<work8.co/>

Talent+Work

at the frontier of technology innovation globally.

Hire with work8.co Find your next career move
Executive and engineering roles filled
1,100+
Retention at two years
99%
Countries recruited to or from
24+
Candidates introduced per offer made
1.3 : 1

I.

The firm

We understand what you build.

Work8 is a boutique global talent firm working at the intersection of applied science, engineered hardware and intelligent software. We act as the sharp end of your career and team-building ambitions, delivering hard results that define trajectory: people and work others simply do not reach.

We know where the exceptional people are, what they've built, and what it takes to bring them to the table. Our network spans labs, start-ups and programmes in more than 24 countries, built on credibility and success. The most sought-after people respond because they know we approach them with the precision and relevance they value.

Our technical depth means we get up to speed fast. We understand your competitive edge, the challenges consuming your team, and the difference between a great engineering leader and an exceptional one, without needing it explained. This changes everything.

Building collaborations that out-think and out-work the rest is hard, the hardest of many hard things on the path to excellence. We don't pretend to have all the answers. No one does. But our results are black and white: we accelerate development and growth with people and teams you'd never have thought possible.

Tell us the problem you're hiring for, not just the job title.

Book a call

II.

Case studies

Proof.

Three searches where conventional channels had failed.

I

Embedded talent partner · Sydney · Defence autonomy

Anduril Industries

Anduril brings a big-tech, move-fast culture to autonomous defence systems.

The brief

Anduril's co-founder and COO and its SVP of Engineering asked us to build the Sydney engineering team from zero. First program: the XL-AUV, later named Ghost Shark, an extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle for the Royal Australian Navy, on a three-year clock. Every hire needed deep multi-disciplinary skill, Australian citizenship and clearance eligibility. Advertising had already failed.

Roles filled

View all 24 rolesHide roles

Software engineering

  • Principal Engineer, Vehicle Management System
  • Senior Engineer, Autonomy Platform ×2
  • Senior Engineer, Embedded Platform ×2
  • Engineer, C++ / Linux / Rust ×3
  • Engineer, Sensor Fusion
  • Senior Engineer, Data Pipeline & Tools
  • DevOps Lead

Autonomy & intelligence

  • Principal Engineer, Guidance Navigation & Control
  • Principal, Machine Learning / AI Model Development
  • Simulation & Modelling Engineer

Systems & platform

  • Principal Engineer, Vehicle Platform
  • Principal Product Designer
  • Technical Program Manager
  • Application / Product Security Manager

Hardware & engineering

  • Naval Architect / Maritime Structural Engineer
  • Senior Electronics Design Engineer ×2
  • Power Systems Engineer
  • Principal Manufacturing Engineer

Operations & support

  • Supply Chain Specialist
  • UAV Support Engineer

The approach

We mapped every autonomous systems engineer in Australia, plus expats in Silicon Valley, Europe, Japan and Singapore. 1,094 people, each approached individually. Over 90% responded. Scorecard panels, technical tests and architecture reviews followed. ESOP-heavy offers closed at a 96% acceptance rate.

Engineering team in seven months
4 → 28
Senior hires onboarded
24
XL-AUV prototype delivered ahead of schedule
18 months
Australian Government contract to build and supply Ghost Shark
$1.7B

“Threshold for success was high. Work8.co exceeded our expectations on quality of talent onboarded. Demonstrated thorough expertise in the autonomous systems and robotics technical requirements. Moved fast with accuracy in the candidates recommended. Thank you, Tim, and Work8.co. The team you have helped us build will accelerate both the XL-AUV program and Anduril's broader growth as a centre of excellence.”

Search activity
  1. Identified and approached1,094
  2. Progressed to hiring manager43
  3. Offers extended25
  4. Accepted and onboarded24
  5. Retained at 24 months23

II

Retained search · Venture build · Digital insurance

BCG X (BCG Digital Ventures)

BCG X is Boston Consulting Group's venture-building arm, launching new businesses for the world's largest companies.

The brief

Retained by the APAC Managing Partner to replace a 20-plus person BCG X build team with a permanent leadership team for a new digital insurer. Every hire had to clear BCG X's bar and the client's, on a tight clock.

Roles

  • CEO
  • Head of Digital Product
  • Insurance Technical Expert
  • Growth Manager
  • Application Development Manager
  • Front End Developer
  • Back End Developer

The approach

Hardest roles first: CEO, Head of Product, Insurance Technical Expert and Growth Manager. We studied successful insurtechs at home and abroad, and proven digital B2C teams. 217 people assessed. After three interview rounds and a case presentation, the insurer's CEO approved every preferred candidate. For development, we moved an existing team of three across together.

Candidates approached and assessed
217
Roles filled
7
Preferred candidates approved by the client
100%

“Tim did an excellent job under significant time pressures. The standard of candidates we were looking for needed to meet our BCG X standards and our client's. The candidates shortlisted were of an exceptionally high quality and the client immediately endorsed our preferred selections. Tim moved fast, was up to speed on a complex dynamic with our client and managed the end-to-end process with the efficiency of a seasoned talent partner.”

Search activity · Executive roles
  1. Identified and approached217
  2. Interviewed by Work844
  3. Shortlisted to BCG X19
  4. Shortlisted to client4
  5. Approved as preferred candidates4

III

Single-role search · Power and microgrids

PowerTec

A family-owned Australian maker of power and microgrid technology.

The brief

Find a Principal Software Engineer to re-architect a safety-critical product stack: PLC controls, embedded firmware, cloud algorithms and a Raspberry Pi interface, running in large electricity networks. Ads and the CEO's own network had come up empty.

Role

  • Principal Software Engineer / Product Architect

The approach

With the CEO, we built a list of about 70 target companies and approached more than 300 people. Three and a half weeks in, a candidate who said no referred a former colleague whose start-up had just missed funding. Perfect match. The client stretched the budget to get him.

People approached
300+
To find the hire
3.5 weeks

“We knew this was going to be a difficult find. In under a month he found us the unicorn we were looking for. The candidate has worked out very well, exceeding our expectations, and continues to have a major impact on our product and customer success.”

Every mandate is different. Tell us about yours.

III.

Approach

Start with the problem, not the job description.

Most search firms are built to assess executives. Ours is built for technical roles, where one question matters: can this person solve your problem? Structured, scored interviews and real work samples predict performance. Gut-feel chats don't, so we don't rely on them.

  • 01

    Intelligence, not advertising

    We map markets and track high-performing teams for years. We don't post ads and hope.

  • 02

    Precision over volume

    On average, 1.3 introductions per offer.

  • 03

    Fees tied to outcomes

    We're paid for the right hire, not the fastest CV.

  • 04

    Advice, not just introductions

    Who's available, what they cost and where the best people are right now.

  1. Define

    Agree what the hire must deliver in their first 12 months, and write it into a scorecard before we approach anyone.

  2. Map

    Find the best teams in your field, here and overseas, and every person who matters in them.

  3. Approach

    Contact each one directly, with a clear case for why your problem is worth their time. Over 90% respond.

  4. Assess

    Technical screening by people who know the domain, then structured interviews and a work sample built on your actual problem. Every interviewer scores independently. References go beyond the names candidates give us.

  5. Close

    Benchmark the offer, negotiate it, then check in for six months to make sure the hire delivers.

IV.

What we measure

What we measure

Talent density defines everything.

The quality of early hires shapes everything that follows. Capability, good and bad, compounds exponentially as a venture scales.

  1. 01Exceptional people
  2. 02Are the magnet for other exceptional people
  3. 03Exceptional teams accelerate timelines and build better technology
  4. 04Rapid progress and innovative solutions to hard problems build credibility and venture profile
  5. 05Credible real-world achievements mean better access to capital, customers and markets

We hire for capability, not to fill vacancies.

Time-to-fill, cost-per-hire and funnel volume measure how fast recruiting spins its wheels. We measure what moves the venture:

  1. 100-day performance against objective targets
  2. Time to productivity and material impact on the mission
  3. Team integration and cohesion
  4. Retention at 6, 12 and 18 months

Building exceptional teams is and always will be hard. The moment it begins to feel easy, we aren't aiming high enough.

V.

Hiring process audit

How does your hiring look to the people you want?

Processes drift. Replies slow, ads go stale, interviews lose structure, and your best candidates quietly walk. We go through your process as a top candidate would, then benchmark it against best practice and the companies you compete with for talent.

What we review

Candidate experience
Every touchpoint, delay and message, as a candidate sees it.
Employer proposition
How your roles, careers page and ads land with specialist engineers.
Speed
Time to respond, interview and offer, and where candidates drop out.
Assessment
Are interviews structured, scored, predictive and calibrated?
Offers and closing
Pay benchmarks, acceptance rates and why people say no.
Tools and data
Your ATS, sourcing channels and reporting.

What you get

A report ranked by impact and effort, and a plan your team can act on. We re-run it six months later to measure the change.

Small fixes at every stage add up to better hires, sooner.

Book an audit

VI.

Sectors

From research to fielded systems.

We recruit across the disciplines that turn science into product: from algorithm to airframe, lab bench to production line, prototype to program of record.

  1. 01

    Autonomous Systems & Robotics

    From perception stack to fleet deployment.

    Capabilities

    Perception and sensor fusion (lidar, radar, EO/IR), SLAM and localisation, motion planning and behaviour, guidance, navigation and control, mechatronics and actuation, simulation, digital twins and HIL/SIL testing. Field robotics across mining, agriculture, logistics, subsea, humanoids and UAS, UGV and USV platforms.

    View rolesHide roles

    Roles we fill

    • Autonomy and robotics software engineers (C++, ROS 2)
    • Perception and computer vision engineers
    • GNC and controls engineers
    • Mechatronics and robot hardware engineers
    • Simulation and test engineers
    • Field deployment and operations leads
    • Safety assurance (ISO 26262, SOTIF, UL 4600)

  2. 02

    Defence & National Security

    Sovereign capability, delivered at pace.

    Capabilities

    Uncrewed and autonomous platforms across maritime, land and air, C4ISR and command and control, electronic warfare, RF and sensing, counter-UAS, directed energy, guided weapons and hypersonics. AUKUS Pillar II, GWEO and sovereign industrial programs.

    View rolesHide roles

    Roles we fill

    • Systems engineers (MBSE, requirements, V&V)
    • Test and evaluation leads
    • Airworthiness and seaworthiness engineers
    • Cleared engineers (Baseline, NV1, NV2)
    • Capability, program and bid managers
    • Security, DISP and export control (ITAR, DTC) specialists

  3. 03

    Space

    Launch, orbit and the ground segment that runs them.

    Capabilities

    Launch vehicles and propulsion (solid, liquid, hybrid and electric), satellite bus and payloads, ADCS and orbital mechanics, RF and optical communications, Earth observation and SAR, space domain awareness, in-orbit servicing and ground systems.

    View rolesHide roles

    Roles we fill

    • Propulsion engineers
    • AIT (assembly, integration and test) engineers
    • Flight software engineers
    • ADCS and GNC engineers
    • Thermal and structural analysts
    • Mission operations and ground segment engineers
    • Payload and RF engineers

  4. 04

    AI & Machine Learning

    Applied research that ships.

    Capabilities

    Computer vision, foundation models and LLMs, reinforcement learning, edge AI, model compression and on-device inference, MLOps and data infrastructure, taking research from paper to production.

    View rolesHide roles

    Roles we fill

    • Research and applied scientists
    • Machine learning engineers
    • ML infrastructure and MLOps engineers
    • Data engineers
    • AI product leads
    • Heads of AI and Chief Scientists

  5. 05

    Quantum, Photonics & Advanced Hardware

    Where physics becomes product.

    Capabilities

    Quantum computing (superconducting, trapped-ion, photonic and silicon spin), quantum sensing, cryogenics and control electronics. FPGA and ASIC design, RF and microwave, embedded firmware, power electronics, lasers, photonics and semiconductors.

    View rolesHide roles

    Roles we fill

    • Quantum physicists and engineers
    • FPGA, RTL and ASIC engineers
    • RF and microwave designers
    • Embedded and firmware engineers
    • Electronics and power electronics engineers
    • Photonics and laser engineers
    • Hardware test and validation engineers

  6. 06

    Energy Transition & Climate Tech

    Building the grid and the industries that follow it.

    Capabilities

    Grid-scale battery storage (BESS), utility solar and wind, microgrids and power conversion, grid connection and generator performance standards, hydrogen and electrification, robotic solar construction and maintenance, agtech, and biotech for recycling and materials.

    View rolesHide roles

    Roles we fill

    • Power systems and grid connection engineers
    • Development and project managers
    • Electrical and HV engineers
    • Power electronics and controls engineers
    • Commercial, offtake and origination leads
    • Construction and asset operations leaders

  7. 07

    Advanced Manufacturing & Industrialisation

    From first article to rate production.

    Capabilities

    New product introduction, design for manufacture and assembly, production engineering, factory build-out and automation, quality systems (AS9100, ISO 9001), supply chain and sovereign sourcing, for civilian and defence programs scaling in Australia and overseas.

    View rolesHide roles

    Roles we fill

    • Manufacturing and production engineers
    • NPI leads
    • Quality and certification engineers
    • Supply chain and procurement leads
    • Industrial automation engineers
    • Operations, plant and factory leaders

  8. 08

    Enterprise, Venture & Financial Services

    Deep tech talent for organisations building something new.

    Capabilities

    Banks, consultancies, corporate venture builders and investors launching new ventures, digital products, and data and AI capability, plus technical due diligence for funds.

    View rolesHide roles

    Roles we fill

    • Founding CEOs, CTOs and CPOs for new ventures
    • Heads of digital product and engineering
    • Data and AI leaders
    • Venture build and transformation leads
    • Technical due diligence advisers

Across every sector

Executive and technical leadership: CTOs, VPs of Engineering, Chief Engineers, Heads of Product, country managers and founding teams.

VII.

For candidates

Work in deep tech? Let's talk.

Researchers, engineers, product leaders and executives in AI, autonomy, space, robotics and software. Our bar is high and we can't help everyone, but you'll always get a straight answer, and what we know about the market.

For contractors, specialists, executives and internationally mobile professionals, we also run a confidential career service: market mapping, direct approaches to hiring managers, pay benchmarking and interview prep.

Send your CV

VIII.

Contact

Tell us what you're building.

Give us the problem. We'll show you who can solve it.

Book a time Email Tim