Tim Stamp

If you’re a hiring manager in defence right now, especially in autonomy, ML, air defence or mission-critical software, there have been a few things I’m seeing work well across the UK market: ➡️ First, hire for deployability, not just credentials. There’s a big difference between someone who has built proof of concept models and someone who has taken systems through integration, testing and real-world deployment. In defence, the latter is gold. ➡️ Second, widen the search! Some of the best hires I’ve seen recently have come from other similar sectors like robotics, automotive autonomy, aerospace, high reliability fintech, even advanced manufacturing. If they understand safety, constraints and integration, they can often transfer really well. ➡️ Third, and often most repeat by us recruiters is, try to move fast. The best engineers in this space are rarely on the market for long. If your process has five stages spread over six weeks, you’ll lose good people to faster moving competitors. ➡️ Fourth, try to think long term. With sustained UK and allied investment into defence capability, this doesn't seem like a short spike in demand. Building a talent pipeline, not just filling a role, is becoming a lot more important. That means relationships, brand, and being clear on your technical vision. ➡️ Finally, be honest about the work. I've seen how Engineers in this space are motivated by the impact their work can have. If they can see how what they’re building gets deployed and used, then they are usually all in. If you’re hiring in UK defence right now and want a sense check on how your strategy stacks up against the market, happy to share what I’m seeing day to day. #UKDefence #Autonomy #Robotics #MachineLearning #TalentStrategy

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With the release this week of Cyber Security Model v4, there will be some clear changes to cyber compliance to companies in the defence supply chain. To make sense of the changes, Make UK Defence Fit for Defence cyber partner Pera Prometheus Consulting Ltd have created a number of short video on what this means: 🔗CSM v4 Implementation as of 3 Dec 25: https://lnkd.in/dMt6Hs9Q 🔗DEFSTAN 05-138 and CSM v4 Explained: https://lnkd.in/d-Mves5x 🔗ISN 2025/07 – Implementation of CSM v4 https://lnkd.in/dzGwZFbJ #MakeUKDefence #DefenceSupplyChains #UKManufacturing #ukmfg #UKDefence #CyberSecurity #CyberSecurityModelv4 #BusinessDevelopment Andrew Kinniburgh Estelle Exelby Samantha Hill Maria Winsper Kelly Maddison Charline Diomande James Watson Olivia Bayes-Garrould Dan Parvaz Helen Hastie Stuart Tingley Chris Hague Jenny Bridge Jenny Wright Cathy Williams Mandy Leadbitter

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IR35 and Off-payroll: Your guide to who is actually responsible for what? One of the biggest challenges of IR35 is the widespread lack of awareness among those hiring contractors. The complexity of this legislation often leads to misunderstandings, putting businesses at risk of non-compliance and unexpected tax liabilities. This comprehensive guide simplifies the often-confusing aspects of IR35, providing clear instructions on who should be doing what. You'll gain insights into the critical areas of the legislation and learn how to apply them correctly to your business. 🔍 Key Takeaways: ✔ Understand the difference between IR35 and Off-payroll rules. ✔ Identify which part of the legislation applies to your business. ✔ Discover who is responsible for tax liabilities and status assessments. IR35 and Off-payroll rules coexist, making it essential to understand which rules apply to your specific situation. This guide breaks it down step-by-step, ensuring you can navigate these regulations with confidence. 1️⃣ Read the full guide today. 2️⃣ Book a free consultation if you'd like our expert help with your compliance! #IR35 #HR #HRnews #process #IR35assessment #IR35Compliance #Compliance #Consultation #Offpayroll #Offpayrollworking #Contractor

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IT contractors are being forced into an impossible choice in 2026. No work at all — or only Inside IR35 roles. A new Qdos study, based on polling 600 freelancers and echoed by contractors speaking to ContractorUK, shows the off-payroll working rules remain the number one concern for contractors this year — ahead of finding work and tax increases. The findings point to a lack of Outside IR35 opportunities, alongside risk-averse hiring approaches and blanket bans on limited company contractors — factors contractors told ContractorUK are continuing to undermine the viability of running their own business, despite changes intended to make Outside IR35 safer for clients. Full piece: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dJTMiijC

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We spent a lot of time at DSEI UK discussing contractors, and specifically how hard it's getting to engage them in the UK defence space. Firms are contending with five-day-on-site requirements, regulatory complexities, #IR35 blanket calls, and a UK security clearance backlog. The talent exists and the projects exist, but the issue is how the two connect and how firms can stop their programmes stalling while they wait for the two to align. Mark Davies has pulled some notes together on what’s driving this, and a few ways employers can start untangling the mess. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eVQtcrj8 #defencetech #contractors #defence

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Interesting new report from #UKgov on cyber risks in cloud-based ground segment operations. Worth a read if you’re running TT&C, mission ops, or anything GSaaS related. It looks at the shift toward cloud infrastructure for ground segments and the risks that come with it. A few points jumped out to me: 1. Cloud GSaaS is growing fast No real surprise there as it's a trend throughout IT systems, not just ground segments. It’s (potentially) cheaper, more flexible, and lets you operate globally. But it also opens up new threat vectors you wouldn’t face with on-prem. 2. Legacy systems are a real problem A lot of ground infrastructure still relies on tech never built with cyber in mind. When you plug that into a cloud-native setup, the attack surface gets complicated fast. 3. Responsibility gets blurry in the cloud You might think your cloud provider has it covered. But who’s actually responsible when something goes wrong? Data handling, jurisdiction, incident response. It’s not always clear. 4. Cloud can boost resilience if you do it properly There’s potential for better security if you implement it well. But that takes discipline: proper access control, encryption, workload separation, and good operational hygiene. 5. SMEs are behind the curve Startups and smaller operators don’t always have the in-house expertise or resources (read: funds) to match the cyber maturity of bigger primes. The report makes a good case for better frameworks and support. Including a new certification from UK Space Agency, which is news to me. That said, I don’t think cloud is the answer for everything. For TT&C, long-term data storage, and critical ops, on-prem still makes a lot of sense. You get more control, less exposure, and fewer moving parts. It’s not as flexible, but for high-assurance missions, that trade-off might be worth it. Overall, hybrid models seem to be the way forward. Use the cloud where it adds value, but keep the critical bits local. Design your architecture around your threat model, not around hype, and keep costs from spiralling out of control. I am curious how other operators/GCs are thinking about this. Are you going full cloud, staying on-prem, or somewhere in between? p.s. if you want to have a second pair of eyes look at your ground architecture, and perhaps provide some insights, do reach out to me (DM or via Meridian Space Command). Always happy to chat and see where we can help. Full report here: https://lnkd.in/gMGX2H4u Department for Science, Innovation and Technology - Cyber Security and Digital Identity Directorate #space #cybersecurity #newspace #cloudcomputing #groundsegment #infosec #operations #missioncontrol

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🇬🇧🤖⚓💣 Thales just bagged a 10-million-pound contract with the UK Ministry of Defence to roll out next-gen remote command centers for the Royal Navy’s autonomous minehunting missions. These facilities will use artificial intelligence to help the military track down and destroy sea mines more safely and efficiently. Remote Command Centres will give Royal Navy personnel unprecedented command and control over our autonomous mine hunting systems,” Royal Navy Command Program Director Jonathan Reed-Beviere MSc stated.

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We’re proud to be part of the Maritime Command and Staff Trainer (MCAST) team currently delivering on the ongoing project, with QinetiQ as prime. Over the five-year project we will provide our Exonaut collective training and exercise management platform along with expert services from 4C Strategies military consultants. The platform will be used to support Royal Navy Tier 2 Virtual Collective Training capability, specifically with planning, preparation, execution, observation, assessment, and exploitation of collective training within the synthetic training environment. “We have been working with the Royal Navy Joint Training and Exercise Planning Staff (JTEPS), which primarily operates under the Royal Navy's Fleet Operational Standards & Training (FOST) team, since 2016,” says Paul Steel 4C Strategies VP EMEA Defence. “We’re proud to be working alongside QinetiQ and other MCAST partners, by providing robust exercise management, insight, and assurance that strengthen command-and-control and decision-making, as part of this ongoing project.” 4C Strategies also delivers Exonaut for live domain training under a separate program to JTEPS. We are honoured to deliver continuous, long-term value by enabling the Royal Navy to accelerate readiness through effective collective training. You can see Exonaut in action at #ITEC 2026 in London, April 14-16th at Booth P51. #militarytraining #militaryexercising #readiness #militarysoftware ITEC - International Training Technology Exhibition & Conference

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QinetiQ has secured a £205 million, five-year contract extension from the UK MOD to continue delivering mission-critical engineering support for the Royal Air Force (RAF)’s Typhoon fleet, enhancing aircraft availability, pilot safety, and operational readiness through advanced AI and digital engineering tools. Steve Wadey, Group Chief Executive Officer, QinetiQ: “This contract is a testament to our commitment to the government’s defence as an engine for growth agenda. We’re backing UK businesses, modernising how we deliver and ensuring the operational readiness of our armed forces. Working in close collaboration with the Ministry of Defence, we are investing in cutting-edge technology that increases our productivity and elevates our vital expertise, meaning we can get mission critical capability in to the hands of our warfighters at pace and reduced cost.” Read more 👉: https://lnkd.in/gKgtYVBe #QinetiQ #RoyalAirForce #Typhoon #defenceaviation #militaryaviation #aerospaceengineering #defenceindustry #aiinaviation #avgeek #aviation #MROBT #MROBTnews

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We are delighted to announce that, following a formal tender process, CACI has been accepted onto the Crown Commercial Service's Back Office Software 2 (BOS2) framework.   Being on the BOS2 framework makes it easier and more cost-effective for public sector organisations to procure CACI's range of SaaS, software and technology solutions.   Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ex7_6GNN

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Ask the Recruiters is Back! CND's recruitment team answer more of your questions ⤵️ 📄 Should I use the same CV for every cyber role? ❌ Not quite. Tailor it to highlight the skills and experience that match each job spec.   📈 Can I aim high and apply for senior roles without the experience? ❌ Ambition is great—but be strategic. Show potential, not just credentials.   🔍 Can I rely on job boards to find cyber roles? ❌ They’re a start, but networking and direct outreach often open better doors.   🧪 Can I talk about my home lab in a job interview? ✅ Absolutely. It shows initiative, passion, and hands-on learning.   📚 Should I ask about training and development? ✅ Yes! Employers value candidates who want to grow and evolve. 🤚 Got a question for the recruiters? Comment below or get in touch CND.Recruitment@cndltd.com

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The Hard Truth About Tech Hiring in Defence! I speak to defence tech hiring managers every week and there's a recurring problem: ❌ "We need a DV-cleared DevOps Engineer with 5+ years’ experience and we can offer £55K." That candidate doesn’t exist. And if they did, they’re not looking. The UK defence sector is in a talent war, not just against competitors, but against its own outdated hiring expectations. Here’s the reality: 🔹 DV clearance is not a skillset. It's a vetting status. If you want that and Kubernetes, you’ll pay for both. 🔹 Candidates with DV are limited in where they can work. They often can’t go fully remote, and relocating for £55K isn’t realistic. 🔹 The best cleared tech talent has options and most of them aren’t scrolling job boards. So what works? ✅ Partnering with someone who knows the cleared market. ✅ Understanding where you can flex: Tech stack, salary, or location. ✅ Thinking long-term - hiring for potential and upskilling, especially with veterans. The demand is there. The budget often is too. The strategy? That’s where things fall short. Happy to chat if you want help navigating the DV-cleared tech space. #DefenceTech #DVcleared #VeteranRecruitment #HiringAdvice #CyberSecurity #UKDefence #TechRecruitment

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A big supply-chain cyber attack against Collins Aerospace is affecting airports around Europe this morning: https://lnkd.in/e4bRDpxz I've said this before, but organisations need to be ready for attacks like this. The impacts are huge, and you can't be 100% safe. When an attack occurs, what really matters is how well you can reduce the impact, and how quickly you can recover. Orgs need to take a approach that goes beyond building defences, and think about recovery. My colleagues have written about this: https://lnkd.in/eAtaMrne Whether you're JLR, or Collins Aerospace, or anybody else - now is the time to start preparing for recovery: https://lnkd.in/ehhvq884

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