The tech industry is following the shift that’s leading many companies to prioritize remote work and highly-qualified workers. And companies are willing to pay for that talent and make sure they keep them happy. So with just a little research, you can find the best role and company that matches what you want in a tech job. Spain is just one of many companies with such uplifting prospects: let’s check out why.
Tech in Spain
Information and communication technology (ICT) is considered one of the best sectors in Spain. The sector recovered quickly from the COVID pandemic, and governments in certain autonomous regions have taken full advantage of European Union development and recovery funds to attract foreign investment in technology:
Spain’s 5G National Plan is projected to be a key driver for mobile network and fiber optic network upgrades. According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation, Spain has allocated €2 billion for the rollout of 5G infrastructure by 2025, aiming to cover 75% of the population by the end of 2024[1].
Private sector companies are keen to capitalize on these advancements, meaning they are investing heavily in growing their Spain-based workforces. By 2023, private sector investment in 5G technology in Spain is expected to reach €5 billion, as reported by Spain's National 5G Observatory.
Spanish telecoms companies have been consolidating to leverage their weight in the European market. For instance, the merger between MásMóvil and Euskaltel created the fourth-largest telecom operator in Spain, positioning them to scale operations and enhance competitiveness across Europe
With all the investments and changes, there is high demand for technology talent that can continuously adapt to the changing environment:
According to the Global Cybersecurity Index 2021, Spain is ranked 4th in Europe and 7th globally for its cybersecurity framework. Cybersecurity is a major issue, as is cloud computing and artificial intelligence.
Spain is currently promoting public-private collaboration programs to integrate AI into multiple vertical sectors
The Iberian nation is creating opportunities for investments from all over the world, and subsequently, for employment.
Top Tech Companies to Work For in Spain
With offices in Madrid and Barcelona and all across the beautiful country, many tech companies have taken advantage of Spain’s push for technological advancements. Let’s explore the best tech companies that are currently hiring in Spain:
RavenPack
If you’re interested in a tech career in Spain, chances are you love the sun and the balmy, beachy environment of towns like Valencia or Malaga. Ravenpack, based in Marbella, which is located just outside of Malaga with easy access to the international airport, is hiring. The company started with just 70 employees in 2019 and now boasts over 180.
Here’s what to expect:
Ravenpack has a diverse international team and offers opportunities for continued professional development and growth.
The company is research-driven, collecting data from various sources and using AI and machine learning to aggregate findings and provide its clients with valuable analytical insights.
They are backed by a number of powerful investors including Dow Jones and Amazon Web Services, to name a few.
If you are interested in research and data analytics, this is your company.
Cabify
Want to make cities better? So does Cabify. Founded in 2011, Cabify is considered the first Spanish tech unicorn with headquarters located in Madrid and offices across the country, including Barcelona and Málaga. Cabify is looking to fill roles like Head of Engineering and Principal Backend Software Engineer, so you can really get to use your technology development skills. Plus, they even have a role for a tech talent acquisition specialist, meaning tech workers are in high demand at Cabify!
Besides being an awesome company, Cabify also offers some great employee benefits:
The company is remote work friendly and all employees can telework at least two days per week–once you’ve spent enough time with the company, you can go 100% remote.
Employees can also choose different compensation packages, which may include restaurant coupons, transportation cards, medical insurance, or childcare.
Cabify is fully invested in its employees and wants them to continue learning and improving, offering internal training and tech events in the office.
Photo by Jordi Moncasi on Unsplash
Wallapop
Wallapop is the main Spanish online marketplace, much like Craigslist or Etsy. It allows people to sell goods or services online and the company seeks to offer the best street trade experience to all users around the world, actively contributing to sustainable trade through the sale of second-hand or used items. At the same time, they help connect people seeking goods or services with vendors to grow local economies.
Based out of Barcelona, Wallapop operates in Spain and Italy.
Powered by technical innovation and continuous improvement, they are backed by top investors and were recently voted one of the ‘Top 100 Future Unicorns.’
Wallapop is actively seeking Product Team developers, and DevOps Engineers in both Barcelona and Madrid.
The Wallapop team has a great social media presence that can give you a better idea of what it’s like to work there.
One of the things that sets Wallapop apart from other online selling platforms is that they treat all products and services equally. You can truly find or sell just about anything.
Typeform
Another Barcelona based technology startup, Typeform, revolutionized web forms and the company is growing at a tremendous pace. The company’s exponential growth means if you get a job with Typeform now, chances are you’ll be at a senior level within a few years:
Typeform has a very generous benefits package, offering employees health insurance, financial and retirement planning services, 401K plans, paid vacation time off, social events, free lunches and snacks, and professional development.
Typeform values empathy and is constantly thinking of how to improve user experiences.
They are also a remote-first company and they like to outfit their employees with cool swag and budgets for home-office setup. Calling all early birds and night owls! Typeform lets you work when you’re at your best.
The company has its main Spain offices in Madrid’s trendy Embajadores neighborhood, but also offers some remote opportunities. The Google campus in Madrid is also a startup incubator, so you’ll be surrounded by lots of digital creatives and get to network with the newest startup founders and employees. The campus cultivates a culture of fun combined with serious ideation for tech possibilities and growth:
Google is proud of its employee longevity and growth, helping people grow within the company to retain top talent.
They also employ a “no heroes” policy, meaning that there are sufficient processes in place so that no single person is working overtime to fix bugs or help clients.
The company also provides immense levels of support to its employees.
If you’re a high achiever who likes to play hard as well, Google Madrid is going to be a great fit for you. Google is renowned for its strong company culture and extensive employee benefits, including free meals, wellness programs, and professional development opportunities. According to Glassdoor, Google has a rating of 4.5 out of 5, with employees citing high job satisfaction and competitive salaries as key perks.
Spotahome
Renting a house or an apartment can be a serious pain, especially if you aren’t physically located where you want to rent. Spotahome seeks to transform that experience by sending professional spotters to check out rentals before you get there. Following a holiday rental model, Spotahome can help you find a home for stays of a minimum of 30 days, perfect for digital nomads who are constantly on the go.
Spotahome has four core values: they feel you, they’re sincere, they adapt to win, and they seek to create a better tomorrow.
They boast a flexible, open culture, with full remote options and flexible work schedules.
Spotahome offers employees optional health insurance and gym membership opportunities and even offers stock options.
When you join Spotahome you’ll also get extensive training, so you never have to feel like you’re flying solo.
They eliminate communication and language barriers between local landlords and foreign tenants. Based in Madrid, they have been highlighted in publications like El Confidencial, TicBeat, and Telva.
Workato
Workato is all about tech stack integrations, helping build complex workflows across organizations using their low-code platform. The whole idea is to take code and make it user friendly so that stack integrations don’t require a lot of coding knowledge. They focus on fast, simple integrations and were even mentioned as a part of the Cloud 100 sponsored by Bessamer, Forbes, and Salesforce.
The company offers flexible working arrangements so employees don’t burn out, offering a hybrid remote model and providing every employee with the best available technology.
They have an employee assistance program, offer health insurance, provide referral bonuses, and offer stock options.
They are invested in their employees’ long-term professional development, and to that end prioritize training programs and set aside a budget for continued learning.
Their Spain headquarters in Barcelona will have you chilling at the beach while you simplify tech stacks.
Photo by Kaspars Upmanis on Unsplash
Gympass
Gympass is a corporate wellness platform that offers organizations access to the best fitness centers and applications with flexible plans for employees. If you want to combine your tech education with the world of fitness, Gympass may be the perfect place for you:
Gympass offers its employees and their families access to the platform for free. Get personal training, access to in-person fitness programs, sleep and meditation guidance, mental health support, nutrition resources, and more.
The company offers employees cash incentives based on company and individual success, and an equity program for top performers.
They have a hybrid work structure, and provide workers with a home office stipend.
They also give all employees 25 days of paid leave annually–and you get your birthday off!
Founded in 2012 in New York City, the company has grown exponentially and now has offices in Madrid and other locations across the globe.
BackMarket
BackMarket is another tech-based marketplace focused on reselling technological gadgets that have been reset, using a proven system to ensure that the product speculations are communicating adequately with the buyer and guarantee 100% functionality. Before joining the community, each vendor goes through a rigorous selection process. Technical teams physically go to device reseller locations to ensure their products meet the marketplace’s high quality standards.
BackMarket began with just three founders in 2014 and has since grown to over 600 employees.
Their Spain offices are in Barcelona, so add them to the list of trendy tech startups on the Mediterranean hub.
Working with BackMarket means you’ll be contributing to the elimination of thousands of tons of electronic waste.
They offer attractive salaries, company equity, health insurance, meal tickets, relocation packages and support, and lots of internal tech skill development events.
Help the earth when you join BackMarket.
Domestika
Domestika is an online course platform, but one that lets creators make their own courses. Domestika empowers creators, providing the support to produce and launch professionally-produced courses, while nurturing the community they started out as. Initially based in Spain, a lot of their employees are still in Madrid and Barcelona, though, like many other companies, they've opened the door to remote roles.
Domestika is a great fit for people who are passionate about online education, particularly on the creative side.
They often have open roles in many tech areas, from programming to UX/UI, in several countries or remotely.
A big element of the workplace culture in Domestika is their community spirit: spread across several hubs and backed by an online community of millions, their creative perspective and originality feeds on collaboration and open communication.
How to Get Hired at Top Tech Companies in Spain
Build Your Skills: Enroll in tech courses and obtain relevant certifications.
Network: Attend tech industry conferences, join professional groups, and network on platforms like LinkedIn.
Tailored Applications: Customize your resume and cover letter to align with the company's values and job requirements.
How to Land Your First Tech Job
Landing a job at great companies like these in Spain is definitely achievable. All you need is a little knowledge and some practical experience; companies want to know that you are able to learn and adapt to a fast-paced environment. A degree from a legacy brick-and-mortar school isn’t going to cut it anymore. Ironhack teaches the skills that these companies are looking for and we know how to get you ready for the job so you can hit the ground running!
So if you see yourself strolling through, for example, Madrid’s Google campus on your way to a user interview, or joining Glovo’s rockstar development team, check out Ironhack’s bootcamps. Nothing is more important for getting one of these gigs than practical experience and a vast network within the industry. You’ve got this!
Author: Juliette Carreiro
Juliette Carreiro is a professional tech writer for Ironhack, covering everything from career advice to tech news.
