There is a well-documented STEM talent shortage in the US and that shortage has impacted the defense industry. It has never been more challenging to source and recruit top engineering talent. Not only is the number of engineering graduates not matching the number of open jobs each year, but defense contractors and government agencies must compete with companies like Google, Tesla, SpaceX and more for the best and brightest. If you are looking for strong defense engineers, here are tips to help you locate the talent you need.

Get Proactive

Posting jobs on job boards and hoping your ideal engineer will come knocking on your door is a wasted exercise in today’s market. Talented defense engineers are already working and upcoming graduates are already being courted by other organizations. To compete, it is necessary to build and nurture relationships with passive talent to cultivate a talent pipeline. This means developing a strong social media presence, getting active online and offline in professional organizations, and building robust compensation packages that include nontraditional benefits and perks.

Promote Company Culture

Unfortunately for defense contractors and government agencies, it’s a lot “sexier” to work for many private-sector companies. However, even if you aren’t an Amazon or a SpaceX, you can attract top talent by focusing on a great corporate culture.

“Culture” isn’t onsite volleyball courts, company-sponsored whole-food cafeterias or nap rooms for overworked engineers. Culture is the personality of the organization and it informs the way employees go about their work. A positive culture where engineers are supported and are encouraged to innovate can go a long way in the recruiting process.

Work with Engineering Recruiters

Today’s internal HR and search teams are stretched thin and don’t have time to develop new ways to recruit talent when they must hit their existing goals. Working with a defense engineering recruiting firm can ensure your internal team is able to focus on those strategic goals and the firm can access top talent.

PEAK is a market leader defense and aerospace engineering staffing. Our recruiters partner with manufacturers of:

• Aerospace and Defense Parts and Equipment
• Armored Military Vehicles, Aircraft Engines and Parts
• Satellite and Missile Defense
• Military Track Vehicles
• Navy Vessels and Shipbuilding
• Systems Engineering/Training Systems
• Ground Data Collection

PEAK works with firms that support companies and government agencies by filling aerospace, marine and mechanical engineering jobs with the best and brightest talent in the market. PEAK complies with all DOD security requirements, has held Secret and Top-Secret clearances and utilizes the E-Verify system in compliance with DHS requirement to provide security-cleared professionals. Contact PEAK today to learn more about the ways we can help you recruit aerospace talent.