Smadex is hiring an AI R&D & Effectiveness Lead to manage AI investment decisions and build production-grade AI solutions. This full-time role based in Barcelona involves owning the evaluation process for AI initiatives, producing ROI analyses, maintaining build vs buy evaluations across platforms, and working with the SVP on recommendations. Responsibilities include designing and building AI agents, webhook integrations, MCP connections, and workflows with a security and efficiency focus. The role also manages AI capabilities, benchmarks new tools, tracks end-of-life for models, and leads R&D and innovation efforts including prototyping and hackathons. Requirements include 4-7 years experience in AI engineering or similar, production AI build experience, strong analytical skills, familiarity with SaaS ecosystems like Salesforce and Slack, and a portfolio of shipped AI projects. Bonuses include experience with MCP architecture, adtech/programmatic background, and AWS Bedrock exposure. Benefits include a motivated team, competitive compensation, central Barcelona office with amenities, hybrid work (2 days remote), meal vouchers, gym allowance, training, and social events. Visa sponsorship is not provided.
What you'll do
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Own the evaluation process for every AI initiative: agent, query/report, engineering build, hybrid, or native platform add-on - applied consistently before anyone writes a line of code
Produce rigorous ROI analyses for AI investment - quantified, tracked against actual outcomes, and iterated over time
Maintain the build vs buy evaluation across core platforms (Salesforce, Slack, PowerBI, Notion, Hibob, Saleshood etc) - assessing native AI features versus custom builds for each use case
Work alongside the SVP to stress-test recommendations before they are presented to business stakeholders
Design and build AI agents, webhook integrations, MCP connections, and agentic workflows to production standards
Apply security-first and efficiency-first principles to every build: least privilege, observable outputs, sustainable maintenance overhead
Produce clean, well-documented solutions that others can understand, maintain, and build on - not black-box prototypes
Own the technical handover to the Enablement Lead for every build that goes into operational use
Maintain the AI capability matrix: which models and tools are approved for which use cases, with documented rationale
Continuously benchmark new capabilities against Smadex’s actual use cases - not generic industry benchmarks
Track model and tool end-of-life proactively; recommend transitions before performance degrades
Keep the team from quietly running on outdated or cost-inefficient models
Own the forward-looking R&D function: horizon scanning, prototyping, and translating emerging AI capabilities into Smadex-relevant proof of concepts
Lead structured innovation initiatives - hackathons, rapid prototyping sprints - working cross-functionally to generate and validate ideas
Brief the team and Enablement Lead on what is coming in the AI landscape that is relevant to Smadex’s commercial and operational context
Requirements
4–7 years of experience in AI engineering, solutions architecture, technical product, or a similar hands-on builder role
Production AI build experience: agents, automations, API integrations, or agentic workflows shipped to a real production environment - not just prototypes
Security and efficiency mindset: designs for least privilege, observable outputs, and maintainability from the start, not as an afterthought
Strong analytical capability: able to construct an ROI framework, quantify trade-offs, and communicate a build recommendation clearly to non-technical stakeholders
Familiarity with the business SaaS ecosystem: Salesforce, Slack, Notion, or similar - and how AI layers onto commercial and operational workflows
Bonus: Experience with MCP architecture, webhook design, or agentic workflow patterns
Bonus: Background in adtech, DSP, or programmatic - domain fluency shortens the calibration period
Bonus: Exposure to AWS Bedrock or equivalent managed AI services
A portfolio of things you have actually shipped carries more weight than any certification
Tech stack
AI agentswebhook integrationsMCP connectionsagentic workflowsSalesforceSlackPowerBINotionHibobSaleshoodAWS Bedrock
Benefits
Integrate a highly motivated, young and dynamic teamGreat compensation packageTop location at the heart of Barcelona with a rooftop terrace, Barbecue, and a fully stocked fridgeGreat work-life balance: work from home (2 days per week), flexible hoursMeal vouchers - Ticket Restaurant monthly allowanceMonthly gym allowance: Choose between DiR and WellhubLinkedIn Learning and training opportunitiesMonthly TGIF eventsRegular team-building eventsFun and friendly work environment with talented marketers and engineers from over 40 countriesAnd more!
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