'Germany’s tech job market is draining...': Indian AI engineer's take on job hunt struggles sparks debate
A senior MLOps/AI engineer described a deeply frustrating hiring landscape despite a strong background and relevant experience
- Jul 2, 2025,
- Updated Jul 2, 2025 4:52 PM IST
A Reddit post by an experienced Indian AI and DevOps engineer has ignited fresh debate over the challenges faced by international tech workers in Germany, spotlighting long hiring cycles, inconsistent communication, and rigid expectations, especially for non-native German speakers.
Sharing their experience on the “r/Indians_StudyAbroad” subreddit under the title “Germany’s Tech Job Market Is Draining Me – What’s Your Experience?”, the senior MLOps/AI engineer described a deeply frustrating hiring landscape despite a strong background and relevant experience.
“I’ve got a strong footprint in the AI & Devops community, 8 years of experience (6 years professional, 2 years academic), currently a senior MLOPS/AI engineer positioning for lead/staff roles,” the post reads.
Fluent only at the B1 level in German, the user noted they apply exclusively for English-speaking roles. “I’m in a side learning phase to improve my German,” they wrote, “but since B1 is pretty basic, I only apply to English-speaking roles, carefully checking job requirements to respect when fluent German is needed.”
Despite a 90% success rate in reaching final rounds — often with CTOs, tech leads, and CDOs — the writer expressed deep frustration with the “brutal” process. “3–4 technical rounds over 1–2 months, with technical tests, case studies, and ‘culture fit’ interviews. It’s mentally draining.”
Citing examples of companies like Porsche, Reply, Deloitte, IQVIA, and Sonar, the engineer said that rejections rarely appeared linked to skills. “I’m often ghosted or get a bot rejection after final rounds, only to find out the company lacked a clear roadmap, funding, didn’t need the role, or would want me to join at less compensation than my current role for a higher position,” they wrote.
Hiring friction and silent rejection
The Redditor pointed to what they described as systemic inefficiencies and inflexibility within German tech hiring, “German hiring feels rigid, slow, and risk-averse, often expecting a Swiss Army knife (AI, full-stack, DevOps) for modest pay. I’m burnt out.”
The post resonated with others facing similar challenges, prompting responses that blamed both cultural factors and economic pressures in the German market.
One user wrote bluntly, “You have B1. That is your main problem. When the tech sector boomed, that was not an issue, but right now, it definitely is.”
Others noted that companies may be avoiding quick hires due to strict firing rules in Germany. “One reason German companies don’t hire quickly is because they can’t fire quickly.”
Another comment, echoing less savoury sentiments, claimed that, “Every tech company is bound to have made bad experiences with Indian workers by now.”
A Reddit post by an experienced Indian AI and DevOps engineer has ignited fresh debate over the challenges faced by international tech workers in Germany, spotlighting long hiring cycles, inconsistent communication, and rigid expectations, especially for non-native German speakers.
Sharing their experience on the “r/Indians_StudyAbroad” subreddit under the title “Germany’s Tech Job Market Is Draining Me – What’s Your Experience?”, the senior MLOps/AI engineer described a deeply frustrating hiring landscape despite a strong background and relevant experience.
“I’ve got a strong footprint in the AI & Devops community, 8 years of experience (6 years professional, 2 years academic), currently a senior MLOPS/AI engineer positioning for lead/staff roles,” the post reads.
Fluent only at the B1 level in German, the user noted they apply exclusively for English-speaking roles. “I’m in a side learning phase to improve my German,” they wrote, “but since B1 is pretty basic, I only apply to English-speaking roles, carefully checking job requirements to respect when fluent German is needed.”
Despite a 90% success rate in reaching final rounds — often with CTOs, tech leads, and CDOs — the writer expressed deep frustration with the “brutal” process. “3–4 technical rounds over 1–2 months, with technical tests, case studies, and ‘culture fit’ interviews. It’s mentally draining.”
Citing examples of companies like Porsche, Reply, Deloitte, IQVIA, and Sonar, the engineer said that rejections rarely appeared linked to skills. “I’m often ghosted or get a bot rejection after final rounds, only to find out the company lacked a clear roadmap, funding, didn’t need the role, or would want me to join at less compensation than my current role for a higher position,” they wrote.
Hiring friction and silent rejection
The Redditor pointed to what they described as systemic inefficiencies and inflexibility within German tech hiring, “German hiring feels rigid, slow, and risk-averse, often expecting a Swiss Army knife (AI, full-stack, DevOps) for modest pay. I’m burnt out.”
The post resonated with others facing similar challenges, prompting responses that blamed both cultural factors and economic pressures in the German market.
One user wrote bluntly, “You have B1. That is your main problem. When the tech sector boomed, that was not an issue, but right now, it definitely is.”
Others noted that companies may be avoiding quick hires due to strict firing rules in Germany. “One reason German companies don’t hire quickly is because they can’t fire quickly.”
Another comment, echoing less savoury sentiments, claimed that, “Every tech company is bound to have made bad experiences with Indian workers by now.”