Defence is growing. But where will the people come from?
Josephine Hacker Lacouture · 17 August 2026
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We fill key positions across defence and dual use - from engineering and production through to C-level.
MBDA Deutschland recorded around 25,000 applications in 2025, twice as many as the year before. Rheinmetall receives 20,000 enquiries a month in Germany alone, and at Airbus more than 100 applications compete for a single role in its defence division. Visible scale-ups such as ARX Robotics, STARK and Helsing attract talent at scale too.
The number of defence job postings has risen by 41 per cent since 2021. Security-critical roles still stay open for four to six months on average. The problem isn't the volume of applications, it's the fit.
Sources: manager magazin (April 2026), Indeed Hiring Lab, LinkedIn Germany GmbH
Access is built on trust, referral and proximity, not on reach.
Many relevant profiles deliberately keep their defence background invisible, often at their employer's request. Only earlier, non-defence roles are visible. Keyword and title searches simply don't work here.
The sector is sceptical of anyone trying to break in, recruiters included. Without belonging, there is no access.
People move on personal recommendation, not on job adverts. Everyone knows everyone, and everyone refers. Highly qualified specialists know other specialists with a similar background and access to the same programmes.
Defence candidates in our database. Reachable directly by phone and through personal contacts.
Profiles that are often impossible to find on the open market. Across every core sector: autonomous systems, cyber, space, sensors, AI and deep tech.
Key positions across the entire value chain, up to C-level.
From stealth-mode start-up to established defence prime.
Articles on hiring, security clearance and employer choice in the defence sector.
A 30-minute first call is usually enough to tell whether we're the right fit.