Machine Learning Developer Hiring Trends in Croatia

This report was last updated on Sep 6, 2025

Bence Gedai

Founder

I analyze live hiring data and tech job trends across Europe to give CTOs and Product Leaders a strategic edge. By tracking tens of thousands of open roles each week, I uncover which skills, roles, and locations are in highest demand — potential competitors, typical time to hire, talent pool sizes, and more to help you prioritize hiring, benchmark and stay competitive in a fast-moving market.

Key learnings from this report

The Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning job market in Croatia is characterized by moderate demand and hiring trends, with an average of 4 new job openings weekly and a total of 2.5 jobs closed weekly, indicating challenges in talent retention.
A total of 47% of current job openings for Machine Learning Engineers are at the Mid-Senior level, while 30% are Entry-level, emphasizing the need for experienced candidates in this competitive environment.
Zagreb is the primary hub for Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Engineer positions, accounting for approximately 87% of job listings, followed by Rijeka and Split, making it crucial for hiring managers to concentrate their recruitment efforts in these areas.
The median time to hire for Artificial Intelligence Engineers in Croatia is 35 days, indicating a competitive landscape that requires strategic recruitment strategies for CTOs and hiring managers aiming to attract top talent.
The current talent pool size presents challenges, as the number of job openings is significantly higher than the available talent, necessitating targeted recruitment strategies for positions within the Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning sector.

Number of roles opened and closed for Machine Learning Engineers in Croatia in the last 3 months

The Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning job market in Croatia has exhibited fluctuating dynamics over recent weeks. An average of 4 new jobs was opened weekly, with the highest spike at 6 positions in week 35, reflecting a modest interest in hiring. Conversely, job closures have been notably higher, with an average of 2.5 jobs closed weekly, peaking at 6 closures, indicating a challenging landscape for retention and an urgent need for effective recruitment strategies. Compared to other roles in Croatia, the demand for Machine Learning Engineers appears moderate; however, when contrasted with neighboring European countries, this segment faces emerging competition as hiring trends shift across the technology landscape.

Who else is hiring for ai Engineers in Croatia:

Company name	Country	Industry	Founded	# Job openings
Vertiv	United States	Electrical/electronic Manufacturing	2016	10
Infobip	United Kingdom	Information Technology & Services	2006	8
ENT - Ericsson Nikola Tesla	Croatia	Information Technology & Services	null	5
Axelera AI	Netherlands	Semiconductors	2021	5
Cast AI	United States	Information Technology & Services	2019	4
GlobalLogic	United States	Information Technology & Services	2000	4
Canonical	United Kingdom	Information Technology & Services	2004	3
Happening	United Kingdom	Information Technology & Services	2022	2
Casumo	Malta	Gambling & Casinos	2012	2
Elixirr Digital	United Kingdom	Information Technology & Services	1999	2

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Talent pool vs job openings for Artificial Intelligence Engineers in Croatia

How competitive it is to hire Artificial Intelligence Engineers in Croatia

The job market for Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Engineers reveals varying degrees of hiring challenges across Europe. In Croatia, the ratio of available talent to job openings suggests a tighter job market, with a count of job openings considerably higher than the size of the talent pool. In comparison, neighboring countries such as Serbia and Hungary demonstrate a more favorable balance, with lower job openings relative to their available talent, indicating easier recruitment conditions. Meanwhile, countries like Poland also report high demand, yet maintain a relatively strong talent pool, which may serve as a strategic alternative for hiring managers in Croatia. Therefore, while recruitment strategies for CTOs in Croatia's tech sector may face challenges, identifying trends in hiring Senior Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Developers from these neighboring countries could offer viable solutions.

Seniority distribution of Machine Learning Engineer job openings in Croatia

Seniority Distribution of Machine Learning Engineering Jobs in Croatia

In the evolving job market for Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Engineers in Croatia, the seniority distribution reveals critical insights for hiring managers. Currently, 47% of positions are classified as Mid-Senior level, while Entry level roles constitute 30%. Additionally, Associate roles represent 11% of the available jobs, highlighting a strong emphasis on experienced candidates in this competitive sector.

Preferred employment type for Engineering roles in Croatia

In the Croatian engineering job market, Full-time positions dominate with 93% of available roles. Contract positions account for 6%, while Part-time roles represent 3%. This distribution highlights the preference for stable employment within the sector, which is crucial for hiring managers considering Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Engineers in Croatia.

Time to Hire Distribution for Artificial Intelligence in Croatia

How long does it take to hire Artificial Intelligence Engineers

The time to hire for Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Engineers in Croatia showcases significant variability, with a notable concentration of candidates hired within the 30 to 40-day range. Specifically, 25 candidates were hired in 30 days, and 22 in 40 days, indicating a competitive hiring landscape for top talent. However, the distribution also highlights longer hiring periods, with 21 candidates taking up to 25 days, and a further 37 requiring as much as 35 days. This data underscores the need for strategic recruitment approaches by CTOs and hiring managers to effectively navigate the fluctuating demands of the Artificial Intelligence job market in Croatia.

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Most popular cities in Croatia to hire Artificial Intelligence Engineers

Top 5 cities in Croatia to hire Artificial Intelligence Engineers

Analyzing the location distribution for Artificial Intelligence Engineers job openings in Croatia, Zagreb emerges as the predominant hub, accounting for approximately 87% of relevant job listings. The city is followed by Rijeka and Split, representing around 4% and 2% of the total openings, respectively. This data underscores the significance of Zagreb in the Croatian tech landscape, highlighting its critical role in the recruitment strategies for CTOs seeking talent in the Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning sector.

Most sought after technologies in Croatia for Machine Learning

Key technologies for Machine Learning Engineers

In the dynamically evolving Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning job market in Croatia, certain technologies have emerged as pivotal. Python leads the landscape with a frequency of 5,248 mentions, underscoring its status as the predominant language for AI and ML development. Machine Learning itself follows closely with 3,149 mentions, indicating robust demand for skills in this area. Additionally, SQL (1,995) and Data Science (1,229) are crucial for data manipulation and analysis, while R (716) is favored for statistical computing. The accompanying chart illustrates these trends, highlighting the technologies that hiring managers should prioritize when seeking to fill Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Engineer positions.

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