AI Engineer - Apprenticeship Program

Does This Sound Like You?

You’re finishing your AI internship or already have some experience in data, software engineering, or a related technical field, and you want to move into AI. You like to code. You’re curious about how ML and GenAI work in the real world, and you want to learn how to take them from idea to production. You’re ready to grow fast, with an experienced team behind you.

The Xebia Data Division

We solve real business problems with Data & AI. Our AI Engineers have optimized logistics for the world’s largest flower auction, built AI-powered renewable energy forecasting, and used generative AI to label TV footage automatically. Now we’re looking for the next generation of AI Engineers to join them!

You’ll work with the sharpest data professionals in Europe, people who are not only technically brilliant but also generous with their knowledge. We enjoy the benefits of being part of a large organization while maintaining the energetic atmosphere of a scale-up. Our commitment to our community is strong; we are deeply rooted in the local landscape.

What Is the Apprenticeship Program About?

This program turns your technical background into a career in AI engineering. In your first month, you’ll build a strong foundation in AI and ML engineering, led by our own team. In your second month, you start as a consultant with one of our clients.

For your first year, you'll work alongside an experienced consultant who can guide you and help you make an impact. After that, you’ll take on projects of varying lengths, tech stacks, and complexity.

What You’ll Be Doing to Make AI-driven Applications

You’ll help turn promising ideas into production-ready AI solutions: deploying ML models, building harnesses for agents, and working with the platforms that AI teams run on. You’ll work in mixed teams of Xebians and client engineers, side by side with data scientists and business users.

Your communication skills matter as much as your technical skills. You’ll learn to explain your design choices and help client teams make confident, informed decisions about their data. Explore the projects we’ve undertaken by diving into our inspiring customer stories if you want to know more!

Stuck on a tough problem? At Xebia, we work as a team. We run regular sessions to solve problems with the collective intelligence of the whole team, and everyone is just a message away. People First, and we mean it.

As you grow, you can develop toward one of two profiles:

AI Engineer

You combine AI knowledge with engineering rigor to take AI into production, from classic ML to GenAI and agentic systems.

AI Platform Engineer

You build the platforms and standards that let AI teams deploy and scale with ease.

Who Are We Looking For?

This program is for people with a master’s degree or higher who are ready to start their career in AI. You’re finishing or have just finished an internship, or you have around 1 year of professional experience in software engineering, DevOps, data science, or a related field. You’re familiar with modern tech stacks and eager to focus on AI.

Technical skills matter, and so does the culture we build together. We’re looking for people who enjoy taking ownership, sharing knowledge, and helping create an environment where everyone feels welcome, included, and supported.

The program starts in February 2027.

Please note:

• This role is open only to candidates based in the Netherlands and who have a proficient level of Dutch.

• If you already have 3+ years of experience in AI or ML engineering, consider our regular AI Engineer role.

Requirements

THIS IS YOUR DREAM JOB IF…

You want to work where AI meets software and data engineering.

You learn quickly and have an entrepreneurial mindset.

New clients, new stacks, and new people energize you.

You’re excited to work with CI/CD, Infrastructure-as-Code, cloud platforms, and GenAI/LLM integration.

You enjoy sharing knowledge. We write, speak, and teach because it's part of who we are.

THIS IS NOT YOUR DREAM JOB IF…

You only want to build models and aren’t interested in taking them to production.

Spaghetti code doesn’t bother you (or you’ve never heard of it).

You don’t like coding, scripting, or templating.

You prefer to keep your knowledge to yourself.

The Xebia Way

We build a respectful and collaborative atmosphere where everyone can shine. Picture this: a team of curious minds, always eager to learn and share ideas. With a generous education budget and “Hack-What-You-Want” Fridays, you’ll have the time and support to explore what excites you. We champion our consultants to grow into advisors and thought leaders, whether that’s publishing blogs, speaking at events, or shaping conversations about Data & AI.

Xebia is Great Place to Work certified. Our global presence has a proven record of success across industries.

Our Commitment to You

• Enjoy free healthy lunches and not-so-healthy drinks/snacks at our offices.

• Get a lease car or mobility budget

• Pick whatever laptop or MacBook you like!

• Choose your phone

• You can work on that innovative idea of yours next to other colleagues during our monthly Xebia Data Fridays.

• A modern and dog friendly office in Amsterdam, Oostenburg.

• Variety in clients and challenges.

• You can build/test/experiment with anything you want in our sandbox environments in GCP, AWS, and Azure

• Pension plan.

• 5k educational budget plus 6 days of development time.

• Fun events and activities like ski trips, BBQs, cooking workshops and more!

• Career strategy support to help you scale your skills and leadership

• Unlimited book budget

• A stage for your voice: blogs, talks, and meetups we’ll help you host!

• Get a permanent contract.

Our core values are people first, quality without compromise, knowledge sharing,and customer intimacy. At Xebia Data, you will find like-minded colleagues who are at the forefront of their field and have the courage to go off the beaten track; they are the people who make organizations move.

Sounds interesting? Let’s talk.