Best Remote Jobs in Europe That Pay Well

Best Remote Jobs in Europe That Pay Well: Market Snapshot and Trends

Remote work in Europe has matured from a pandemic solution to a long-term labor shift. Eurostat reports that around 24% of EU employees worked from home at least occasionally in 2023, with higher rates in knowledge industries. This means more companies are hiring across borders, and there are plenty of best remote jobs in Europe that pay well if you know where to look.

What counts as “pay well” varies by country and seniority, but mid-level roles in tech, product, data, and sales commonly start at €55,000–€80,000, with senior and niche positions exceeding €100,000. Data from Glassdoor, Levels.fyi EU snapshots, and Payscale (2023–2024) show strong packages when you factor in equity, bonuses, and remote stipends. If your goal is to make money online while keeping European work-life balance, the opportunities are real.

High-Paying Remote Categories in Europe (With Typical Ranges)

Below are remote roles frequently advertised Europe-wide, with indicative gross annual salary or on-target earnings (OTE) ranges. Actual offers vary by company, country, and contract type (employee vs contractor).

• Software Engineering (Backend/Full-Stack): €55k–€110k+ (senior up to €120k)
• Cloud/DevOps/SRE: €65k–€115k
• Data Science & Machine Learning: €60k–€110k
• Cybersecurity (SecOps, AppSec, GRC): €60k–€120k
• Product Management: €70k–€120k
• UX/UI & Product Design: €45k–€85k
• Performance Marketing & SEO: €45k–€90k (bonuses may add 10–30%)
• SaaS Sales (AE/AM): OTE €70k–€140k (base + commission)
• Finance (FP&A/Controller): €55k–€95k
• Technical Writing & Localization: €40k–€70k
• Customer Success (Mid/Senior): €45k–€85k

Europe’s advantage is time-zone alignment (UTC–1 to UTC+3), strong digital infrastructure, multilingual talent, and protective labor laws. Meanwhile, remote-first employers use Employer of Record (EOR) services (e.g., Deel, Remote, Papaya Global) to hire across borders, widening your options beyond your home country.

Why European Remote Roles Are Ideal for Making Money Online

These jobs combine high salaries with location flexibility and often include benefits such as learning budgets, home-office stipends, and wellness allowances. Many roles are output-driven, so you can be judged by results rather than clock time. If you want to make money online and grow long-term career capital, Europe’s remote ecosystem is one of the best places to start.

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Top Roles Explained: Skills, Tools, and Steps to Get Hired

1) Software Engineer or DevOps Engineer

Engineering remains the engine of remote hiring. Backend, full-stack, and DevOps/SRE roles are abundant for distributed teams. Typical tech stacks include TypeScript/Node.js, Java/Kotlin, Python, Go, and cloud tools like AWS, Azure, GCP, Terraform, and Kubernetes.

• Pay: €65k–€115k for mid-senior, with outliers above €120k.
• Tools: GitHub/GitLab, Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, CI/CD (CircleCI, GitHub Actions).
• Steps to qualify:
  • Ship two portfolio projects (APIs, microservice, or IaC repo) with clean READMEs.
  • Practice DSA and system design for 2–4 weeks; document trade-offs.
  • Target remote-first firms; tailor CV to impact (latency cut 40%, cost -25%).

2) Data Scientist & Machine Learning Engineer

Data roles thrive remotely because workflows are cloud-first. Companies seek practical modeling, analytics, and MLOps literacy. Experience with experimentation and dashboards adds immediate value.

• Pay: €60k–€110k+, with equity common in startups.
• Tools: Python, pandas, scikit-learn, PyTorch, SQL, dbt, Airflow, Snowflake/BigQuery.
• Steps:
  • Publish a reproducible notebook and a lightweight ML service on a cloud free tier.
  • Show model monitoring: drift, latency charts, and alerting.
  • Quantify a business lift: “+12% conversion from uplift model.”

3) Cybersecurity Specialist

With EU NIS2 and GDPR pressures, security hiring is accelerating. Remote AppSec, SecOps, and GRC roles value certifications and hands-on testing or compliance expertise.

• Pay: €60k–€120k depending on niche and certifications.
• Tools: SIEM (Splunk), EDR (CrowdStrike), SAST/DAST, threat modeling frameworks.
• Steps:
  • Obtain at least one relevant cert (Security+, CISSP, OSCP, or ISO 27001 Lead).
  • Run a home lab; document two vulnerability remediations with CVEs.
  • Map security controls to GDPR/NIS2 obligations for EU stakeholders.

4) Product Manager

Remote PMs align roadmaps across time zones, making async communication a differentiator. Employers want PMs who can tie customer insights to measurable outcomes.

• Pay: €70k–€120k, with bonuses tied to product KPIs.
• Tools: Jira, Linear, Productboard, Mixpanel, Amplitude, Loom for async updates.
• Steps:
  • Create a one-page case study: problem, hypothesis, metric, result.
  • Share short Loom videos explaining roadmap decisions and trade-offs.
  • Demonstrate OKR literacy with before/after KPI movement.

5) SaaS Account Executive (Remote Sales)

High-performing AEs and AMs are prized for revenue impact, and remote teams are now standard. If you enjoy consultative selling, this is one of the best remote jobs in Europe that pay well via commission.

• Pay: OTE €70k–€140k; top performers exceed plan by 120%+.
• Tools: HubSpot, Salesforce, Gong, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Calendly.
• Steps:
  • Build a metrics resume: ACV, quota attainment, win rate, cycle length.
  • Record mock discovery/demo calls to show style and objection handling.
  • Target ICP-aligned firms; customize outreach by local market and language.

6) Performance Marketing & SEO

Demand for measurable growth keeps marketers in the remote spotlight. Specialists who blend SEO, paid acquisition, and CRO can deliver fast ROI for distributed startups.

• Pay: €45k–€90k, with performance bonuses or freelance retainers.
• Tools: GA4, Search Console, Looker Studio, Ahrefs/Semrush, Meta/Google Ads.
• Steps:
  • Run a small case study: improve a site’s organic traffic by 50% in 6 months.
  • Share dashboards and revenue attribution models (last-click vs. data-driven).
  • Offer a 90-day growth plan during interviews with costed channels.

“Remote-first is not about location; it’s about clarity. Teams that document decisions and outcomes consistently win.” — Adapted from remote work best practices echoed by GitLab and Basecamp handbooks

Real-Life Examples

Anna, a mid-level DevOps engineer in Berlin, moved to a remote-first fintech using Kubernetes and Terraform. After open-sourcing a Terraform module and detailing a 30% cost reduction in her CV, she secured €98k plus stock options. Her story shows the power of measurable outcomes.

Marco, a Lisbon-based SaaS AE, targeted climate-tech scaleups across DACH. He presented discovery-call clips and a territory plan; his OTE is €120k with 60% base and 40% commission. Lea, a Paris UX lead, went freelance, charging €500/day and booking €90k/year via referrals and two marketplaces.

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How to Land a High-Paying Remote Job in Europe

Hiring managers skim fast, and applicant tracking systems filter aggressively. Your strategy should blend portfolio proof, tailored outreach, and European compliance awareness. Follow this repeatable plan.

• Skills gap audit:
  • Pick 10 target roles; list hard skills mentioned 3+ times; fill gaps with 2–3 weekend projects.
• Portfolio and CV:
  • Host artifacts (code, dashboards, roadmaps) on GitHub/Notion; write crisp case studies with metrics.
  • Use an ATS-friendly CV; mirror job keywords naturally; quantify impact.
• Sourcing:
  • Search EU-focused boards: LinkedIn, Otta, EU Remote Jobs, RemoteOK, WeWorkRemotely, Landing.jobs, NoFluffJobs, JustJoin.it, EuroTechJobs.
  • Filter by “remote Europe” or EU time zones to avoid relocation-only roles.
• Compliance and pay:
  • Employee vs contractor: employees often receive benefits via EOR; contractors invoice higher day rates.
  • Payments and currency: prefer SEPA EUR; tools like Wise, Revolut Business, or Payoneer reduce fees.
• Interview excellence:
  • Use STAR answers and async-friendly artifacts (Loom walkthroughs).
  • Negotiate with data: cite market ranges from Glassdoor/Levels.fyi/Payscale and your quantified results.

FAQs: Best Remote Jobs in Europe That Pay Well

Q1: Which countries hire the most remote workers in Europe?
A: Remote-first roles are common across Germany, Netherlands, UK, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, and Poland. Many companies hire Europe-wide via EORs, so your location matters less than time zone and legal right to work.

Q2: Can I work remotely in Europe for a company based outside the EU?
A: Yes, if local laws allow it and the employer uses compliant contracts (EOR or contractor). Consider taxes, social contributions, and data transfer rules (GDPR). Seek local tax advice when in doubt.

Q3: What non-tech remote jobs pay well?
A: Product management, UX research/design, SaaS sales (AE/AM), customer success, finance (FP&A), and technical writing can all exceed €60k at mid-level. Multilingual skills often boost pay.

Q4: How do I prove impact for remote roles?
A: Publish concise case studies with baseline → intervention → result. Examples: “Reduced cloud spend 27% via rightsizing,” “Lifted SQL conversion 9% with behavioral segmentation,” or “Closed €1.2M new ARR at 118% quota.”

Q5: Is freelance a good path to make money online in Europe?
A: Absolutely. Many pros mix contracts and part-time employment. Mind VAT thresholds, set clear SOWs, and price by value. Retainer models stabilize income while keeping flexibility.

Conclusion: Your Next Step to Make Money Online in Europe

The European market is rich with best remote jobs in Europe that pay well—from engineering and data to product, sales, and marketing. Employers reward measurable outcomes, clear communication, and autonomous work styles, making remote careers both lucrative and sustainable.

Pick two target roles, ship one portfolio artifact this week, and apply to five remote-first companies with a metrics-driven CV. If you’re ready to make money online while building long-term career capital, the best time to start is today.

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