Permanent recruitment
Screened, technically qualified candidates for permanent roles, from graduate to head of department. Fee agreed in writing before we start.
Pay only when you hireEngineering · Energy software · IT
Hard-to-fill technical roles, filled by a specialist.
Hiring Group finds engineers, software developers and technical specialists for companies that have already tried advertising and the big agencies. You work with a specialist team with 17 years' experience, from the first call to your new hire's start date.
- Permanent, contract & exclusive search
- UK, Europe & US
- Clear terms, agreed up front
17 years
recruiting engineers and technologists
18K+
LinkedIn network we can reach on day one
UK · EU · US
hires across borders, including relocation
1 consultant
dedicated to your role, from brief to first day
Struggling to recruit?
When the usual routes haven't worked
Most of our clients call us after a role has been open too long. If any of these sound familiar, we can help.
- Your job advert brings the wrong applicantsThe people you need are busy in good jobs and not reading job boards.
- Agencies send CVs that don't matchKeyword-matching recruiters don't understand what the role really needs.
- The skill set is rareSimulation software, power electronics, oil and gas modelling, PLCs, or engineering plus coding.
- You need someone to relocateThe right person may be in another city or country, or need visa sponsorship.
We used Hiring Group Ltd as our sole recruiter on a very demanding electrical design engineer placement after failing to find suitable candidates through advertising or by using larger agencies. [Hiring Group] was rapidly able to locate and put forward a number of highly appropriate candidates and we have since made a successful appointment.
Tell us about your role
We'll tell you honestly whether we can fill it and what it will take.
Services
Recruitment support that fits a technical team
Choose the level of support you need for each role. Every search is handled personally, not passed down a sales team.
Contract & interim
Contractors for projects, peaks and urgent starts, such as control systems and PLC engineers at short notice.
Fast startsExclusive search
For senior or very niche roles: a dedicated headhunt with a mapped list of target companies and weekly progress updates.
Senior & niche rolesInternational & relocation hires
Candidates in the UK, Europe and the US, including people ready to relocate and roles where you offer visa sponsorship.
UK · Europe · USSalary & market advice
Straight answers on salary, job title, location and requirements before you advertise, so the role attracts the right people.
Free with every briefAlready tried a large agency?
That's when most clients come to us. Send a few lines about the role and we'll call to talk it through. No obligation, and no CVs until you've agreed terms.
Send a vacancySectors
We speak your team's language
We recruit for technical companies where the role is hard to describe and harder to fill. Our focus areas:
Energy & oil and gas software
Production and reservoir modelling, field management and digital oilfield. Developers and engineers who code.
Engineering & simulation software
CAD, CFD and FEA vendors: developers, application engineers and technical sales.
Power electronics & electrical machines
Motors, generators, drives and converters: electrical design and power electronics engineers.
Embedded & control systems
Embedded C/C++, firmware, PLC and SCADA, and control systems engineers.
Aerospace & defence
Aerodynamics, design, test and systems engineers for development programmes.
Automotive & manufacturing
Electrical, design, test and production engineers.
Software & IT
C#/.NET, Java, C++, React, cloud and test engineers, often for Microsoft and IBM partners.
Engineering consultancy
Asset integrity, life assessment and technical consultants for petrochemical and industrial plants.
GIS & geospatial
GIS analysts, geospatial developers and data engineers working with ArcGIS, QGIS, PostGIS and Python.
Flood forecasting & hydrology
Hydrologists, hydraulic modellers and forecasting specialists using InfoWorks ICM, TUFLOW, Flood Modeller and HEC-RAS.
Drainage & water
Drainage engineers for SuDS, surface water and sewer networks, flood risk assessments and drainage strategies.
Civil & infrastructure
Civil engineers for highways, water, structures and development projects, in the design office and on site.
Not on the list? If the role needs real technical knowledge, ask us. We'll say straight away if it's outside what we do well.
How we work
From brief to start date, with one person
The person who takes your brief is the person who searches the market, speaks to every candidate and manages the offer.
Brief
A 30-minute call about the role, the team, the must-haves and the salary.
Search
Direct headhunting plus a network built over 17 years, not just job-board replies.
Shortlist
A small number of screened CVs, with salary, notice and right to work checked.
Interview & offer
We arrange interviews, collect feedback and manage the offer through to acceptance.
Start & aftercare
We keep in touch through the notice period and after your new hire starts.
Why a specialist
Small on purpose
Large agencies are built for volume. Hiring Group is built for the roles that volume doesn't fill: a small specialist team, deep technical focus, and time spent on every candidate.
We work mainly with small and mid-sized technical companies without a large in-house recruitment team, where every hire matters.
| Hiring Group | Typical large agency | |
|---|---|---|
| Who you deal with | One dedicated specialist, from brief to start date | Account manager plus a changing team |
| How candidates are found | Headhunted directly in your niche | Mostly job-board and database replies |
| Understanding of the role | Technical, sector-specific knowledge | Generalists across many sectors |
| CVs you receive | A few strong, screened matches | High volume, mixed relevance |
| Terms | Flexible, agreed up front, no hidden fees | Standard corporate terms |
What clients say
Trusted with demanding technical hires
Many clients come back for their next hire, and new clients often come to us by recommendation.
“We have been in the past reluctant to use recruiting companies as we were afraid that they will not be able to fulfil our requirements due to the specialised nature of our work. This time we were looking for a highly skilled engineer for our technical consulting company. However, [Hiring Group's] personal attention to this recruitment meant that we were able to find the most suitable and able candidate for this job.”
“We treat [Hiring Group] as more of a business partner than as a supplier and we look forward to working with [them] for many years to come.”
“We have worked with Hiring Group on a number of recruitment projects over the last eighteen months. We have been pleased with the calibre of candidates that [they have] located and have recruited a number of [their] candidates.”
“Hiring Group have been both proficient and professional and I really appreciate that. I can promise you that if I have future need you will be the first to know.”
“Tech-hiring have been most helpful with our recruitment needs, and seem to have an understanding of our requirements while maintaining a professional service. We will be in touch with future recruitment requirements as and when they arise.”
Our specialist team
Engineering, energy software & IT recruitment
- 17 years recruiting engineers and technologists
- Edinburgh-based, recruiting across the UK, Europe and the US
- 18K+ LinkedIn network in engineering and technology
About Hiring Group
Senior specialists, not a call centre
Hiring Group is a specialist technical recruitment company based in Edinburgh.
For 17 years our team has recruited engineers, developers and technical specialists for employers across the UK, Europe and the US: Edinburgh software houses, aerospace and defence firms, automotive and electrical machine makers, engineering consultancies, energy software companies, and GIS, flood risk, drainage and civil engineering teams.
Because the business is deliberately small, every vacancy gets senior attention. You'll get honest advice on salary and the market, a handful of candidates worth interviewing, and someone who answers the phone.
C# / .NETC++JavaReact / TypeScriptEmbedded CPLC / SCADAPower electronicsCFD / FEA / CADPetroleum engineeringTechnical sales
FAQ
Questions employers ask
Can't see your question? Call 07919 144059 or email is@hiringgroup.co.uk.
How do your fees work?
For permanent roles we normally work on a contingency basis: a one-off fee, agreed in writing before we start, and payable only when your new hire starts. For senior or very niche roles an exclusive search can be the better option. Contract rates are agreed for each role. There are no hidden extras.
What size of company do you work with?
Mostly small and mid-sized technical companies, from start-ups to firms of a few hundred people, where there's no large in-house recruitment team and every hire matters. We also support larger organisations on specialist roles.
Which locations do you cover?
Anywhere in the UK, plus Europe and the US. Recent searches range from Edinburgh and Central Scotland to Sheffield, Bedford, Cambridge, London and Lafayette, Louisiana.
How quickly will we see candidates?
We start searching straight after the briefing call and keep you updated every week. For niche roles we'll tell you up front what the market looks like and how long the search is likely to take.
Can you find candidates who need to relocate or need visa sponsorship?
Yes. We regularly speak to candidates in other countries and have filled roles where the employer offered visa sponsorship. We make sure candidates understand the process; the sponsorship itself stays with you as the employer.
Do you need to work exclusively?
No. We can work alongside other agencies. Exclusivity on a hard role usually gets you a more thorough search, because we can commit more time to it.
Why is there no jobs page?
We search for candidates directly for each client rather than running a jobs board. If you're looking for a new role, email your CV to is@hiringgroup.co.uk and we'll be in touch when something suitable comes up.
Get in touch
Have a role that's hard to fill?
Send a few details and one of our specialists will get back to you personally. Or pick up the phone: it's often the quickest way to start.
- Call us07919 144059
- Emailis@hiringgroup.co.uk
- LinkedInFollow us on LinkedIn
- Based inEdinburgh, Scotland
Tell us about the role
No obligation. We'll call you to talk it through before anything else happens.