From “We need a Senior Engineer” to finding a Principal Engineer who could shape the business.
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case study
When real estate investment startup Vest Capital approached ScaleUp, their brief was clear. They needed a strong senior engineer to be their first technical hire.
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After an initial consultation and deep dive into their needs and stage of growth, it became clear they didn’t just need an engineer. They needed a Principal Founding Software Engineer, someone who could build, lead, and architect from the ground up.
The role came with a rare blend of requirements:
The ScaleUp Approach
We knew this wasn’t a plug-and-play role. It required a bespoke recruitment campaign and an exclusive high level of partnership with the client.
Here’s how we tackled it:
01
Deep Discovery and Advisory
We worked closely with the CTO to refine the brief, ensuring the scope, seniority, and compensation aligned with the calibre needed.
02
Market Mapping
Before launching the search, we conducted a detailed market mapping exercise to ensure our approach was data-informed and strategically aligned. This Involved:
Analysing the current talent landscape for high-calibre Java and Principal Engineers across Australia
Benchmarking salary expectations, seniority bands, and typical equity structures for founding engineer profiles
Segmenting the candidate pool based on experience with the client tech stack, and demonstrated leadership in scaling teams or platforms
03
Targeted Outreach
We launched a comprehensive sourcing campaign that included:
Tailored LinkedIn sourcing
Persuasive, transparent job ads that didn’t sugar-coat the complexity
Tapping into our Principal Engineer network for referrals and recommendations
Exceptional Java expertise (non-negotiable)
Influence both C-suite stakeholders and future junior engineers
Make principled architectural decisions with a long-term view
the outcome
After several rounds of refinement and relentless search, we surfaced three exceptional final candidates. All were technically sound and aligned with Vest’s mission.
After several rounds of refinement and relentless search, we surfaced three exceptional final candidates. All were technically sound and aligned with Vest’s mission.
One candidate stood out:
An elite Java engineer
Former Principal Engineer at two of Australia’s unicorn startups
Equally skilled in people leadership and technical strategy
They were motivated by early-stage opportunity and aligned with Vest’s ambitions.
The placement was made, and they’ve since become instrumental in shaping Vest’s engineering culture and platform direction.
The role was a highly senior engineer position that was difficult to fill through direct sourcing alone. I interviewed over 40 candidates across multiple channels over more than five months, which was time-consuming and resource intensive. I required recruitment support to broaden reach and maintain momentum.
I chose to work with ScaleUp due to their focus and willingness to invest time in a "hard to fill" role. I was hoping to access a deeper pool of senior technical candidates and receive support in screening and shortlisting. My expectation was a partner who would persist where others might disengage.
The assignment resulted in a successful hire who has met expectations. ScaleUp remained engaged throughout the process and continued refining their approach. Overall, the experience was positive and collaborative.
They showed strong persistence and commitment, particularly when other agencies dropped off early. They were receptive to feedback and made genuine efforts to improve candidate selection over time. Communication was consistent, and they demonstrated a clear willingness to learn the technical requirements of the role.
ScaleUp demonstrated strong work ethic and resilience on a challenging assignment, which I valued highly. With continued investment in technical screening capability, they are well positioned to excel further in senior tech recruitment. I would consider working with them again for similar roles.
Samual Kang
— Chief Technology Officer, VEST Capital
client
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