European software engineer postings cool 13% from their October peak, but 30-day hiring is still up 2%
Weekly postings have slipped since early October even as the monthly count edges higher. The market stays spread thin across almost 2,000 employers, with no single company dominating.
is what the typical role asks for. 7% ask for 10 years or more.
44% of open roles state years1,836 new roles in the last 30 days, against 1,806 the 30 days before, at the same companies.
Companies read for 60 days or moreat 1,988 companies hiring in Europe.
Issue of 2 November 2026This week's read
Hiring for software engineers across Europe rose 2% over the last 30 days. But the weekly pace has eased: postings peaked at 538 roles in the week of 5 October and slipped to 468 by 26 October, down 13% from that peak.
There are 5,624 open roles right now, spread across 1,988 companies. No single employer dominates this market: the top 8 employers combined hold just 12% of all open roles. Capgemini is the biggest single hirer with 285 open roles.
Among companies adding roles faster, Knowmadmood's new postings rose 56% in the last 30 days, and Clera and Accenture also picked up the pace. Cisco moved the other way, with new postings down 14% compared with the previous 30 days.
If you are tailoring applications, Python is the most asked for skill, named in 30% of postings, ahead of Java and TypeScript. Agile is the most common way of working mentioned. Postings also tend to ask for some years of experience, with a median minimum of 5 years where years are stated.
Two things are hard to find in this market: remote roles and pay details. Only 13% of open roles are remote, and just 6% of postings state the pay, too few to say what this role typically pays across Europe right now.
What this means for you
Three things you can act on this week
- Expect a 5-year experience bar
Where postings state a minimum, the median ask is 5 years. If you have less, look for roles that list fewer years or skip the requirement entirely.
- Watch who is speeding up
Knowmadmood's new postings rose 56% and Cisco's fell 14% over the last 30 days. Checking which employers are actively adding roles can help you time applications.
- Ask about remote and pay directly
Only 13% of open roles are remote and just 6% state pay. Since listings rarely cover either, raise both questions early in your conversations with recruiters.
Momentum
New Engineering roles each week
Last 30 days: 1,836 new roles, against 1,806 the 30 days before (+2%). 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 | 420 |
| 14 Sep | 440 |
| 21 Sep | 430 |
| 28 Sep | 497 |
| 5 Oct | 538 |
| 12 Oct | 488 |
| 19 Oct | 478 |
| 26 Oct | 468 |
Who is hiring
The companies with the most open Engineering roles
1,988 companies are hiring. The top eight hold 12% of the open roles.
| Company | Open roles | Change in new roles |
|---|---|---|
| Capgemini | 285 | |
| Careers.Indragroup.Com | 69 | |
| Knowmadmood | 58 | +56% |
| Atos | 52 | |
| Alstom | 50 | |
| European Dynamics | 49 | |
| Cisco | 46 | -14% |
| Liebherr | 44 |
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 Engineering roles ask for most
Ask Rate is the share of roles that name a skill, from 5,324 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: Fintech 3%, SaaS 3%, Payments 2%. 13% of open roles say they are remote.
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