In-Demand and On-Demand: The Tech Skills European Businesses Are Looking For Right Now

Contract hiring is surging - but not where you might expect.

With shifting budgets, tight delivery timelines and the pressure to adopt AI and automation, European tech hiring is moving fast - and flexibly. That’s why we’re seeing a clear rise in contract-based hiring, especially for specialist and project-critical roles. 

The key driver? Companies want immediate impact, without long-term commitment or the delays of a lengthy permanent hire process. 

These roles are at the top of the list 

At Remobi, we’ve seen a spike in demand for certain tech contract titles. These are the roles companies are hiring for on-demand - often within days: 

AI/ML Engineers & Prompt Engineers

Generative AI and automation projects are everywhere - but few teams have in-house expertise. These specialists are being brought in on contract to build fast and prove value early. 

Cloud & DevOps Engineers 

Whether it's AWS, Azure, or GCP, businesses need cloud-native systems that scale. DevOps contractors are essential for speeding up delivery pipelines, deployments and infra optimisation. 

Data Engineers & Analytics Contractors

With data now fuelling everything from dashboards to predictive AI, businesses are hiring contractors to build, clean and mobilise data quickly. 

React & Node.js Developers 

Product teams under pressure to ship digital features fast are turning to freelance frontend and backend developers to add firepower, especially for greenfield work. 

QA Engineers & Test Automation Specialists

Test coverage and release reliability still make or break delivery speed. Contract testers - especially those with automation experience - are in high demand.

Why companies are turning to nearshore contractors 

Contract roles often require agility, quality, and speed - and this is where nearshore models offer serious value: 

• Faster ramp-up: No 3-month notice periods - nearshore teams are ready now 

• Cost control: Avoid London/ Paris/ Zurich contractor rates without compromising quality 

• Team augmentation: Plug nearshore talent into your squads without disrupting workflow 

• Smooth collaboration: Time zones, communication and culture already aligned 

We’re seeing more European tech teams mixing local leads with embedded nearshore contractors - particularly when rolling out new features, launching AI pilots, or migrating platforms.

What this means for talent teams 

Whether you’re under pressure to deliver a roadmap, launch a new capability, or plug a skills gap fast, contract hiring is no longer a fallback - it’s a strategic lever. But sourcing, vetting and managing contractors can slow you down unless you have a trusted partner. 

That’s where Remobi comes in. We help you: 

• Identify the right specialist roles for the task at hand 

• Source trusted, remote-ready contractors across Europe 

• Integrate new hires into your teams with minimal lift 

• Scale up or down depending on delivery demand 

Need to hire fast? 

Whether it’s one specialist or a full squad of engineers, we can help you find and onboard contract tech talent - nearshore, high-quality and ready to deliver. 

 Speak to the Remobi team today about your contract hiring needs.