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• [toc headings="h2" title="Table of Contents"] Recruiting software engineering professionals has never been more of a challenge. The engineering industry is facing a massive skill shortage, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting the developer shortage exceeding 1.2 million by the end of this year. This problem isn't likely to go away any time soon. Industry experts estimate that the global talent shortage could result in $5.5 trillion in economic losses due to delayed projects, lost innovation, and competitive disadvantages. One thing employers can do to attract top IT professionals for their roles is to partner with a specialized software recruitment agency. These companies often have access to passive job seekers and other hidden talent, with thousands of qualified engineers and developers in their candidate networks. If you have a challenging role to fill, the staffing agencies on this list can help you do it faster.

• The top 11 software development recruiters in 2026

• 1. Redfish Technology

• Redfish Technology is a leading technology and IT staffing agency with a particular expertise in connecting companies with highly-skilled software development talent. Founded in 1996, their specialization in hiring software developers is at the heart of their success as a recruiting firm, and they connect clients across the United States with skilled tech professionals at all levels. This long experience working with tech candidates gives them an in-depth understanding of the industry that you won't get from a generalist staffing firm. Redfish's software recruiters work across some of today's fastest growing sectors, including SaaS, cloud solutions, front end, UI/UX, Unix, Linux, database management, storage solutions, networking, and security. Their recruiting process starts with building depth of knowledge about your company, its culture, and the requirements of the role, ensuring they bring you people who are an ideal fit every time. Their engaged search process typically takes four weeks from initial discovery call to offer extension. What sets Redfish apart is their extensive network built over nearly 30 years in the business, including over 30,000 company followers. They utilize AI software combined with a targeted four-touch candidate outreach campaign to source candidates efficiently. Their clients include notable companies such as Rubrik, Hippo Insurance, Human Interest, and SnapLogic. Whether you're searching for backend developers, full-stack engineers, CTOs, or VP of Engineering candidates, Redfish offers retained, engaged, and contingent recruiting solutions with an 86% candidate retention rate and a 60-day refund or replacement guarantee on engaged searches. Read more about Redfish Technology

• 2. The HT Group

• The Business Journal has consistently ranked The HT Group among their top staffing agencies every year since 2004, and that long track record of success is their main advantage as an IT recruiter. Based in Austin, Texas, The HT Group has established itself as a reputable nationwide agency offering a diverse range of services that include management consulting, staffing, and recruiting. Their large talent pool of software, DevOps, e-commerce, and web developers lets them successfully complete searches quickly. As experts in the technology landscape, they understand the training and skills that individuals need to thrive in software engineer roles. They work with their clients to help them refine their requirements, then conduct in-depth interviews and screening to ensure the candidates they send along meet those needs to a T. The HT Group differentiates itself through its relationship-focused approach, emphasizing dedication to both customers and candidates. They offer IT and technical recruiting services including contract, contract-to-hire, and direct-hire terms. Their commitment to operating with a true sense of urgency that matches their clients' needs has made them a go-to resource for companies seeking Austin-based and national IT talent. Their comprehensive offerings span technical staffing, temporary staffing, retained search, direct hire, executive search, management consulting, and advisory services. Read more about The HT Group

• 3. TekRecruiter

• TekRecruiter is a boutique staffing agency headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, that specializes in technology recruitment services. Their mission is to help companies hire the top 1% of tech and IT talent around the world. They accomplish this goal by combining their deep technical specialization with an in-depth screening process that includes technical aptitude tests. What distinguishes TekRecruiter is their status as certified partners with major technology platforms including Google Cloud, Salesforce, and AWS. They offer a comprehensive suite of services including direct hiring for permanent placements, staff augmentation for flexible scaling, and nearshore solutions leveraging talent from Latin America and Europe for cost-effective alternatives without sacrificing quality. Along with software engineering, they work with hiring managers to find high-quality cybersecurity, cloud, DevOps, data, and artificial intelligence talent, along with tech leadership that includes executive search. Their tech-driven approach features account managers with deep technical understanding who can navigate the intricate tech landscape and secure top-notch talent. As a diversity supplier, TekRecruiter is committed to inclusive excellence and DE&I principles. When you partner with TekRecruiter, you'll get access to the best professionals across technology fields, with services spanning custom software development, QA testing, mobile app development, and Salesforce implementations. Read more about TekRecruiter

• 4. Sage Recruiting

• Based in Toronto, Canada, Sage Recruiting has an exclusive focus on filling engineering roles for startup and scale-up tech companies across North America. They have filled more than 1,900 positions in their years of operation, with a candidate database of more than 50,000 resumes that they can draw on to find the perfect person for your opportunity. What makes Sage Recruiting unique is their developer-led approach to recruitment. Their team members come from Computer Science backgrounds and receive training from experienced VPs of Engineering, giving them a deep understanding of software that most recruiting firms lack. They prioritize transparency and ethics, taking time to truly learn your needs before making connections. Their human-centric hiring process brings a personalized approach to each of their searches, and their success building founding engineering teams makes them the top staffing agency for early-stage companies that are looking to hire their first employees. Sage Recruiting offers video-recorded interviews that allow hiring managers to review candidates at their convenience, saving time and helping determine who to interview in person. They work on an exclusive basis, giving clients their full attention throughout the search process. Their candidates complete fewer interviews and receive more offers thanks to detailed interview preparation that includes typical questions and insights about who candidates will meet. Read more about Sage Recruiting

• 5. Nexus IT Group

• With a presence in major cities across the United States and Canada, including Chicago, Boston, New York, Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, Toronto, and Vancouver, Nexus IT Group helps tech companies find the IT professionals they need to succeed. Their clients include everything from new startups to Fortune 500 companies, including major names like CapitalOne and Amazon. What sets Nexus IT Group apart is that they were built by IT recruiters who understand technology at a fundamental level. This positions them at the intersection of technology and recruiting, delivering results-driven IT staffing services. They fill a variety of roles in the software development niche, including software engineers, mobile developers, JavaScript developers, application architects, AI engineers, and any other open positions you have on your software team. Nexus IT Group offers multiple service models including contract services, direct placement, IT executive search, and recruitment as a service. Their practice areas span AI engineering, cloud, cybersecurity, data science, DevOps and SRE, digital marketing, fintech, government IT, healthcare IT, private equity, and startup recruiting. They are also committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, making them a valuable partner for companies prioritizing diverse hiring. Read more about Nexus IT Group

• 6. Remote Crew

• For companies that are specifically focused on filling remote jobs in software development, Remote Crew is a dedicated IT recruiter based in Lisbon, Portugal who can help you meet your hiring goals. They specialize in helping tech startups and scale-ups hire the best remote talent from Europe and South America, with a strong network in Portugal, Brazil, and across the EU and Latin America. They offer a variety of solutions for different hiring needs. Their recruiter-as-a-service option is ideal for temporary, project-based recruitment, providing a dedicated tech recruiter to fill open roles. They also have a talent partner service that gives clients advice to optimize their hiring process and develop a more effective recruiting strategy. Their contract-based staffing solutions can bring you technical experts in software engineering, DevOps, and other critical areas within 48 hours to first candidate. Remote Crew boasts impressive metrics: a 90-day guarantee on placements, 90%+ of candidates passing first-stage screening, and a 99% approval rate for hires that passed probation in the last five years. With over 250 developers placed at more than 70 companies—including clients like Hubstaff, Superside, and LetsGetChecked—and access to over 10,000 vetted engineers, they deliver qualified candidates in days rather than weeks. Read more about Remote Crew

• 7. Stout Systems

• Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Stout Systems is unique in that it's a software development company in addition to a technical staffing firm. Founded in 1993, this allows them to deliver a breadth of services to clients that other staffing agencies can't provide. Their tagline, "Fueled by Human Intelligence," reflects their emphasis on personal connections over automated processes. As contingency recruiters, they deliver results by focusing on relationships, building lasting connections with both job seekers and companies. They also provide contract staffing solutions for short-term workforce needs. Since they're a software development organization as well, they understand what a technology company looks for in their next hire at a deeper level, and deliver that consistently with a personal touch. What truly differentiates Stout Systems is their rigorous 21-point screening process. Unlike most temp services that simply look for keywords on resumes, Stout borrows talent from their own software development team to conduct live, over-the-phone technical interviews with all candidates. While this may reduce the number of candidates they present, it significantly increases quality—ensuring that every candidate they submit is genuinely worth interviewing. Their clients span industries including engineering, manufacturing, education, healthcare IT, marketing, and entertainment, with services that range from small non-profits to Fortune 100 companies. Read more about Stout Systems

• 8. RedShift Recruiting

• Co-founded by a former CIO, the software engineering recruiters at RedShift Recruiting have a depth of technology expertise that you won't find from just any staffing firm, with over 40 years of experience in the technology world. Based in Castleton, New York, RedShift leverages this insider knowledge to form strategic partnerships with both clients and job seekers. Their extensive network of job seekers have the in-demand skills employers need in their workforce, from expertise in today's top programming languages like JavaScript, Python, Java, Go, and C# to emerging technologies like AI and VR. Every search they undertake is backed by a placement guarantee, and their commitment to finding the right candidate for each role is what has made them the top recruiter in New York state. RedShift provides staffing solutions for a broad range of developer roles, including software developers, software engineers, web developers, front end developers, UX/UI designers, full stack engineers, and web designers. They also staff many other roles for IT professionals, including database administrators, network administrators, IT project managers, and security engineers. Their staffing services extend across multiple industries including IT, cybersecurity, engineering, manufacturing, logistics, and legal staffing, making them a versatile partner for companies with diverse technical hiring needs. Read more about RedShift Recruiting

• 9. CalTek Staffing

• CalTek Staffing has more than 20 years of experience helping businesses find the right engineering and IT talent for their technical staffing needs. Founded in 2002 by two professional recruiters, CalTek has become the IT and engineering employment firm that companies turn to for their technical hiring needs. Based in San Diego, they have expanded their business operations throughout all of California and into Colorado, Georgia, Texas, Arizona, and Washington. While they've worked with international corporations like Parsons, Siemens, and Illumina, their talent acquisition services can be an asset for companies of all sizes and in a range of industries, including aerospace, automotive, chemical, civil, computer, defense, electronics, medical/pharmaceutical, oil and gas, semiconductor, and telecommunications. CalTek's capabilities have grown significantly to include software recruitment, IT staffing, engineering, hardware, manufacturing, CNC machinist, civil engineering, machine learning, HVAC, maintenance technician, MEP, quality control, and robotics staffing. Their clients consistently praise their ability to locate engineers and designers on short notice, usually outperforming competition by sending qualified candidates within 48-72 hours. If you have an engineering recruiting need, CalTek Staffing has the capability to help you hire the absolute best. Read more about CalTek Staffing

• 10. 180 Engineering

• 180 Engineering was founded with a mission: to help engineering-based companies find solutions to the common flaws in their talent acquisition strategy, something their founder had seen first-hand as a business leader. With over 15 years of experience recruiting software engineering professionals, they've become a trusted partner for companies across the Midwest, with offices serving Akron, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Madison, and Milwaukee. Their applicants go through a rigorous screening process that assesses both their technical skills and their cultural fit before their resume is sent along to the client. Where many staffing firms are ill-equipped to understand the complexities of development technology and programming languages, 180 Engineering's recruiters know the niche industry jargon and nuanced differences between positions. Their assessment doesn't stop with the resume—every software engineering candidate passes a thorough interview with a technical recruiter who verifies proficiency in languages such as C/C++, Java, JavaScript, C#, .NET and concepts such as OOD/OOP. 180 Engineering offers multiple service models including direct hire, contract staffing, consulting services, payroll services, and retained search. They recruit for roles including backend engineers, embedded software engineers, firmware engineers, front-end engineers, full-stack engineers, software engineering managers, and UI/UX developers. Their clients include notable companies like Caterpillar, Pfizer, Steris, Penumbra, and Harman. When you partner with 180 Engineering, you can rest assured that you'll connect with an experienced developer or engineer who is ready to make an impact from day one. Read more about 180 Engineering

• 11. Lupa Hire

• Lupa Hire is widely recognized as one of the most reliable platforms for connecting businesses with highly skilled developers across Latin America. Their strong track record comes from their ability to source vetted software, mobile, DevOps, and AI developers quickly and efficiently. With access to a large talent pool across LATAM—spanning Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Costa Rica, and more—they help companies scale their engineering teams without the long hiring timelines. What sets Lupa Hire apart is their consultative approach, which they call "The Lupa Way." Rather than focusing on speed and volume like traditional recruiters, they prioritize real partnerships, outstanding candidates, and costs that make better business sense. Their process includes deep consultation to understand your business and team, pre-search research to map the right talent, precision search with careful review of each candidate, and thorough candidate assessment that goes beyond resumes to understand each person's story. Lupa Hire offers three flexible solutions: recruiting where they find talent and you hire directly, staffing where they handle contracts and payroll, and RPO solutions where they embed recruiters within your team. Their clients include notable companies such as Rappi, Globant, Google, IBM, and Capital One. With over 300 global clients and more than 1,000 candidates successfully placed, companies using Lupa report spending 40% less on hiring compared to doing it themselves while accessing premium talent that delivers exceptional value. Read more about Lupa Hire

• Benefits of working with a software development recruiting agency

• We've already talked about one of the major benefits of working with a software development recruiting firm: they can help you hire developers and programmers you need to complete your projects and drive business growth. Access to talent is the main reason many companies choose to partner with a staffing agency for sourcing qualified software engineers. This isn't the only benefit of working with a recruiter, however. Here are some other reasons you may want to work with a recruiting firm to fill your next coding openings.

• Lower recruitment cost

• This might seem counter-intuitive. After all, when you use a recruiter, you'll need to pay them for their services. Most staffing agencies are paid on a commission basis, earning a percentage of the new hire's first-year salary for their services. Depending on the qualifications required for the software engineer role, this could mean paying $20,000 or more to fill a single opportunity. While this may seem like a high price tag at first glance, many companies find it is still less than their in-house recruitment costs once they account for details like the payroll costs for talent acquisition professionals and the loss of productivity from a long-running vacancy. The insights gained from market analysis and candidate assessment also add significant value. Once these factors are taken into account, many organizations ultimately spend less per hire when they use a recruiter than when they conduct the search in-house.

• Faster hiring process

• Software development recruiting firms don't wait until they start a search to connect with professionals. They maintain a network of both active job seekers and passive candidates that they can reach out to when they have coding openings that will be a good fit for them. This gives them a head start on the process when your company hires them to fill a role and that can be a big time-saver. While there are a range of factors that affect the speed of the hiring process, many staffing agencies can send along a list of potential programmers within a matter of days, much faster than most companies can connect with talent on their own.

• Higher overall quality of applications

• When you post a job to a platform like LinkedIn or Indeed, you'll get responses from a wide range of applicants--and not all of them will have the qualifications and coding skills required for your role. What's more, the top software engineers are in high demand, and often don't need to actively search for new roles. This can mean you're missing out on the best IT talent, and will need to spend more time sifting through low-quality resumes to find the right new hire. Recruiters have existing relationships with highly-skilled programmers. This includes individuals who aren't actively in a job search but are open to the right role when it comes along. They also conduct thorough assessment of candidates' technical abilities before sending them along to clients. The end result is that you'll only see candidates who meet your needs, and will often be able to hire better long-term employees than if you conduct the hiring process on your own.

• Choosing the right recruiting agency for your hiring needs

• You wouldn't hire a new software engineer without conducting an interview, and the same wisdom holds true when you're looking for a recruiter. Doing research into software development recruiting agencies is just the first step. Once you've identified a firm that you think will fit your needs, it's important to have a conversation with them about your company and role before you decide to bring them on to the search. Some of the questions you should ask during this conversation include:

  • What was the last developer position you filled in this niche? How much experience do you have filling this type of role?
  • What are the major steps in your recruitment process, from sourcing to onboarding, and how will you communicate your progress through those steps with our company?
  • What technical qualifications and insights do you look for in candidates for this type of position? How do you assess candidates before sending them along to hiring managers?
  • What is your typical timeline to fill software engineering openings? How soon can I expect to see a short-list of resumes or candidates?
  • Do you offer a placement guarantee? What are the terms of it, if so?
  This initial conversation is also an excellent opportunity to learn more about the recruiter's communication style, personality, and how you'll work together throughout the hiring process. The bottom line is, software development recruiting is a challenge, and staffing shortages can prevent businesses from reaching their full potential. With an experienced tech recruiter on your side, you can overcome your talent woes to meet all of your business goals.