Aerospace and Defense recruitment

Aerospace and defense hiring reaches from first article inspection on the shop floor to program control in the front office. You are filling systems engineers, avionics technicians, quality engineers, program managers and contracts managers across large defense primes, their suppliers and MRO providers.

Hiring in this sector moves at two speeds. A cleared program manager opening can sit open for months because the active clearance pool is shallow and competitors are fishing in the same pond. A quality engineer with AS9100 audit experience gets multiple offers in a week. The gap sits in access to people who already hold the right status and can read the right drawings.

Your best candidates want mission stability, a clear path through classified programs and managers who understand export control paperwork. They read job posts for specific tools: DO-178C, DO-254, CATIA, SAP, root cause corrective action. They expect you to know the difference between a secret clearance and a top secret clearance before the first call. Pay matters. Mission stability matters more.

Roles we fill in aerospace and defense

Systems engineers
Avionics technicians
Quality engineers
Program managers
Contracts managers

Hiring problems we solve

Cleared talent is scarce

Many avionics and systems engineering roles need an active secret or top secret clearance. The pool of cleared candidates is small, and those candidates often wait for a known prime to call. Talent Strand reaches these people through direct referrals and discreet outreach, then checks clearance status before you spend time interviewing.

AS9100 compliance slows down screening

Quality engineer and supplier quality roles demand working knowledge of AS9100 audits, first article inspection and root cause corrective action. A resume that lists aerospace experience without AS9100 detail wastes your team's time. Talent Strand screens for audit history, nonconformance tracking and specific customer flowdowns before presenting a candidate.

ITAR citizenship rules thin the applicant pool

Many roles require a U.S. person under ITAR, and some need a security clearance to start. That combination filters out a large share of applicants early. Talent Strand verifies citizenship status and clearance eligibility in the first call, so the candidates you see are ready for export controlled work.

What we check

For aerospace and defense placements, Talent Strand checks U.S. person status, export control compliance and security clearance level on the first call. We verify AS9100 or ISO 9001 audit experience, quality certifications like CQE or CQA, and software standards such as DO-178C and DO-254 where the role requires them. For program managers and contracts managers, we confirm experience with FAR and DFARS flowdowns, earned value management and customer reporting systems. MRO roles get checked for A&P licenses, repair station manuals and specific airframe or engine types. Every candidate is screened against the exact drawings, standards and customer requirements you list in the job requisition, including revision levels, customer source inspection and material traceability.

Questions employers ask

Do you only place cleared candidates?

That depends on the role. We place cleared and uncleared aerospace positions. For positions that require a clearance, we verify clearance status and eligibility on the first call. Many quality, manufacturing and MRO roles need no clearance at all.

How do you handle AS9100 screening?

We ask candidates to describe their audit history and the customer flowdowns they have worked under. For quality engineer and supplier quality roles, we check for CQE or CQA certifications and direct experience with first article inspection. That saves your team from interviewing people who only have ISO 9001 on paper.

Can you fill roles that require a security clearance?

Yes. We maintain a direct network of cleared systems engineers, program managers and avionics technicians. We confirm active clearance level and investigation date before submitting candidates. This keeps your interview panel focused on people who can start export controlled work without delay.

What does your screening cover for contracts managers?

For contracts managers, we verify experience with FAR and DFARS, government property systems and customer portals. We also confirm past work on fixed price, cost reimbursement and time and materials contracts. This means the candidates you interview understand your compliance obligations from day one.

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