Singapore's data and ML hiring cools from its October peak
New postings for Data & ML Engineer roles have eased sharply since early October, even though the 30-day count is flat.
is what the typical role asks for. 15% ask for 10 years or more.
44% of open roles state years134 new roles in the last 30 days, against 133 the 30 days before, at the same companies.
Companies read for 60 days or moreat 123 companies hiring in Singapore.
Issue of 2 November 2026This week's read
The weekly numbers tell the real story this week. New postings peaked at 46 in the week of 5 October, then slid every week after that, down to 21 by 26 October. That is a 54% drop from the peak week. Look past the 30-day total, which is flat, and the slowdown in the last month is clear.
The overall pool is still sizeable: 390 open roles across 123 companies, with a role staying open a median of 36 days before it is filled or pulled. That gives you time to apply well, but it also means postings are not moving fast.
NTU is the single biggest source of openings, with 61 roles. Micron sits behind it with 35 open roles, though its pace of new postings fell 35% in the past 30 days. Together with the rest of the top employers, the top 8 companies account for 45% of all open roles, so a good chunk of this market runs through a short list of names.
Experience bars are set fairly high. The median posting asks for at least 5 years, and 15% of roles want 10 years or more. Python shows up in 74% of postings, by far the most asked skill, with AI and machine learning close behind. If you are weighing where to spend prep time, this is where most listings are pointing.
Two things to flag before you apply: remote work is essentially off the table here, at 0% of open roles, and pay is rarely stated, so you will mostly be negotiating blind. Plan your search and salary expectations around on-site work and your own research.
What this means for you
Three things you can act on this week
- Don't read the 30-day total alone
New postings dropped 54% from their 5 October peak to the week of 26 October. The flat 30-day figure hides that this market has slowed week by week since early October.
- Expect to apply for on-site roles
None of the open roles are remote. Build your job search and commute expectations around working on-site in Singapore.
- Brush up on Python before applying
Python appears in 74% of postings and AI/machine learning skills in most of the rest. These are the two most common asks across this market right now.
Momentum
New Data / ML roles each week
Last 30 days: 134 new roles, against 133 the 30 days before (+1%). Each week counts the same companies, and a role counts as new only in the week it was posted, so a careers site we start reading never shows up as growth.
See the numbers
| Week starting | New roles |
|---|---|
| 7 Sep | 25 |
| 14 Sep | 41 |
| 21 Sep | 36 |
| 28 Sep | 38 |
| 5 Oct | 46 |
| 12 Oct | 40 |
| 19 Oct | 33 |
| 26 Oct | 21 |
Who is hiring
The companies with the most open Data / ML roles
123 companies are hiring. The top eight hold 45% of the open roles.
| Company | Open roles | Change in new roles |
|---|---|---|
| NTU | 61 | |
| Micron | 35 | -35% |
| Tencent | 17 | |
| PWC | 16 | |
| OCBC | 14 | |
| Unison Group | 14 | |
| DBS | 10 | |
| Temasek | 9 |
Change compares new roles in the last 30 days with the 30 days before, shown where a company posted 25 or more in the earlier 30 days. Staffing agencies are left out. A company name links to its Ashney company page where there is one.
What they ask for
The technology Data / ML roles ask for most
Ask Rate is the share of roles that name a skill, from 375 postings read in full. Ways of working (methods such as Agile, tools such as Jira) are listed apart; office tools and soft skills are left out.
Ways of working
Industries named most: Semiconductors 10%, Financial services 9%, Banking 5%. Certifications named: AWS Certified Machine Learning 1%, DP-203 1%, Databricks certification 1%. 0% of open roles say they are remote.
Cite this report