Infrastructure Recruitment
Hiring Built Around Your Schemes
One well-placed engineer can hold a critical scheme to programme, keep it compliant and protect your standing with the client. One wrong appointment costs time, invites claims and erodes credibility.
Hartley People recruits for contractors, consultancies, utilities and public clients across Ireland, matched to your scheme, contract and delivery stage.
- Civil & Structural Engineers
- Resident Engineers
- Project Managers
- Quantity Surveyors
- Electrical & Grid Engineers
Recruitment Built Around Your Programme
Two Resident Engineer briefs can need very different people. Before we search, we want to understand your scheme and client.
The Role
- Is the role client-side, contractor-side or with a consultancy?
- Site, office or hybrid, and is there night or possession work?
- Which chartership, safety or track tickets are essential?
The Scheme
- What asset, value and duration?
- Design, construction or handover?
- PWC, NEC or a framework call-off?
The Client
- Utility, state body or private client?
- How much regional or remote travel?
That brief shapes the whole search: who we approach, which schemes we target and what we test for. A matching job title is only the starting point.
Infrastructure Recruitment Expertise
The same discipline can mean very different work, depending on the asset and the stage.
Design vs. delivery
An engineer modelling a drainage network in Civil 3D needs a different skill set from a Section Engineer building it on site.
Client-side vs. contractor-side
Supervising a scheme for a utility or council calls for a different background from delivering it.
Leadership & strategy
Appointing a Director of Infrastructure means weighing framework strategy, bid pipeline, risk and client relationships, not only technical depth.
We recruit across:
- Civil & Structural Talk to us about Civil & Structural recruitment
- Transport & Highways Talk to us about Transport & Highways recruitment
- Rail & Light Rail Talk to us about Rail & Light Rail recruitment
- Water & Wastewater Talk to us about Water & Wastewater recruitment
- Energy & Grid Talk to us about Energy & Grid recruitment
- Renewables Talk to us about Renewables recruitment
- Utilities & Telecoms Talk to us about Utilities & Telecoms recruitment
- Geotechnical Talk to us about Geotechnical recruitment
- Programme Management Talk to us about Project & Programme Management recruitment
- Commercial & QS Talk to us about Commercial & Quantity Surveying recruitment
- Planning & Consenting Talk to us about Planning & Consenting recruitment
- Infrastructure Leadership Talk to us about Infrastructure Leadership recruitment
For contractors, consultancies, utilities and public bodies, from graduate to director.
Talk to an Infrastructure Recruitment SpecialistOur Infrastructure Recruitment Team
You're hiring a service delivered by people. Meet the recruiters who could be working your search.
Fergal Hartley
Joint OwnerFergal Hartley
Joint OwnerWith a distinguished career spanning over 25 years, Fergal Hartley is a highly regarded joint owner of prominent recruitment and staffing ventures, including Hartley People Recruitment & Training, Flexiforce, Clannad Care and Burton Sinclair. His entrepreneurial spirit has driven these companies to success, making them leaders in their respective fields. Fergal's comprehensive background in talent acquisition, combined with strategic insight and a commitment to best practices as a Fellow of the National Recruitment Federation, positions him as an invaluable partner for securing top executive talent.
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Pierre Fetat
Head of OperationsPierre Fetat
Head of OperationsPierre is an accomplished B2B International Director who works across functions, with over 15 years of experience across digital marketing, business development, and complex sales. With a strong background in Customer Data Platforms (CDP), Customer Success, and digital transformation initiatives, Pierre brings a wealth of expertise to executive search. His strategic insights, coupled with his commitment to driving innovation and operational excellence, make him a valuable partner for clients seeking visionary executive talent.
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Damien McCleane
Head of Strategic RecruitmentDamien McCleane
Head of Strategic RecruitmentWith nearly 30 years of experience across recruitment, training, business development, and customer relationship management, Damien McCleane is an accomplished professional with a versatile background in executive and managerial roles across diverse sectors. Also serving as Regional Manager at Hartley People, Damien combines his expertise in strategic recruitment, client partnership, and team leadership to drive excellence and innovation within the executive search landscape.
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Jessica Maher
Recruitment Team LeadJessica Maher
Recruitment Team LeadJess is responsible for recruitment across supply chain, production, engineering and warehousing. Having previously worked in the hospitality industry, she spent four years in Australia furthering her career before returning home to Wexford. A positive and energetic member of the team, Jess is a keen supporter of Wexford hurling and enjoys baking, going to the gym and spending time with friends.
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Darren O'Connor
Recruitment Team LeadDarren O'Connor
Recruitment Team LeadDarren specialises in recruiting for IT, HR, agricultural and commercial sales roles. With previous experience as an Operations Manager and Partner and Client Relations Manager within the waste technology sector, he brings strong operational and people-focused expertise to his role. Based in Waterford with his wife and dog, Loki, Darren enjoys sport, travel and keeping active.
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Danielle Bohill-Walsh
Senior Partner — Finance SpecialistDanielle Bohill-Walsh
Senior Partner — Finance SpecialistAs an experienced Senior Talent Partner, Danielle brings extensive expertise and a genuine passion for connecting people with the right opportunities. She combines a professional and personable approach with a strong understanding of clients and candidates, building lasting relationships and identifying the right talent. Outside of work, Danielle enjoys home and interior design and spending time with her husband and young daughter.
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Padraig Murphy
Senior Partner — Sales SpecialistPadraig Murphy
Senior Partner — Sales SpecialistPadraig is a Senior Recruitment Partner at Hartley People Recruitment, where he leads the Sales desk and focuses on connecting talented individuals with the right businesses. Before moving into recruitment, he spent 10 years working in Business Operations and holds a BA in Business and Human Resource Management. Outside of work, Padraig is an avid Liverpool supporter and keen golfer.
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Brendan White
Marketing Manager
Nigel Kelly
Talent SpecialistNigel Kelly
Talent SpecialistHailing from Carrick-on-Suir, Nigel is responsible for recruitment across IT, research and development, hospitality, trades and service technician roles. With a strong interest in technology, he is often the first point of contact for technical support within the office. Nigel previously worked in radio, presenting sports news and his own weekly show on WLR. He is also an accomplished photographer, keen runner, rugby fan and enthusiastic gardener.
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Eimear Cox
Recruitment SpecialistEimear Cox
Recruitment SpecialistEimear graduated from WIT with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology in 2018. Following several years in the insurance industry, including a period in Vancouver working with clients such as Michael Bublé and Nelly Furtado, she moved into recruitment to apply her understanding of people and relationships to helping clients and candidates find the right opportunities. A Waterford native, Eimear enjoys reading, board games, Dungeons & Dragons, pub quizzes and jiu jitsu.
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Hannah Sullivan
Recruitment SpecialistHannah Sullivan
Recruitment SpecialistHannah holds a Diploma in International Human Resource Management, a Bachelor of Commerce and a Diploma in International Hotel Management from Shannon College of Hotel Management. Beginning her career in hotel management, she developed strong communication and problem-solving skills, along with a genuine interest in working with people. Her move into recruitment brings together her experience in business, hospitality and human resources, with a focus on understanding candidates and making the right connections.
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Tamara Fisher
Recruitment SpecialistTamara Fisher
Recruitment SpecialistTamara brings extensive experience in operations management, customer service and team leadership, having worked in fast-paced, people-focused environments. She also holds a QQI Level 6 qualification in Human Resources and has a genuine passion for building relationships and helping people find the right opportunities. Outside of work, Tamara enjoys travelling, keeping active and spending time with friends, family and her pug, Harry.
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Tricia Quinn
Commercial and Operations ManagerTricia Quinn
Commercial and Operations ManagerTricia brings energy and warmth to Flexiforce as Commercial and Operations Manager, Hartley People’s temporary recruitment division. A natural people-person, she ensures every interaction is positive and productive, and helps organise team events that keep morale high. With over 15 years as a trainer on FÁS-funded courses, she placed students into permanent roles before moving into operations with charities including Cycle Against Suicide and Make-A-Wish Ireland. Tricia joined Hartley People in 2021. Outside work, she is an avid sea swimmer along the Copper Coast and a proud Ironman finisher (Barcelona, 2019).
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Ashling Durand
Senior Team Lead & Talent SpecialistAshling Durand
Senior Team Lead & Talent SpecialistAshling started in reception at Flexiforce, quickly becoming the office’s go-to person for all things operational—a role she still holds alongside her work as Senior Team Lead and Talent Specialist. She has grown steadily through the business, gaining experience across multiple functions. Ashling enjoys supporting colleagues and clients, solving problems and providing guidance wherever needed. She takes pride in being a reliable point of contact for both the team and the wider business. Beyond work, she loves spending time outdoors with her young family, with a particular fondness for discovering new beaches.
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Kelley Rothwell
Senior Talent Specialist & Compliance CoordinatorKelley Rothwell
Senior Talent Specialist & Compliance CoordinatorKelley works as Senior Talent Specialist and Compliance Coordinator at Flexiforce. With a diverse background spanning talent management, education, hospitality and the creative sector, she brings strong communication, leadership and relationship-building skills to her role. After eight years in hospitality—including managerial positions in Cork and Waterford—Kelley moved into education, holding a Professional Master of Education in Art from UCC following earlier studies in Fine Art at Crawford College of Art & Design. In her current role, she focuses on candidate engagement, recruitment coordination and compliance, taking a proactive, people-centred approach to connecting talent with opportunity.
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Sean Whelan
Talent Specialist & HR AdministratorSean Whelan
Talent Specialist & HR AdministratorSean supports the Flexiforce Agency Staffing Solutions team as Talent Specialist and HR Administrator. He holds a Master’s degree in HR and is an Associate Member of the CIPD. Sean combines his academic background with a genuine interest in recruitment and HR, bringing both knowledge and enthusiasm to his role. Outside the office, he is a keen soccer fan and reigning champion of the company Fantasy Football League.
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Maureen Flynn
Talent SpecialistMaureen Flynn
Talent SpecialistMaureen is a Waterford native and Talent Specialist with Flexiforce. Before joining the team, she managed the Pandora store in Waterford city and later completed a Diploma in Interior Design. Maureen combines her retail and design experience with a natural ability to connect with people, making her a valued member of the recruitment team. Outside work, she enjoys beach walks, sea swimming and spending time outdoors with her two children. She is also known locally as the lead singer of the band No Hot Ashes.
LinkedIn
Jessica Murphy
Talent SpecialistRecruiting for Grid and Renewables Projects
Ireland's grid has to carry far more renewable power by 2030, and engineers with high-voltage experience are among the hardest people to find. We understand what these schemes involve — substations and cable routes, grid connection and outage planning, protection and control, consenting and energisation.
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HV & Substation Engineers
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Protection & Control Engineers
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Electrical Design Engineers
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Grid Connection Engineers
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Cable & Overhead Line Engineers
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Renewables Project Managers
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Head of Grid & Renewables Delivery
Our 3E Approach
Three principles shape every infrastructure search we run, from the first brief to the start date.
Experience
Hartley People has recruited across Ireland for more than 25 years. That gives us a clear view of how different employers hire, and of what keeps engineers committed through a multi-year scheme.
Expertise
Two dedicated Strategic Sourcing Specialists support our 50+ strong team, mapping who is working where across live schemes and reaching them with an advanced suite of sourcing technology.
Ethics
We describe the scheme, site location, shift pattern, travel and package as they really are, and test motivation early. Hires who know what they are signing up for stay through to completion.
The Engineers You Need Are Already Committed
Experienced infrastructure engineers are usually tied to live schemes for years at a time, and rarely check job boards. Reaching them takes a direct, well-timed approach. Our search can combine:
- 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 with our recruiters to identify engineers on comparable schemes and open routes to them that job advertising never reaches.
We Look Beyond the CV
A list of schemes on a CV needs context. When we assess a candidate, we want to understand:
What schemes have they delivered?
What was their role and stage?
How large were the schemes?
Client-side, contractor-side or both?
Can they manage change and claims under PWC or NEC?
Did their schemes finish on programme?
How do they lead on safety and compliance?
Are they chartered and fully ticketed?
Do they know P6, Civil 3D or Revit?
Why move now, and will travel or shifts suit them?
So your interview time goes on people who have done comparable work for comparable clients.
Talk to an Infrastructure Recruitment SpecialistEvery Infrastructure Search Is Different
You might need someone to:
No two schemes start from the same brief. We begin with what the hire must deliver on yours, then plan the search around it.
Your Infrastructure Team, Supported by Ours
From offices in Dublin and Waterford, we recruit for schemes in every region, from the Greater Dublin Area to the North West and the coast.
- Dublin
- Waterford
Your scheme sets the standard: the asset, the client, the contract. Our job is to find the engineers who already work to it, and give them a reason to move.
Infrastructure Recruitment FAQs
The questions contractors, consultancies and utilities ask us most often about hiring infrastructure talent in Ireland.
What infrastructure roles does Hartley People recruit for?
Civil, transport, water and energy roles on both the client and contractor side: Civil, Highways and Drainage Engineers, Resident Engineers, Site Agents, Planners, Quantity Surveyors, Project Managers and Infrastructure Directors. We also recruit HV and substation, rail, geotechnical, environmental and consenting, and health and safety specialists.
Can you recruit for regional and remote infrastructure schemes?
Yes. From offices in Dublin and Waterford we recruit nationally, including Cork, Limerick, Galway, the Midlands and the North West, and for rural energy sites where travel shapes the role.
How do you reach engineers who are committed to live schemes?
Most experienced infrastructure engineers are tied to schemes that run for years, so job ads alone rarely reach them. We map who is working on comparable schemes, then approach them directly through LinkedIn Recruiter, referrals and our 150,000+ candidate network, timed around where they are in their programme.
How do you assess infrastructure candidates beyond the CV?
We test what they actually delivered: the schemes and asset types, their role and stage, contract experience under PWC or NEC, their programme and safety record, and whether they hold Engineers Ireland chartership, SCSI membership or the site tickets the role needs. You only interview people with directly relevant experience.
Can you help us hire for energy, grid and renewables projects?
Yes. As grid reinforcement and renewables connections grow, we recruit HV and Substation, Protection and Control, Electrical Design and Grid Connection Engineers, as well as Renewables Project Managers — people who understand outages, energisation and connection works.
How long does an infrastructure recruitment search take?
It depends on the role and how scarce the skills are. A Site Engineer search moves faster than one for a chartered Resident Engineer or a Protection and Control Engineer. If you have won a framework and need a team quickly, tell us early and we'll plan the searches around your mobilisation dates.
What does it cost to use Hartley People for infrastructure recruitment?
Fees are set role by role: a scarce or senior specialist search is priced differently from a Site Engineer hire. Tell us what you need and we'll quote for your requirement, with no obligation.
Who Does Your Next Scheme Need?
Tell us about the scheme and what the role must deliver. We'll give you a frank view of who is available and how we would run the search for your team.
- Over 25 years recruiting for employers in Ireland
- 150,000+ candidates in our network, active and passive
- Searches planned around your programme and client
Request More Information
Share a few details and a member of our infrastructure recruitment team will be in touch.
