Quest Global
Senior Sourcing Recruiter - Outside iR35
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Job Requirements - You must be based in the UK
Senior Sourcing TA
Aerospace & Defence Engineering
Role Overview
Quest Global is seeking an experienced and highly proactive Talent Acquisition Specialist with a strong background in sourcing and recruiting engineering professionals within the Aerospace and Defence sectors. This role is focused on identifying, engaging, and attracting niche engineering talent across a highly competitive market, partnering closely with hiring managers to build robust talent pipelines for current and future business needs.
The successful candidate will be an expert researcher, network builder, and talent strategist who thrives on uncovering hard-to-find engineers through innovative sourcing techniques, market intelligence, and direct talent engagement.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage the end-to-end recruitment lifecycle from sourcing through onboarding and induction.
- Proactively identify, attract, and engage high-calibre engineering talent across Aerospace, Defence, Avionics, Systems Engineering, Mechanical Design, Manufacturing Engineering, Software Engineering, Safety Engineering, Certification, and other specialist disciplines.
- Develop and execute sourcing strategies to identify passive candidates within highly regulated Aerospace and Defence environments.
- Build and maintain talent pipelines for critical engineering skill sets, including security-cleared and niche technical professionals.
- Utilise advanced sourcing techniques, including Boolean search, market mapping, competitor analysis, talent intelligence, networking, social media engagement, and direct headhunting.
- Conduct detailed candidate screening and qualification interviews to assess technical suitability, sector experience, security clearance eligibility, and cultural fit.
- Work closely with hiring managers, programme leaders, and stakeholders to understand business requirements and provide market insights on talent availability and hiring trends.
- Coordinate candidate interviews, travel arrangements, offer management, and onboarding activities.
- Maintain accurate candidate records and recruitment activity within the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and recruiting automation tools.
- Deliver regular recruitment reports, pipeline updates, and sourcing metrics to stakeholders.
- Partner with global recruitment teams and hiring managers across Quest Global locations to support strategic talent acquisition initiatives.
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Essential Experience & Qualifications
- Proven experience recruiting engineering professionals within the Aerospace, Defence, Aviation, Space, Advanced Manufacturing, or highly regulated engineering sectors.
- Strong sourcing expertise with demonstrated success identifying and engaging passive candidates for difficult-to-fill engineering positions.
- Experience recruiting across a wide range of engineering disciplines, including Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics, Systems, Software, Manufacturing, Quality, Reliability, Stress, Design, Certification, and Safety Engineering.
- Understanding of Aerospace and Defence industry structures, key competitors, engineering skill sets, and employment market trends.
- Experience recruiting candidates requiring government security clearances or working within regulated environments is highly desirable.
- Demonstrated success using LinkedIn Recruiter, CV databases, talent intelligence platforms, social media channels, networking, referrals, and direct search methodologies.
- Ability to build and maintain strong talent communities and long-term candidate relationships.
- Comfortable conducting high volumes of direct candidate outreach, cold-calling, networking, and executive-level engagement.
- Experience managing multiple requisitions simultaneously in a fast-paced engineering environment.
- Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence and advise hiring managers.
- Proficiency using Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), CRM platforms, and recruitment analytics tools.
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Key Competencies
- Exceptional sourcing and talent-mapping capability.
- Strong relationship-building and networking skills.
- Commercial awareness and understanding of engineering labour markets.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
- Influencing and negotiation skills.
- Resilience, self-motivation, and a results-oriented mindset.
- Adaptability and openness to continuous process improvement.
- Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a global recruitment team.
Why Quest Global?
We are known for our extraordinary people who make the impossible possible every day. Questians are driven by hunger, humility, and aspiration. Our culture enables us to solve the world's toughest engineering challenges across Aerospace, Defence, Automotive, Energy, Healthcare, Rail, and many other industries. We believe innovation thrives through diversity of thought, experience, and perspective. Our commitment to creating an inclusive environment ensures every employee feels respected, valued, and empowered to contribute their best ideas. Together, our global community of over 21,000 difference-makers continues to shape the future of engineering.
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