s largest tech hubs: Warsaw (30.1%), Kraków (17.9%), Wrocław (14.5%), and the Tri-City (10.9%), followed by Poznań, Łódź, and Szczecin.
Poland Mirrors Global Trends
The boom in Poland reflects global trends. According to the McKinsey Global Institute, AI could add USD 13 trillion to global GDP by 2030. The World Economic Forum estimates that 19 million new AI-related jobs will be created globally within the next five years.
Salary dynamics are also similar: in the US, AI Engineers earn over USD 165,000 annually; in the UK, around GBP 85,000; and in Germany, about EUR 95,000. Polish employers are increasingly willing to offer comparable packages to secure top talent.
Growth Prospects and Challenges
Experts forecast continued demand for AI/ML professionals in the coming years. Key drivers will include the development of generative AI, automation of business processes, the digital transformation of traditional industries, and rising R&D investment.
The biggest challenge, however, will be training enough highly skilled AI experts to meet employers’ rapidly growing needs.
Sources:
- McKinsey Global Institute: Modeling the Impact of AI on the World Economy
- World Economic Forum: AI and the Future of Work
- CEO.com.pl
