State of ML Hiring 2026: What Candidates Want

We surveyed 1,200+ ML engineers across datajobs to understand what they're looking for in 2026.

Salary expectations remain elevated: median expectation for senior ML roles is $280k base + equity. Remote-first companies see 40% more applications.

Skills in demand: LLM fine-tuning, RAG systems, and distributed training top the list. MLOps experience is table stakes for platform roles.

What candidates hate: Long application forms, ghosting, and vague job descriptions. One-click apply and 5-day response guarantees are non-negotiable.