Smoothr (Sterlix GmbH) – IT recruitment of two AI engineers for a leading German digital ordering platform

Ani Gasparyan

Last updated on September 29, 2025 | 11 min read

• Smoothr partnered with DevsData LLC to fill two mission-critical AI engineer roles in just five weeks, sourcing talent across Germany and Poland.
• The recruitment process was fast, precise, and fully aligned with Smoothr’s pace of innovation in the hospitality tech industry.

Introduction

Smoothr was at a critical stage of growth. With its AI-powered digital ordering platform gaining adoption across the hospitality sector, the company needed to scale its tech team fast to meet increasing demand and deliver on its product roadmap. They needed two highly specialized AI engineers with deep knowledge of AI systems and architecture to advance their core technology. Traditional recruitment channels weren’t delivering the right talent quickly enough, putting innovation timelines at risk. That’s why Smoothr turned to DevsData LLC, a global IT recruitment firm renowned for its ability to source elite, niche tech talent with speed and precision.

Client overview

Smoothr (Sterlix GmbH), founded in 2016 by hospitality technology veterans, is a German company leading the digital transformation of the restaurant industry. With a growing team of over 50 professionals, Smoothr develops intelligent self-order kiosks and mobile solutions that streamline operations and enhance the guest experience. Its computer vision-powered kiosks help customers place orders faster while increasing average order value by nearly 30%.

Trusted by global brands such as Burger King and Starbucks, Smoothr’s tools integrate seamlessly with existing POS systems, making adoption easy for restaurant teams. The company’s mobile app also enables guests to order and pay directly from their phones, supporting contactless service and a faster turnaround. As demand for efficiency and digital convenience rises, Smoothr continues to invest in research and development, expanding into new markets with a strong focus on innovation, usability, and long-term customer value.

Project summary

Smoothr needed two AI engineers with practical experience in developing and deploying machine learning models for real-time systems directly used by end users. The roles required engineers who could immediately contribute to enhancing the machine learning capabilities of Smoothr’s digital ordering kiosks, particularly in areas like recommendation algorithms, predictive user behavior, and operational automation.

DevsData LLC led the recruitment process, focusing on finding candidates with both deep technical expertise and relevant industry experience. The primary goal was to secure not only candidates with deep domain expertise but to do so with exceptional speed. Smoothr had several high-impact AI features in the pipeline that were tied to upcoming product releases and client rollouts. Delays in hiring would have risked missing critical deadlines, stalling innovation, and slowing down the company’s ability to respond to increasing market demand.

Thanks to a well-coordinated and agile recruitment process, both roles were filled in only five weeks, from the initial kickoff call to the final contract signing.

The hiring process was seamless and fully aligned with the rapid pace and innovation-driven culture at Smoothr.

Challenge

While two positions needed to be filled, the roles came with a demanding mix of requirements. Smoothr was looking for engineers who could take ownership of complex AI tasks while also contributing to the wider engineering efforts. The candidates needed to be comfortable working independently, collaborating with a distributed team, and adapting quickly as priorities shifted. Key requirements included:

• Deep experience in AI/ML model development
• Proficiency in Python and relevant frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch, etc.)
• Knowledge of deployment pipelines and production-level machine learning
• Excellent communication and team collaboration skills

In a highly competitive European tech market, sourcing such candidates quickly, without sacrificing quality, was no small task.

DevsData LLC’s approach

DevsData LLC successfully delivered two AI engineers for Smoothr within weeks, a timeline that would have been unlikely to achieve using standard recruitment cycles.

The approach was built around four key pillars:

Cross-border sourcing

Hiring beyond Germany proved to be a turning point in Smoothr’s search for top-tier AI talent. Poland, in particular, emerged as a strategic location due to its concentration of highly skilled AI engineers, many of whom held international experience and advanced degrees from top technical universities. DevsData LLC tapped into its proprietary network of over 65000 pre-vetted professionals to identify engineers who met Smoothr’s demanding technical criteria.

Although cross-border hiring can raise questions around legal structure and contract execution, DevsData LLC’s experience handling international placements made the process smooth. The firm navigated all logistical and compliance aspects, allowing Smoothr to focus purely on technical and cultural fit. This cross-border approach significantly accelerated the search and ultimately resulted in hiring standout candidates who might have otherwise been out of reach.

Rigorous pre-screening

Drawing on our prior experience with AI-focused recruitment projects, we applied a multi-step assessment process tailored to Smoothr’s specific technical and product challenges. Candidates were evaluated on their understanding of machine learning algorithms, model deployment, data processing pipelines, and ability to solve real-world problems under time constraints.

In addition to coding proficiency, each candidate’s communication skills, capacity to collaborate remotely, and experience working in agile product teams were assessed. This comprehensive vetting process enabled DevsData LLC to present only the most qualified and well-rounded professionals, saving the client significant time during internal interviews.

Fast iteration

Throughout the process, DevsData LLC maintained continuous alignment with Smoothr’s hiring team. Rather than waiting to deliver a complete shortlist, candidate profiles were shared early and iteratively. Feedback was continuously incorporated to fine-tune the search.

This flexible, collaborative approach enabled DevsData LLC to refine the candidate criteria mid-process, focusing on practical experience with specific ML frameworks or emphasizing prior work in high-paced startup environments. The result was a dynamic and responsive workflow that eliminated miscommunication and helped move faster in the right direction.

Efficient workflow

From the moment the project kicked off, DevsData LLC applied a structured, timeline-driven workflow to manage every stage, from sourcing and screening to scheduling interviews and negotiating offers. Clear ownership, proactive follow-ups, and a lean communication loop ensured no delays between handoffs.

DevsData LLC worked closely with Smoothr’s internal team. Interview slots were prearranged in advance to facilitate fast scheduling, while candidate feedback was shared in real-time to prevent bottlenecks. The process prioritized speed without compromising quality. Each candidate underwent a thorough technical evaluation and culture fit assessment. This tight feedback loop and mutual availability on both sides helped compress the traditional multi-week hiring process into a highly focused recruitment sprint.

Results

The outcome of the recruitment project was both swift and highly effective, driven by DevsData LLC’s strategic guidance and hands-on execution. The company’s ability to rapidly identify, assess, and deliver two top-tier AI engineers was instrumental to the project’s success, exceeding expectations in speed, quality, and cultural fit.

Within just five weeks, DevsData LLC successfully placed two highly qualified AI engineers, who met all of Smoothr’s technical and cultural criteria.

The selected candidates, based in Poland, brought a rare combination of strengths:

• A strong academic background, including formal education in machine learning and data science
• Hands-on experience in real-world AI applications, including algorithm design, model training, and deployment
• The ability to integrate quickly into an agile, remote-first engineering team

Thanks to Smoothr’s quick internal coordination and DevsData LLC’s streamlined hiring process, the onboarding experience was smooth, with the new hires immediately contributing to high-priority development initiatives.

This successful placement validated Smoothr’s decision to partner with DevsData LLC. By doing so, we bypassed slower, more traditional hiring routes and tapped into a much broader and more specialized talent pool, reaching beyond local markets to secure the best possible fit.

Business impact

The new AI engineers quickly became a valuable asset to Smoothr’s product development team, helping to advance core initiatives that are central to the company’s innovation strategy.

Key contributions included:

• Enhancing the AI and machine learning capabilities of Smoothr’s digital ordering platform
• Streamlining internal operations by automating repetitive processes, reducing manual input, and minimizing the risk of human error
• Driving innovation in product R&D, particularly around predictive features such as menu personalization, user behavior modeling, and dynamic recommendations

The impact extended beyond immediate deliverables. By filling the roles with top-tier candidates in significantly less time than the industry average, Smoothr accelerated its development timeline, maintained momentum in a competitive market, and strengthened its ability to scale. The engineers remain key members of the team, actively contributing to the evolution of Smoothr’s AI-driven platform.

DevsData LLC helps innovative companies like Smoothr find world-class engineers, AI specialists, and product experts quickly and efficiently. Whether companies are filling a critical role or building an entire team, DevsData LLC delivers top talent that drives real business outcomes.

Need a senior AI hire in weeks? Let’s make it happen.

Reach out at general@devsdata.com or visit www.devsdata.com to learn more.

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Ani Gasparyan Senior copywriter and marketer

Ani is a marketing enthusiast and content writer. With 6+ years of expertise in marketing, she succeeded in developing engaging marketing collaterals, including blog articles, social media content, and other promotional materials. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for storytelling, she thrives in crafting compelling content that resonates with the target audience.

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