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Real-time data on which tech companies are actively growing headcount. AI/ML roles dominate hiring with 3-5x salary premiums. Big tech hiring selectively for AI while defense tech and funded startups ramp up.
| Sector | Hiring Trend | Hottest Roles | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI / ML Infrastructure | Aggressively hiring | ML engineers, AI researchers, infra | Strongest demand in tech |
| Defense Tech | Growing fast | Software engineers, autonomy, RF/EW | Multi-year buildout, Anduril/Shield AI/Palantir leading |
| Data Centers / Cloud | Expanding | Network engineers, SREs, hardware | Driven by AI capex cycle |
| Cybersecurity | Steady growth | Security engineers, analysts, GRC | Resilient demand, AI threat surface expanding |
| Startups (funded) | Recovering | Full-stack, AI/ML, GTM | Funding returning, hiring cautiously |
| Big Tech (AI roles) | Selectively hiring | ML engineers, AI product, research | AI up, general SWE flat |
| Enterprise SaaS | Flat / selective | Sales, CS, product | AI disruption reshaping teams |
| Consumer Tech | Mixed | AI-adjacent only | Stabilized after 2023-2024 cuts |
| Company | Open Roles (est.) | Focus Areas | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA | 2,000+ | AI research, CUDA, hardware design | AI GPU demand still accelerating |
| Anthropic | 400+ | Safety, ML research, product, enterprise | Claude scaling, enterprise momentum |
| OpenAI | 500+ | Research, infra, product, safety | Product expansion, enterprise push |
| Anduril | 600+ | Software, hardware, autonomy systems | Defense tech surge, major DoD contracts |
| Palantir | 400+ | AI platform, gov, commercial | AIP adoption, defense expansion |
| Shield AI | 300+ | Autonomy, embedded systems, ML | Autonomous aircraft programs |
| xAI | 500+ | ML, infra, Grok development | Rapid model iteration, data center buildout |
| Scale AI | 250+ | Data ops, ML, government | Defense + enterprise AI contracts |
The most in-demand role in tech for the third consecutive year. AI engineers command a 3-5x salary premium over general software engineers at comparable levels. Senior ML engineers at top AI labs earn $500K-$900K+ total comp. Even mid-level ML engineers see $250K-$400K packages. The supply-demand gap remains extreme.
Demand has exploded as AI systems become more capable. Anthropic, OpenAI, Google DeepMind, Meta, and government agencies are all building safety teams. PhDs in ML/AI safety with publications command $350K-$600K TC. The field has matured from niche academic pursuit to critical enterprise function.
Product managers who understand model capabilities, prompt engineering, and AI UX patterns are commanding 30-50% premiums over traditional PM roles. Every company building AI features needs PMs who can bridge the gap between ML teams and end users. Average TC for senior AI PMs: $300K-$450K.
Training pipelines, inference optimization, data flywheels, and ML ops are critical bottlenecks at every AI company. Engineers who can build and scale infrastructure for model training and deployment are getting competitive offers from startups and big tech alike. Average TC: $250K-$400K.
Anduril, Palantir, Shield AI, and dozens of startups are hiring aggressively. The defense tech hiring boom is one of the defining trends of 2025-2026. Software engineers comfortable with government contracts, security clearances, and embedded systems see 20-30% premiums vs. commercial tech. Total DoD tech spending is at all-time highs.
Remote work has stabilized at roughly 30-40% of tech roles — down from the 2021 peak but far above pre-COVID levels. Fully remote roles command slightly lower comp (~5-10%) but remain competitive. AI and defense tech tend to be more in-office; startups and SaaS are more flexible. Hybrid (2-3 days/week) is the dominant model at big tech.
Yes, but selectively. AI infrastructure, defense tech, and cybersecurity are hiring aggressively. Big tech companies like Google, Meta, and Microsoft are growing headcount again but almost exclusively in AI-related roles — general software engineering hiring remains flat. Startup hiring is recovering as VC funding returns to healthier levels in 2025-2026. The average tech salary has risen ~8% year-over-year, driven almost entirely by AI role premiums pulling up the average.
AI-native companies and defense tech dominate 2026 hiring. NVIDIA, OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI continue aggressive recruiting for ML/AI talent. In defense tech, Anduril, Palantir, and Shield AI are among the fastest-growing employers in tech. Hyperscalers (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) maintain steady hiring for data center and infrastructure roles. Notably, startup hiring has recovered — Series A-C companies raised strong rounds in late 2025 and are deploying capital into headcount growth.
ML/AI engineers dominate, commanding 3-5x salary premiums over general SWE roles. AI safety researchers, AI product managers, and ML infrastructure engineers round out the top-demand categories. Defense tech software engineers are seeing a hiring boom with 20-30% salary premiums. Traditional software development roles are flat — not declining but not growing. Roles most at risk of AI displacement include QA, basic frontend, data entry, and content operations. The average AI engineer salary is $350K-$500K TC; the average general SWE salary is $150K-$200K TC.
Remote work has stabilized at approximately 30-40% of tech roles. Most big tech companies have settled on hybrid models (2-3 days in office). Fully remote roles are less common than 2021 but far more available than pre-COVID. AI labs and defense tech tend to require more in-person work due to security and collaboration needs. Startups remain the most flexible. Geographic salary adjustments persist but have narrowed — remote workers in lower-cost areas earn roughly 5-10% less than their in-office counterparts in major metros.