RPO for a Mission-Critical Aerospace Defense Company
In less than three months, TekStream’s RPO team successfully secured 15 cleared candidates for niche skill sets in ASIC and FPGA chip design to fill critical positions in El Segundo, CA.
The large aerospace defense company is at the forefront of innovative solutions for national security and global defense. As they continue to expand operations in California, Northern Virginia, and Washington State, attracting and retaining top-tier talent is crucial to maintaining their competitive edge and delivering exceptional products and services.
This executive summary outlines the strategic initiatives aimed at filling key positions for one of their mission-critical programs in El Segundo, CA. Our focus was on attracting highly skilled candidates with active clearances, particularly in engineering, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing, where demand is high and competition is fierce.
The client sought the help of a seasoned RPO partner offering a team of US-based recruiters with experience sourcing in the Defense Aerospace sector, to support its internal team in filling niche positions on a mission-critical program for satellite development.
TekStream RPO Services
Key Results
Hired 15 cleared candidates in 3 months.
Built new pipeline of recent graduate talent.
Refined processes for interviewing and hiring.
The Situation
The client sought the help of a seasoned RPO partner offering a team of US-based recruiters with experience sourcing in the Defense Aerospace sector, to support its internal team in filling niche positions on a mission-critical program for satellite development.
Market Demand: The aerospace sector is experiencing a high demand for skilled labor, particularly in engineering and technology roles.
Competition: Competitors are actively implementing innovative recruitment strategies, highlighting the need for the corporation to enhance its approach.
Challenges
High Competition for Talent: Intense competition from other aerospace and technology companies for skilled engineers.
Skill Shortages: Limited availability of candidates with specialized skills in emerging technologies such as AI, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing.
Cleared Talent: Heavy focus on cleared talent from Secret, Top Secret, TS/SCI, to Polygraph level
Geographic Constraints: Challenges related to location preferences, especially in regions with a high cost of living such as California and Northern Virginia; and re-adjustments from remote to back in office.
Long Hiring Processes: Extended recruitment cycles can lead to losing top candidates to faster moving competitors.
The Solution
Strategic Sourcing of Active & Passive Candidates
- Built a sourcing strategy from the ground up.
- Led sourcing strategy sessions with the client’s internal full life cycle recruiting team to fill niche positions requiring active clearances, onsite location requirements, and high-demand tech skill sets.
- Partnered with the client’s internal Recruiters and Strategic Sourcers to share alternative sourcing best practices such as: cleared sourcing tools tips and tricks, building new Boolean searches, utilizing AI to draft outreach emails and source candidates, and automating processes.
- Revisited a pipeline of cleared candidates that already have established relationships with TekStream’s team.
- Established a new pipeline of recent graduates with education in ASIC and FPGA to stay ahead of the competition and proactively build relationships with green talent.
Streamlined Hiring Process
- Worked with business leaders and client-facing recruiters to drive a more streamlined application and hiring process.
- Coached candidates and sustained contact from initial sourcing stage to hire.
- Observed the existing interview process and identified areas of improvement for advancing candidates through the process quicker than the competition.
- Quickly identified a pool of candidates and recommended dedicated and condensed interview days where candidates could interview back-to-back.
Results
In support of the mission-critical program in El Segundo, CA, TekStream’s RPO team successfully secured 15 cleared candidates for niche skill sets in ASIC and FPGA chip design in under 3 months.
These engineers bring invaluable expertise in advanced chip design, enabling the company to enhance their capabilities and meet the demanding requirements of Defense Aerospace projects in a highly competitive market.
TekStream’s RPO team created a new pipeline of recent graduates, essential for ensuring a steady flow of top-tier talent for their ASIC and FPGA teams. This proactive approach will help cultivate a diverse talent pool, formulate relationships before graduates reach the job market and competitors,
and bring new ideas to the table in advanced chip design.
The team enhanced the client’s interview and hiring process by sharing alternative routes for sourcing cleared talent, condensing and streamlining interviews, utilizing AI to build Boolean search strings, formulating attractive candidate outreach, and automating processes.
About the Client
Industry: Defense Aerospace
Location: Arlington, VA
Employees: 170,000 people in 20 countries and 49 states
Annual Revenue: $73 billion