Graduate Software Engineer

About the role

Meetup is a platform built around community, helping millions of people find events, connect with others who share their interests, and build meaningful relationships in the real world. It is now part of Bending Spoons, a group of digital businesses focused on innovation and strong execution. By applying for this position under the Meetup name, you are really joining the broader Bending Spoons organization, where you may work on Meetup itself or on another major product in the portfolio. The environment is collaborative, fast-moving, and designed for people who want to make a visible impact.

Bending Spoons aims to build an exceptional long-term company with a large customer base, strong team development, high efficiency, and high ethical standards. The company acquires digital products to improve and operate them for the long run, often making substantial changes to accelerate innovation, improve customer outcomes, and strengthen business results. Teams are intentionally small, with minimal hierarchy, and the company blends startup-like speed with mature products. AI is embedded deeply into day-to-day work so that human expertise and machine capability complement each other.

This role is suited to someone talented, ambitious, collaborative, and eager to learn quickly while taking on meaningful responsibility.

Key responsibilities

• Take ownership of important work from concept through production, building software used by millions and helping it grow at scale.
• Use AI tools throughout the development process, including design, coding, testing, and documentation, while keeping quality, reliability, and maintainability high.
• Work across different technologies and architectures, selecting the right tools for the job rather than chasing trends.
• Improve systems continuously by reducing unnecessary complexity in code, pipelines, and architecture so they become easier to scale and maintain.

What the company is looking for

• Strong analytical and reasoning skills, with the ability to solve difficult problems from first principles and pay attention to the details that truly matter.
• High personal drive and ambition, backed by initiative, persistence, and a strong sense of ownership.
• Genuine team-oriented behavior, including transparency, reliability, willingness to help, and support for the best solution rather than personal preference.
• Professional fluency in English, both spoken and written.

Compensation and benefits

The compensation package is competitive and includes equity access for eligible permanent hires. For candidates with limited experience, the typical annual salary is £85,797 in London and €66,065 elsewhere in Europe. For candidates assessed as having considerable relevant experience, the usual range is £112,189 to £250,512 in London and €107,837 to €188,848 elsewhere in Europe. Exceptional candidates may be offered compensation above these ranges if their expected impact justifies it. If you relocate to Italy, a 50% tax reduction may apply.

Additional benefits include flexible working hours, remote work, unlimited support for learning and training, top-tier health insurance, a strong relocation package, generous parental support, and an annual retreat to a scenic destination.

The company also offers flexible joining dates and the option to begin part-time and move to full-time as you finish your degree. Many team members started before graduating and increased their responsibility over time without affecting their studies.

Contract, location, and process

This is a permanent or fixed-term full-time role. The location options mentioned are Milan, London, Madrid, Warsaw, or remote work from selected approved countries. To help new hires ramp up, the company recommends spending the first few months in the Milan office, even if the long-term arrangement is remote. Travel and accommodation support is provided for that period. After onboarding, working from Milan or London offices, or remotely from approved countries, depends on the final offer agreement.

Applications are reviewed through the company’s careers page only. Candidates who advance may be asked to complete one or more challenging tests, which can take several hours and may include unfamiliar problem types. The selection process is the same for all applicants and focuses on verifiable signs of excellence rather than seniority. If you have applied before and were not selected, the recommendation is to wait at least one year before reapplying.

The company also states that it considers all applicants for employment and provides reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

Work culture

This is a demanding environment with very high standards and strong expectations around commitment. In return, it offers significant learning, achievement, and growth opportunities for people who thrive in high-performance settings.