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HMAND

Specialist technology and deep-tech recruitment agency · based in Oxfordshire, hiring across the UK

Specialist people for difficult technical challenges

We find the engineers, scientists and technical leaders others can't, especially where software, hardware, science and data overlap.

Humand recruits the engineers, scientists and technical leaders that deep-tech and technology employers struggle to find — across quantum, photonics and lasers, instrumentation and metrology, AI and data, software and BioTech/MedTech. We're based in Eynsham, West Oxfordshire, and work permanent, contract and retained searches for employers throughout the UK.

Client results

Difficult searches, delivered

  • 7

    hires in 12 months

    A UK quantum computing company

    • Quantum
    • Software engineering
    • Rust
    • Python

    The result: 7 placements in 12 months, from senior engineers to lead and senior leadership roles. Several hires have since been promoted, the team has become more diverse, and the partnership is ongoing.

    How we did it
    The challenge
    A UK quantum computing company needed senior and lead software engineers who could work in Rust and Python alongside hardware, and get to grips quickly with complex, physics-led problems.
    How we helped
    Working alongside the client's in-house talent team, we searched quantum and deep-tech organisations and major technology firms. We assessed technical depth, curiosity about the science and team fit.

  • 20+

    roles over 30 months

    VoCoVo

    • Firmware
    • Voice
    • Hardware test
    • RMA
    • QA
    • Software
    • Leadership

    The result: Leadership hires including Head of Engineering, Head of Product, Head of PMO, Head of Delivery and Software Development Manager, alongside QA and software leads, plus firmware, voice, RMA, hardware test, QA, software and delivery roles.

    How we did it
    The challenge
    VoCoVo builds connected voice hardware and software. It needed to grow teams on both sides of the product: firmware, voice, hardware testing, RMA, QA, software and delivery, including leadership roles. It needed to do this without compromising on quality or team fit.
    How we helped
    Over 30 months and four hiring rounds, we got to know the business, its teams and what good looked like in each function. That meant each round started from a sharper brief.

  • 4

    specialist hires in 6 weeks

    An early-stage deep tech business

    • Deep tech
    • Parallel searches
    • Small talent pools

    The result: 17 candidates introduced and 4 specialist hires completed in 6 weeks.

    How we did it
    The challenge
    New momentum meant several business-critical specialist hires landed at the same time. The talent pools were small, and the client's own network already covered the obvious candidates.
    How we helped
    We mapped the market, including where adjacent talent sits, ran the searches in parallel and kept every process moving. At one point three candidates were in offer and contract discussions while we were still delivering another niche search.
  • “I would enthusiastically recommend your agency to other businesses seeking recruitment services due to the exceptional quality of candidates, personalised approach, and overall positive experience. Thank you for your outstanding service and for helping us build a stronger, more effective team. I look forward to future collaborations.”
    Hiring Manager, VoCoVo
  • “They are professional and responsive throughout the process. Jamie is always extremely helpful, following up with relevant information and everything needed. Any interaction I've had has been both outstanding and engaging. Highly recommend.”
    Successful candidate

Where we hunt

Specialist markets we recruit in

Pick your market to see the roles and skills we cover there.

Deep-tech hiringAll sectors

Hiring in one of these markets? Let's talk it through

Send a brief Arrange a call

How a search runs

Three steps from brief to hire

  1. Brief and alignment

    We work through the role with you first: the problem it solves, the skills that matter and what good looks like.

  2. Headhunted search and curated shortlist

    We map who does the work and approach them directly, using our communities as well as adverts, then bring you a focused shortlist, not a CV avalanche. If we can't deliver, we say so early.

  3. Interviews and placement

    We run the interviews, feedback and offer with you and the candidate, and keep every process moving until the hire is made.

See every step of how a search runs, from the first conversation to an accepted offer.

Community

Oxfordshire's technology communities, year-round

Humand is part of Oxfordshire's technology community year-round, independently of any live vacancy: we organise some groups, and host or sponsor events for others. The relationships and the market knowledge exist before a role does, which is what makes a direct approach land.

All communitiesEvents

Communities we are involved in

Where we work

Based in Oxfordshire, recruiting across the UK

Where we are

Supporting technology employers across Oxfordshire, including companies based around Harwell, Milton Park, Oxford Science Park and Oxford Technology Park.

Humand is based in Eynsham, West Oxfordshire. We recruit across these clusters; we do not have offices on the campuses themselves.

More about Humand · Meet the team · The communities we support

And across the UK

We run searches for employers throughout the UK, and publish market intelligence on the specialist talent pools they hire from:

Reviews

What people say about working with us

Rated 5.0 from 124 Google reviews as of 3 Nov 2026. These are verbatim Google reviews, most of them from candidates we have worked with.

  • “Honestly, Humand Talent Limited has been amazing to work with. Finding a job can be so stressful, but they were super reactive and a really reliable point of contact the whole time, which took away so much anxiety. They genuinely listen to what you need, know exactly what info to give you, and they actually have serious job offers. They are just great at finding you a good opportunity that truly suits you. A big thank you to Adrian and Joseph for all their help!”
    Omar Boughdad · Google review · 2 months ago
  • “Working with Humand Talent has been a great experience. They're excellent communicators, keeping you informed on the status of an application, describing the role accurately and responding quickly. Their understanding of the role requirements and skills is very deep, and they are always an absolute pleasure to talk to.”
    Susan Stocks · Google review · 2 months ago
  • “I had a really great experience working with Katy and the team at Humand. From start to finish, the process was smooth, professional, and genuinely personable — which makes such a difference. Katy kept me well informed throughout, was always quick to respond, and made the whole experience feel supportive rather than stressful. It’s clear she really cares about both the candidates and the companies she works with. Thanks to her help, I’ve landed an exciting new role, and I’m very grateful for all the support along the way. Would highly recommend Humand to anyone looking for a thoughtful and proactive recruitment partner.”
    Graham Clark · Google review · 6 months ago
Read all reviews on Google

How we help

Services built for technical hiring

All services

recruitment

Permanent Recruitment

Contingent permanent hiring for specialist technical roles

Learn more

recruitment

Contract Recruitment

Interim and contract specialists for defined projects

Learn more

recruitment

Executive Search (Retained)

Executive and senior technical search

Learn more

recruitment

Talent as a Service

Flexible recruitment capacity, shaped around your hiring plan

Learn more

recruitment

Startup Staffing

Permanent recruitment for technology startups and scaleups

Learn more

intelligence

Talent Intelligence

Market mapping and salary benchmarking

Learn more

intelligence

Salary Benchmarking

Current salary and package benchmarks for specific roles

Learn more

intelligence

Community Partnerships

Sponsor Humand's tech communities

Learn more

intelligence

Market Mapping

A structured view of the talent landscape for a role, team or company.

Learn more

intelligence

Employer Branding

Position your business as a destination employer in deep tech.

Learn more

Before you brief anyone

Hiring-market intelligence

Our published market reports, and four free tools that run in your browser with no signup. Use them before you talk to us — or instead of it, if that is what the answer says.

All insights

What we are working on now

Live technical searches

A sample of the roles currently open. If yours looks like one of these, we already know the market for it.

See all live roles

Software Engineer

Witney

View role

Production Engineer - Manufacturing & NPI

Oxford

View role

Technical Communications & Marketing Coordinator

Oxford

View role

Senior Systems Integration Engineer - Optics/lasers

Oxfordshire

View role

Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET)

Oxford

View role

Mechanical Engineer

Oxford

View role

We also recruit Business & Operations roles across sales, marketing, finance, HR, administration and operations. See Business & Operations roles →

Common questions

What employers ask us first

What technology roles does Humand recruit for in Oxfordshire and across the UK?
Engineers, scientists and technical leaders across five practices: deep tech and quantum; photonics, optics and lasers with instrumentation and metrology; AI, data and software; BioTech and MedTech; and engineering, hardware, leadership and commercial roles. Each practice links to sector pages that set out the roles and skills we cover.
Do you only recruit in Oxfordshire?
No. Humand is based in Eynsham, Oxfordshire, and our community programme is rooted there, but we recruit for employers across the UK. Where a role is remote or hybrid, the location that matters is the one the client will actually accept.
How does a search start, and how quickly?
Send a brief, or arrange a call if the role is still being shaped. Either way you speak to a consultant who recruits in that market, not an account manager. Timings are agreed with you when the search is scoped, rather than promised in advance.
More questions
Permanent, contract or retained search — which fits my role?
They are genuinely different services rather than the same process priced differently. Permanent Recruitment. A specialist consultant runs the search for a permanent hire and brings you a shortlist, with headhunted approaches alongside the people already looking. Contract Recruitment. Contractors for defined project work, available on much shorter notice than a permanent hire and engaged for the length of the work. Executive Search (Retained). A committed, mapped search for leadership and hard-to-reach roles, run discreetly and worked through to a defined shortlist. Talent as a Service. Flexible recruitment capacity, scoped around your hiring plan: an embedded recruiter, dedicated capacity, retained delivery for a defined programme, subscription hiring with agreed output, a TA contractor, or a mix. If you are unsure, the hiring-route tool on this page walks through the choice.
What kind of recruitment agency is Humand?
Humand is a specialist technology recruitment agency. We recruit technical and scientific people across software, AI and data, quantum and photonics, advanced engineering, life-sciences technology and the leadership above them. Technology and scientific hiring is our core specialism; we also support selected commercial, sales and operations searches for the same clients.

Ready to start?

Tell us about the role

Send a written brief, or arrange a call if the role is still being shaped.

Send a brief Arrange a call

Or call +44 1865 657000 · email hello@humand.co.uk