KO2

Specialist engineering recruitment

Engineering talent, without the guesswork.

KO2 specialises in electronics and embedded systems recruitment, connecting highly skilled engineers with businesses developing the technologies of tomorrow.

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25+ years

In this sector

Who we are

Specialists in a specialist market.

KO2 was created around a clear gap in the market: electronics and embedded systems businesses being served by generalist recruiters who could not tell a firmware engineer from a web developer.

Since 2007 we have recruited exclusively within this sector, building long-term relationships with engineers and the businesses that depend on them across England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

  • Permanent and contract, both in-house
  • One named consultant throughout
  • Technical screening before shortlist
  • Long-term relationships, not transactions
See current opportunities
Expertise

Technical expertise. Recruitment expertise.

Every consultant covers a defined technical market, so the person answering the phone already knows the skills, the salaries and who is hiring.

01

Embedded Software

C, C++, Rust, Linux, firmware, RTOS and device drivers, from bare metal to connected platforms.

02

Electronics Hardware

Analogue and digital design, PCB layout, power electronics, EMC and design for manufacture.

03

RF & Wireless

RF design, antennas, radio integration and the certification work that sits behind it.

04

FPGA & Silicon

VHDL, Verilog, SoC integration, verification and hardware acceleration.

05

Test & Validation

Hardware test, automated test development, EMC compliance and design validation.

06

Engineering Leadership

Engineering managers, product owners, project managers and technical directors.

Sectors

The markets we know inside out.

Four sector groups, each covered by consultants who speak the same technical language as the teams they recruit for.

Connected products, wireless platforms and consumer devices moving from concept into volume.

Controls, automation and industrial systems built to certified development lifecycles.

Regulated electronics and embedded software for diagnostic and therapeutic devices.

Power electronics, metering, e-mobility and infrastructure hardware across the UK and Ireland.

Opportunities

Current opportunities

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Embedded Systems

Senior Embedded Software Engineer

Lead firmware architecture on safety-conscious control products moving from prototype into volume manufacture.

Milton Keynes Permanent£55,000 - £70,000
Embedded Systems

Embedded Systems Engineer

Low-level Linux and driver work on sensing platforms for a research-driven product team.

Cambridge Permanent£50,000 - £65,000
Electronics

Electronics Design Engineer

Mixed-signal design ownership from concept schematics through EMC compliance and production handover.

Northampton Permanent£45,000 - £60,000
Firmware

Firmware Engineer

Low-power wireless firmware for connected devices shipping in high volume across Europe.

Birmingham Permanent£50,000 - £65,000
How we work

Four stages, whichever side of the table you are on.

The depth of each stage changes with the appointment. The sequence never does.

  1. 01

    Understand

    We start with the technology, the team and the roadmap before anyone's CV is discussed.

  2. 02

    Advise

    Honest feedback on salary, availability and what the market will realistically deliver.

  3. 03

    Introduce

    A short, technically screened shortlist. Details are only ever sent with consent.

  4. 04

    Support

    We stay involved through interviews, offers, resignations and the first months in post.

The team

People you can actually speak to.

Every consultant owns a defined market, so the person answering the phone already knows the technology and the going rate.

Portrait of Chris Oddy

Chris Oddy

Director

Electronics & hardware appointments

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Portrait of Andrew Knight

Andrew Knight

Director

Embedded software & firmware appointments

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Portrait of Laurence Powell

Laurence Powell

Head of Permanent Recruitment

Permanent engineering teams

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In their words

300+ five-star Google reviews.

Two decades of relationships with engineers and the businesses that hire them.

KO2 has now placed me four times across my career. They understand the technology, they are honest about the market, and they stay in touch when there is nothing in it for them.
Gary Partis · Candidate

Let's build what's next.

Whether you're building an engineering team or planning your next career move, talk to the people who understand the market.

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