practices

Permanent hires, or embedded teams. Same network, same standard.

Permanent hires: to join the mission. Embedded teams: to deliver alongside it, when the work can't wait. Same senior talent, same partner running the work — so you don't have to switch vendors when the brief shifts.

leda://briefs/active

leda > brief --role "Staff SRE" --stage "Series C"

✓ longlist drafted from network 14 candidates

✓ technical screen complete 5 advanced

✓ 2 offers extended 21 days

leda > brief --team "Platform" --size 4 --start "2 weeks"

how each one runs

Same network. Same standard. Two delivery modes.

What changes is whether the engineer is joining your team, or working alongside it as part of an embedded team.

01 · search

Search

For when you're hiring permanent engineers in the hardest parts of the stack. Search is a relationship business — we build longlists from a network most agencies don't reach (GitHub, conferences, mailing lists, open-source contributions), validate technically, and place engineers who'll still be there in two years.

01
BriefA conversation, not a form. No pre-qualification, no stakeholder questionnaire — just what you're trying to build, and what would make a hire wrong.
02
Intelligence layer / talent mapPulled from a network we've spent years building, augmented with primary-source research: GitHub activity, mailing lists, conference programmes, open-source contributions.
03
Longlist10–15 candidates we've often known long before any vacancy existed. Real relationships, not cold inboxes.
04
Technical screenVetted by someone who can actually read the stack. Not a keyword pass.
05
Shortlist & close3–5 candidates with prep notes, comp benchmarks, and offer guidance.

21 daysmedian time to offer

92%still in role at 24 months

02 · delivery

Delivery

For when the work needs to happen now. Embedded teams of senior infra, SRE, and platform engineers who plug into your team, ship, and hand over cleanly. No body-shopping, no rotating bench, no hand-offs to juniors.

01
Scope1–2 working sessions to define the work and shape the team.
02
Team designTypically 2–4 senior engineers plus a tech lead. Built to your stack.
03
Start2 weeks from sign-off. We don't keep a bench warm; we form teams on demand.
04
CadenceWeekly steering, daily shipping, transparent burn.
05
HandoverTeam transitions out into your hires — often the same engineers.

2 weekstypical team start time

100%engineers we'd hire ourselves

120+

senior placements made

embedded teams deployed

21d

median time to offer

92%

retained at 24 months

how an engagement runs

From first call to handover, in the open.

The shape is the same whether you're hiring one engineer or standing up a team. No surprises in week three.

First call

30 minutes. We learn what you're trying to build. You learn whether we're the right fit. Either of us can walk away politely.

day 0

Scope

For search: brief signed, success criteria agreed. For delivery: scope of work, team shape, working agreement.

days 1–3

Mobilise

Search: longlist within the first week. Delivery: team assembled and onboarded within two.

days 3–14

Run

Weekly check-ins. Honest reporting. We tell you when something isn't working before you have to ask.

ongoing

Land

Search: offer accepted, onboarding handover. Delivery: team transitions out, knowledge stays in.

at close