Graduate Software Engineer

About the company

Bending Spoons aims to build a long-lasting, high-impact business that reaches millions of customers, helps people grow at a fast pace, and operates with exceptional efficiency, strong results, and high ethical standards. The company acquires and improves digital businesses to own and run them for the long term, making deep changes that accelerate innovation, improve customer outcomes, and strengthen performance. Teams are intentionally small, talent-heavy, and low on hierarchy, and the organization blends startup-style speed with the stability of established products. AI is deeply embedded in day-to-day work so that human judgment and machine intelligence work together.

Role overview

This role is designed for a talented, motivated, and cooperative software engineer who wants to learn quickly, contribute meaningfully, and grow their career at a rapid pace. You will take ownership of work that reaches production and affects real users, while working in an environment that values high standards and continuous improvement.

Key responsibilities

• Own software features and systems from concept through production, building products used at scale and improving them over time.
• Use AI tools directly within the development process across design, coding, testing, and documentation to speed up delivery without compromising quality.
• Work across varied technologies and architectures, choosing the most suitable tools for each problem, including monoliths, microservices, gRPC, REST, Kubernetes, Docker, Python, and Rust.
• Continuously reduce unnecessary complexity by improving architecture, pipelines, and codebases so systems become easier to scale and maintain.

What the company is looking for

• Strong analytical and reasoning skills, with the ability to break down complex problems and think from first principles.
• High drive, ambition, initiative, and persistence, along with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.
• A collaborative mindset that values transparency, reliability, helping teammates, and choosing the best idea over personal preference.
• Comfortable professional communication in English, both written and spoken.

Compensation and benefits

The company offers competitive pay with access to equity for eligible permanent hires. For candidates with limited experience, typical annual compensation is £85,797 in London and €66,065 elsewhere in Europe. For candidates assessed as having significant relevant experience, typical annual compensation ranges from £112,189 to £250,512 in London and from €107,837 to €188,848 elsewhere in Europe. In exceptional cases, compensation may go beyond these ranges to reflect higher expected impact. If a permanent contract is offered, part of the compensation may be received as company equity at a discounted price. Relocation to Italy may also come with a 50% tax cut.

• Flexible working hours and remote work options
• Unlimited support for learning and training
• Top-tier health insurance
• Comprehensive relocation package
• Generous parental support
• Annual retreat in a scenic location
• Opportunity to start part-time and move to full-time while completing a degree
• Flexible start date

Employment terms

This is a permanent or fixed-term full-time position. The role can be based in Milan, London, Madrid, Warsaw, or remotely in selected countries. The company suggests spending the first few months working from the Milan office to ramp up effectively and build strong relationships with the team. After that, work may continue from Milan or London offices, or remotely from approved countries, depending on the final agreement. The organization also notes that if a candidate has applied before without receiving an offer, they should wait at least one year before reapplying.

Selection process and additional notes

Applicants are screened based on verifiable evidence of excellence, regardless of seniority, and all candidates follow the same evaluation process. Those who progress may complete one or more challenging tests that can take several hours and may include unfamiliar problems. The company may keep a role open for months or repost it multiple times if it has not yet found the right person. Reasonable accommodations are available for individuals with disabilities.

Before you apply

The environment is demanding and requires substantial commitment, but it also offers strong learning, achievement, and career growth for people who are ready to meet a very high bar. Candidates who feel underqualified are encouraged not to self-reject if they believe they can succeed over time.