Hartley People

Engineering Recruitment

Engineering Recruitment Ireland, Built Around Your Operation | Hartley People

Engineering Recruitment

Engineering Hiring, Built Around Your Technical Reality

Hartley People recruiters meeting around a table in the Waterford office

The right engineering hire can reduce downtime, improve output, deliver capital projects and keep your site compliant. The wrong hire can cost you time, production and opportunity.

Hartley People partners with businesses across Ireland to recruit engineers who fit the role, the equipment and the way your site actually runs.

  • Mechanical Engineers
  • Electrical & Automation Engineers
  • Maintenance Engineers
  • Process Engineers
  • Engineering Managers
25+
Years recruiting professionals in Ireland
50+
Professionals across our team
150,000+
Strong candidate network
32
Counties covered nationwide

Engineering Recruitment Expertise

Engineering roles can share a job title while requiring very different people.

Maintaining vs. improving

An engineer keeping a line running needs a different mindset from a Process Engineer redesigning it for higher yield.

Hands-on vs. design-led

Hands-on electrical and automation work calls for a different profile from CAD-led design engineering.

Leadership & strategy

Recruiting a Head of Engineering requires us to understand capital planning, maintenance strategy, compliance and team leadership as much as technical ability.

We recruit across:

Across every major manufacturing sector and at every level of seniority.

Talk to an Engineering Recruitment Specialist

Our Engineering Recruitment Team

You're hiring a service delivered by people. Meet the recruiters who could be working your search.

Recruiting for Pharma, MedTech and Regulated Manufacturing

Ireland is home to one of Europe's largest pharma, biopharma and medical device clusters, and its engineers need more than technical skill. We understand the language of regulated sites — GMP, IQ/OQ/PQ, change control, CAPA, OEE and the shift to automated, data-driven lines.

Two Hartley People colleagues smiling during a meeting at a white table in a glass-walled office
  • Automation & Controls Engineers

  • Validation & CQV Engineers

  • Process Engineers

  • Maintenance & Reliability Engineers

  • Equipment & Facilities Engineers

  • Project Engineers (CapEx)

  • Engineering Managers / Heads of Engineering

Our 3E Approach

Our engineering recruitment model is built around three principles that guide every search we run.

Hartley People consultants in the Waterford office

Experience

For over 25 years, Hartley People has recruited for businesses across Ireland — giving us an understanding of different industries, site environments and the people behind high-performing engineering teams.

Hartley People and Burton Sinclair consultants in the Waterford boardroom

Expertise

Our team of 50+ professionals is supported by 2 dedicated Strategic Sourcing Specialists, combining recruitment expertise, technical market knowledge and an advanced suite of sourcing technology.

Hartley People consultants in an open client conversation

Ethics

A successful engineering hire needs to work for both sides. We represent your site, shift pattern and role accurately and assess candidate motivation carefully, so candidates understand the role, expectations and operation they're considering joining.

The Engineer You Need May Not Be Applying

Experienced engineers are usually already employed, trusted with critical equipment and busy keeping their own sites running. Waiting for them to apply is not enough. Our search can combine:

150,000+ Candidate network
  • Direct candidate sourcing
  • Passive candidate engagement
  • LinkedIn Recruiter
  • Advanced sourcing technology
  • Market mapping
  • Referral networks
  • Targeted advertising & leading job boards

Our two Strategic Sourcing Specialists work alongside our recruiters to identify relevant professionals and create routes into candidate markets beyond traditional job advertising.

We Look Beyond the CV

Engineering experience needs context. When assessing a candidate, we want to understand:

How deep is their technical knowledge?

Have they led people, shifts or contractors?

What projects have they delivered?

What equipment have they worked on?

Which control systems do they know?

Have they worked in regulated environments?

What did they improve or achieve?

How do they work with production teams?

How do they solve problems at root cause?

Why are they considering their next move?

This helps your hiring team spend time interviewing candidates with genuine relevance to your technical requirement.

Talk to an Engineering Recruitment Specialist

Every Engineering Search Is Different

You might need someone to:

We don’t start with a standard search. We start with what you need the person to achieve — and build the recruitment approach from there.

  1. Add mechanical or design capability
  2. Automate or upgrade your controls
  3. Cut downtime and improve reliability
  4. Improve process yield
  5. Deliver a capital project
  6. Lead your engineering function
  7. Fill a stalled technical role

Your Engineering Team, Supported by Ours

Three Hartley People colleagues seated in armchairs around a round glass coffee table in the office
Pierre Fetat Damien McCleane Fergal Hartley

With offices in Dublin and Waterford, Hartley People supports businesses recruiting engineering talent across Ireland.

  • Dublin
  • Waterford

You understand your equipment, processes and production goals. We understand how to search, engage and qualify the engineers who can help you achieve them.

— The Hartley People Engineering Recruitment Team

Engineering Recruitment Questions, Answered

A few of the questions employers ask us most often about hiring engineering talent in Ireland.

What engineering roles does Hartley People recruit for?

We recruit across mechanical, design, electrical, automation, controls, maintenance, reliability, process, manufacturing and project engineering — from Engineers and Senior Engineers through to Engineering Managers and Heads of Engineering, in pharma, medtech, food and drink, and general manufacturing.

Do you recruit engineers outside Dublin?

Yes. With offices in Waterford and Dublin, we recruit engineers across Ireland, not just in the capital — including regional manufacturing sites, shift-based roles and multi-site positions.

How do you find engineers who aren't actively job hunting?

Most experienced engineers are already employed and trusted with critical equipment, so we don't rely on job ads alone. Our two Strategic Sourcing Specialists use direct sourcing, LinkedIn Recruiter, market mapping and our 150,000+ candidate network to reach passive candidates who fit your specific requirement.

How do you assess an engineer's technical ability beyond their CV?

We look at the equipment, processes and systems they've actually worked on, the projects they've delivered, how they approach problem solving and whether they've worked in regulated environments — not just job titles. This helps your hiring team spend time only with candidates who have genuine relevance to your technical requirement.

Can you recruit engineers for GMP-regulated pharma and medtech sites?

Yes. We recruit automation, validation, process, maintenance and project engineers for regulated sites — understanding GMP, IQ/OQ/PQ qualification, change control, CAPA and the documentation discipline these environments demand.

How long does a typical engineering recruitment search take?

It depends on the seniority of the role and how niche the requirement is — a Maintenance Engineer search on common equipment moves faster than a Head of Engineering search requiring specific regulated-site experience. We'll give you a realistic timeline once we understand what you need the hire to achieve.

What does it cost to use Hartley People for engineering recruitment?

Fees depend on the seniority and complexity of the role. Get in touch and we'll talk you through pricing for your specific requirement — no obligation.

Who Does Your Engineering Team Need Next?

Tell us about the role and what you need that person to deliver. We'll talk you through the market, the search and how we can support your hiring team.

  • 25+ years recruiting professionals across Ireland
  • Access to a 150,000+ candidate network, active and passive
  • A search built around what your hire needs to achieve

Request More Information

Fill in a few details and a member of our engineering recruitment team will be in touch.

We'll only use your details to respond to your enquiry. No spam, ever.

Talk to an Engineering Recruitment Specialist
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