Client Overview
The client is a leading digital research organisation operating at the intersection of AI, machine learning and drug discovery. With exceptional financial backing and an ambition to hire only world-class scientific and technical talent, the organisation maintains a highly developed internal talent acquisition function spanning the US and Europe. Their recruitment bar is exceptionally high, and every hire must demonstrate technical excellence, cultural alignment and a meaningful record of achievement.
The Challenges
Despite their internal capabilities, the client required a partner able to extend their reach into the global market and
identify elite candidates they had not already uncovered. Their hiring environment was characterised by:
A stringent talent threshold, with only the top percentile of researchers considered for progression.
A multi-stage, highly technical assessment process demanding strong preparation, clarity and candidate management.
Extensive prior market mapping that made uncovering new, qualified individuals increasingly difficult.
A need for reliable, high-volume search capability to support long-term growth across multiple geographies.
Expectations for transparency, accountability and seamless integration with their existing recruitment workflows.
Our Solutions
The client engaged us on a retained basis, integrating us into their recruitment team. This ensured dedicated resources, predictable delivery, and complete visibility into our processes. Operating as an extension of their internal team, we implemented a structured, technology-driven search methodology.
In-depth briefing and alignment sessions to agree on technical criteria, culture fit and long-term hiring objectives.
A global research strategy, supported by a custom Python tool that scanned hundreds of thousands of publications to isolate high-impact contributors in AI/ML for bioscience.
Manual, high-precision screening of tens of thousands of authors and profiles to identify candidates genuinely on the cutting edge of the field.
Full transparency of talent pipelines, including real-time reporting, structured candidate updates and shared access to our marketing activity.
A closed and accountable search process that integrated directly with the client’s internal recruitment team and hiring managers.
Impact
Through the retained model, we delivered scale, speed and quality far beyond the client’s expectations.
546 highly qualified candidates submitted, expanding their reach into previously untapped talent pools.
105 interviews arranged following aligned screening and technical validation.
11 successful placements, representing a placement ratio ten times higher than any other supplier had achieved with them in the previous five years.
A sustained pipeline of exceptional talent, enabling forward planning and a reduction in time-to-hire across priority roles.
Strengthened collaboration with internal teams, supported by transparent workflows and shared process control.
Why It Worked
A retained search model ensuring continuity, focus and accountability.
Transparent communication and integrated processes with internal talent acquisition.
A technology-enabled research strategy uncovering talent competitors could not reach.
Deep domain expertise and an established network across AI/ML bioscience.
Consistent alignment with hiring managers, enabling precise, high-quality candidate delivery