Calqulate is a San Diego defense and aerospace recruiting firm. We place cleared engineers, program managers and leaders for defense tech startups, aerospace companies and government contractors.
Resumes show skills, not whether someone will fit your team, your culture and your pace. That’s where hiring goes wrong.
San Diego is home to one of the country’s largest concentrations of military and defense activity. Cleared, experienced talent is in short supply, and every hire has to meet strict security and compliance rules. We recruit for both the mission and the requirements.
We understand both venture-backed defense tech and traditional contractors.
We learn your programs, mission and culture before we recruit.
We confirm clearance level early, then match candidates to how your team operates.
Access to cleared talent that rarely posts a resume publicly.
Cleared hires are expensive to replace, so we hire for alignment, not just to fill a seat.
Thousands of recruiters can send you resumes. We work as your advisor for the long term, from the first conversation to well after your new hire starts.
Two decades of searches, from first hires to executive teams.
Founder, operator, hiring manager and candidate. We know what the role really takes.
Your first hire and your fiftieth need different people. We hire for your stage.
Full-time hires, fractional leaders through our Advisor Network, and Capital Solutions, all in one place.
Interviews, offer, then check-ins at one week, one month and every quarter.
If you don’t hire, there’s no fee.
Offer acceptance rate
Average to shortlist
Years recruiting
Recruiter network
Fee if you don’t hire
Check-ins after the hire
Posting a job gets you resumes. It doesn’t tell you who understands your company, aligns with your team or will grow with your business.
| Doing it yourself | With Calqulate | |
|---|---|---|
| Who you reach | Active job seekers only | Active and passive talent, through a network of 1,200+ recruiters |
| How candidates are judged | Keywords on a resume | Skills, culture and team dynamic |
| Your time | Screening hundreds of resumes | Meeting a short list of people worth talking to |
| Market knowledge | Guesswork | Salary data and industry insights |
| After the hire | You’re on your own | Check-ins at one week, one month and quarterly |
| What it costs | Posting fees and your team’s time, hire or not | Success-based fee: if you don’t hire, there’s no fee |
A few recent searches across our industries.
Manufacturing company. We learned the business and its finance pain points, then placed a controller who could step in and own them, so the founder could focus on the product.
Growing healthcare company. We placed an accounting manager who could bridge the gaps in financials across locations and modalities and run the day-to-day independently, so the CFO could focus on reporting and executing the plan.
San Francisco AI company
Manufacturing company
“We’re growing fast and I’m wearing many hats, so efficiency and accuracy matter. You understood our needs right away and only sent people worth talking to. Seamless process, great hire, and I’ll be back as we grow.”
Bay Area tech company
Based in San Diego and recruiting nationwide, backed by a network of over 1,200 recruiters.
Defense tech startups, aerospace manufacturers, government contractors and dual-use technology companies in San Diego and nationwide.
If you don’t hire, there’s no fee. You get a short list of people worth talking to, not hundreds of resumes, with no upfront cost.
We learn your programs, mission and what success looks like in the role.
We reach cleared and clearable talent through our network.
Clearance, technical depth and team culture, then a short list.
We guide interviews and the offer, then check in at one week, one month and every quarter.
Hiring in another area? Explore all of our recruiting expertise or our Advisor Network for fractional leaders.
We stay involved. We check in at one week, one month and every quarter, and act as your advisor for long-term success.
We recruit for roles including Systems, Software and Electrical Engineers (cleared and clearable), Aerospace and Mechanical Engineers, Program and Project Managers, Cybersecurity and ISSO/ISSM roles, Business Development and Capture Managers, Contracts, Compliance and Security Officers, and more.
Our fee is success-based: if you don’t hire, there’s no fee. We’re paid only when you make a hire through Calqulate.
No. We’re based in San Diego and recruit nationwide, backed by a network of over 1,200 recruiters.
Posting a job gets you resumes. We work as an extension of your team, learn your company and culture, and bring you a short list of candidates who match the role and how your team works.
Tell us about the program and the role. Success-based fee: if you don’t hire, there’s no fee.
