Our Clients
Latest Vacancies
Specialists in
-
Aerospace and Defence
KDC Resource has been operating in the aerospace and defence sector since 2002. We work with the world’s leading defence and civil aerospace companies to source and place high quality permanent and contract talent. We understand organisations like these need the finest engineering talent in order to help them develop some of the most sophisticated technologies in the world. We are currently engaged in finding leading technical talent for projects – among others – that are linked to the national defence of the United Kingdom. Our specialist team have successfully supported our clients find leading talent for roles across: Part 21 J, Certification, Cabin Interiors, Design, Avionics Design, Structures, Electrical Design, Compliance Verification Engineer (CVE), Head of Design, Airworthiness and EASA. KDC Resource is actively working on similar roles requiring industry leading professionals to fulfil roles at all levels. Scroll down to learn more. Or if you’d like to partner with KDC to support your talent search then click here to learn more.
View jobs -
Space
The private Space sector is relatively young. The decommissioning of the Space Shuttle Programme was an opportunity for private businesses to support NASA with its operations both in orbit and beyond. Elsewhere in the world organisations are pioneering new satellite technologies, unmanned probes and innovative new ways to combat space junk. KDC Resource are proud to be working with a number of these organisations providing highly skilled technical talent into Flight Dynamics, AOCS, Earth Observation, GNSS, Mission Operations, Ground Segment and Payload. Our specialist recruitment consultants are actively searching for industry leading professionals to fulfil roles at all levels including Systems Engineers, Payload Engineers, AOCS Engineers, Product Assurance Engineers, RF Engineers and Control Engineers. Or if you’d like to partner with KDC to support your talent search then click here to learn more.
View jobs -
Emerging and Disruptive Technologies
The world is always changing and that brings new opportunities and new innovations. At KDC Resource, our emerging and disruptive technologies team works with organisations that upset the status quo. Whether that’s how we travel or how we use technology to revolutionise mundane tasks. We have recruited for roles across the eVTOL, Urban Mobility, Electric Vehicle, Drone, Energy, Battery Technology, Autonomous Systems and Composite Structure markets. Including roles such as Battery Systems Engineers, Flight Control Law Engineers, AI Software Developers, Prototype Engineers, Autonomous System Engineers, and Safety and Reliability Engineers. Our specialist recruitment consultants are actively searching for industry leading professionals to fulfil roles at all levels. Or if you’d like to partner with KDC to support your talent search then click here to learn more.
View jobs -
Cyber Security
Cybersecurity is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. Cyberattacks are becoming increasingly common and businesses of all sizes are struggling to muster a meaningful defence. There are genuine concerns that critical infrastructure could be targeted by hackers or by enemy states in event of a conflict. Which is why finding the best cyber security and technology specialists takes experts. We are proud to work with some of the market leaders in this vital industry to find top tier candidates to fulfil cybersecurity roles at every level. Roles we recruit for include: Penetration Testers, Ethical Hackers, Security Analysts, Cyber Security Architects, Software Engineers, Technical Project Managers, AI Engineers, Sales Managers and Cyber Account Executives. Our specialist recruitment consultants are actively searching for industry leading professionals to fulfil roles at all levels. Or if you’d like to partner with KDC to support your talent search then click here to learn more.
View jobs
What people are saying
What we do
We work with industry leaders in aerospace, defence, space, emerging and disruptive technology and cyber security to source the best technical and engineering talent on the market.
Our specialist recruitment consultants are trained to find the right mix of skills, experience and personality to ensure the perfect placement for candidate and client.
Over 150,000 candidates trust us to manage and fulfil their career aspirations.
We’re committed to giving candidates and clients the best possible recruitment experience. That’s why KDC Resource is accredited by the REC & AUG and certified to BS EN ISO 9001 standard.
Latest News
-
How Hiring has Changed?
A few years ago, finding great people to join an organisation relied on a few simple tactics. Post ads in the local or national newspapers, as well as any industry magazines. Then call through the list of candidates that you’ve already spoken to a dozen times before. Occasionally it would yield results but more often than not you’d either have to put up with a subpar candidate – because no one else applied – or coaxing someone away from a role they were happy in for more money. Then the internet happened. Websites and job boards sprang up and suddenly recruitment became a little more inbound. Candidates were coming to recruiters and hiring managers and that allowed databases to be established and to consistently grow. This opened businesses to a much wider talent pool which meant better quality hires. But it wasn’t without its problems. CVs were (and are) static documents which meant they quickly fell out of date and recruiters had no way of knowing who was still on the market or who had found a new position. Or who had sold up and gone to live in a cabin in the woods. But the internet was just the beginning. The Internet of Things The proliferation of the internet resulted in tools and platforms for candidates and recruiters alike to use in order to advertise and apply for roles faster and more effectively than ever before. Websites like Jobsite allows candidates to set up profile that showcases their experience and personality and allows recruiters to find them and make swift contact. LinkedIn upped the ante by giving users a global network of businesses and professionals that they otherwise wouldn’t know existed. The job market effectively became international with opportunities coming from all over the world. It also allowed recruiters and hiring managers to find candidates who were both actively looking for a new role and who’s work experience was up to date. And often appended with additional qualifications, certifications, recommendations and endorsements. It serves as a living record and – to an extent. A verification method that the individual can do what they say they can. The downside is it’s very easy for LinkedIn users to ignore recruiters. As is their right, but it’s a little frustrating when there’s a great role they could be perfect for on offer. The other downside is that it’s staggeringly easy to get friends to endorse you for all your claimed abilities. Equally modern job boards serve as gateways to an almost unlimited supply of candidates. Providing you know how to leverage the host of features; businesses can be put in touch with their perfect candidate in a matter of days and complete the process in weeks. Instead of months of painful and often fruitless advertising. Technology Mobile technology transformed the recruitment business. Emails on phones, job board apps and LinkedIn mean that recruiters went can get a response in a couple of hours. Instead of waiting a day or more in the past. Candidates can respond to or apply for opportunities faster than ever before. And thanks to the advent of cloud storage, they now often have their CV within easy reach too, meaning recruiters can progress applications the same day. The downside for the recruiter is the candidate expects the same kind of response. Which is difficult because they are often the middle link in the chain, trying to get two separate parties to align. Even internal recruiters struggle with this issue. On average, 82% of candidates expect to hear back about a role they have applied for but only 29% ever do. But as the internet has became more ubiquitous, the technology underpinning it has improved, providing even more tools to make the hiring process less complicated. Faster connection speeds and more powerful computers means that it’s also much easier to arrange interviews – or at least first stage interviews – over video calls. Zoom, Skype and Google Hangouts all allow businesses and candidates to have a conversation, wherever they are in the world. There are obvious huge cost savings if the candidate lives in another country - or even the other end of the country. Plus, there’s inevitably an awkward conversation to be had if someone you flew out for a first interview doesn’t make the cut. Video calls avoid all those problems. Of course, there are drawbacks. Poor internet connection can render the technology useless. And there really is no substitute for meeting the person in real life. As a first interview tool, video calls are effective, providing you keep it focused to can they – at a basic level – do the job and are they pleasant to talk to. If the answer to both those questions is yes, then that’s when you get them on a plane. Culture For all the technological leaps that make it easier and faster to find candidates and move them through the process, the biggest shift has been the emphasis on culture. Turning up and doing the job day after day holds very little interest for the modern workforce. Jobs aren’t for life anymore. Especially if the individual doesn’t feel valued or like they’re making any meaningful contribution. Employers are starting to think along the same lines too. They don’t want clock watchers or people who see their organisation as a steppingstone. They want people who are motivated, passionate and committed to the cause. To make the difference they so desperately want to make. We’ve seen incredible candidates on paper get turned down by some of our most prestigious and exciting clients because they weren’t a good cultural fit. It’s a hard thing to tell a candidate. That they didn’t get their dream job because – basically – the hiring manager didn't like them very much. Obviously, we’re more diplomatic than that when providing feedback but that’s what it boils down to. Recognising that the culture of a company is what holds the company together – not an alpha leader type or huge profits while driving down the cost to operate – is a seismic change. As recruiters we now must consider the type of person we’re speaking to on the phone, not just whether they can do the job. The reality is the industry is changing all the time. As the new generation of recruiters and candidates come of age, the methods used to communicate will change too. Some of the most successful recruiters in the industry never pick up their phones. Simply because they don’t need to. They have worked out where their candidates hang out and how they like to be communicated with. As a result, they do all their recruitment through Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and forums. It’s unconventional but it works. It’s unlikely that some of more accepted approaches – like a good old-fashioned phone call or email – will ever truly disappear. It will just evolve. But as company culture changes – and employees feel greater freedom to take a phone call from a recruiter, rather than guilty, it will get easier to reach out to them about opportunities, not harder. KDC Resource are expert technical recruiters in to the Aerospace & Defence, Space, Emerging Technologies and Cyber Security sectors. If you’re looking for a new role upload your CV today. Alternatively, if you have requirements you need supporting in filling, contact us and a member of the team will be in touch.
-
Ransomware are attacks on the Rise – what can be done?
A casual Google search for ransomware attacks will throw up a deluge of news stories, all of them from over the last few weeks (at time of writing). At the start of June 2019, the UK based Eurofins Scientific were forced to pay out after a ransomware attack crippled the business. It was so serious the Police suspended working with them until their systems had been brought under control and secured. Eurofins have declined to specify the amount they paid but presumably it was worth it compared to the potential loss of revenue caused by the various Police forces suspending their contracts. At the end of June, the Florida town of Lake City paid $500,000 to hackers after a ransomware attack disabled public services. Two weeks prior the town of Riviera Beach dolled out $600,000 in a similar attack. A court in the state of Georgia also fell foul of a similar attack, locking out access to online records. Servers were disconnected to quarantine the affected files. The court states that no personal information was affected. In Baltimore, Ohio and Indiana all had to suspend public services due to a ransomware attack. For Baltimore it was the second attack using the RobbinHood ransomware in a 3-month period. The first attack cost the Baltimore City $18.2 million in losses and more than a week to get things back up and running. And today news broke that the UK based first aid charity, St John’s Ambulance was the victim of a ransomware attack. Data relating to course bookings was locked out for the organisation and included names, contact details, payment information and even driving license details. Stand and Deliver This sharp rise in ransomware attacks is being facilitated by developers releasing SDKs faster than public services and private businesses can react to keep their networks safe. Coupled with the high proportion of breaches caused by human error and it makes the conditions favourable for hackers. And it’s costing the economy a fortune. Some affected businesses claim it’s costing tens of thousands a day in lost revenue. Even more for larger organisations. It has effectively become the modern form of highway robbery with businesses or individuals vulnerable to attack at any time of the day or night. Once a vulnerability is identified hackers don’t need to ask for large sums of money. Few businesses will cough up millions – or even hundreds of thousands – preferring to spend that money on someone to recover the data. However, a few thousand here or there? It’s cheaper than risking the loss of data or the loss of revenue. As a result, hackers are cleaning up and effectively declaring open hunting season on private and public organisations alike. Although there is an obvious trend of targeting organisations that: Are big enough to have enough employees that a reasonable IT infrastructure will exist. Can reasonably be assumed to have a sufficent funds to pay the ransom. Won’t necessarily have the most robust cyber security in place. Put all these things together and you’ve got an organisation ripe for the taking. But for some it’s not about the money. As the quote goes – ‘some [people] just want to watch the world burn’. In 2017 the Petya ransomware was released and decimated some of the world’s biggest companies. It was assumed that those behind it were out to make big money, like any other ransomware attack. Petya works like most other ransomware, but for one key difference. It doesn’t let you pay the ransom. According to Microsoft the malware hit 64 countries and according to security researchers the people behind the attacks wouldn’t have been able to unlock the encrypted files even if their victims could pay the ransom. The indiscriminate nature of Petya (and spin offs like Bad Rabbit) is unusual but not unheard of. Ransomware puts businesses and government bodies at major risk, facing either losing data – and their ability to operate – or a fortune in heard earned revenue. Either way it spells disaster for organisations with vulnerable networks. Marshalling Defences According to The Register, the most common causes of data breaches effecting Fortune 500 companies are system glitches, malicious attack or human errors. Although that last one is often following a malicious attack. And as soon as one attack is successful further attacks follow, making it harder and harder for an organisation to maintain its security with any kind of efficacy. The more data that gets encrypted and rendered useless, or sold on the dark web, the more the business will suffer and slip further towards collapse. Traditional counter measures are built around the old cyber kill chain of reconnaissance, exploitation and exfiltration. However now attacks focus more on opportunity, exploration, arbitrary action. Hackers no longer need to get in and get out with their ill-gotten gains. They can sit there for days or weeks, waiting for the right time to strike. This means cyber security needs to be active, not passive. If an active agent is on your network, lurking, then traditional measures will likely ignore it. Threats will evolve as privacy laws change and will inevitable move towards artificial intelligences like Google’s search engines. Data integrity attacks – in which data is manipulated and altered – before it reaches its recipient will destroy reputations, wiping billions off a company’s value. The same effect as ransomware but without the company knowing they’re a victim until it’s too late. In reality, if a hacker really wants to break into your network then they will. Unless it becomes too expensive, verses the reward, then they’ll go elsewhere. But assuming a concerted attack on any given network is likely, businesses need to be doing all they can to deter an attack and minimise the damage in the event of its success. So – using the 3-2-1 rule for backs ups will help protect key systems and records. Training team members to be sufficiently aware of suspicious emails, URL or questionable looking attachments, all of which can be used to deliver ransomware. And limiting access to certain administrative tools so only authorised personnel can access key areas. The principle of least privilege may frustrate the more tech savvy employees, but a little grumbling is worth the extra protection it affords. Especially – as we’ve noted already – half of data breaches are down to human error. Network segmentation can also help to keep those business-critical drives and files safe from an attack. Although we’re confident that artificial intelligence will overtake convention network security software in the coming years, it’s important that organisations make sure they are doing all they can to protect themselves now. All the indications are that ransomware and other attacks will continue to grow, especially as more and more organisations are choosing to pay the money. Despite law enforcement’s attempts to convince people otherwise. Although when faced with a choice of a few thousand in ransom or the potential loss of your entire organisation’s data, it’s easy to see why those organisations mentioned above made the decisions they did. Which paves the way for much bolder, more devastating attacks in the future. KDC Resource are expert recruiters of technical and engineering talent into the Cyber Security sector. If you are looking for a new role click here to view our vacancies or upload your CV today. Alternatively, if you’re looking for cyber security experts to join your team, register your details and a member of the team will be in touch to discuss your requirements.
-
Air Efficiency Concepts
The Flying V – that we wrote about here – is a dramatic design intended to tackle the major issues facing the aerospace industry. The need for high capacity aircraft, with low operational costs, that consume less fuel and reduce emissions. This is especially challenging when you consider that – usually – when you make something bigger, in order to carry more people or cargo, it gets heavier. Which uses more fuel and increases emissions. So, essentially the airlines are asking the impossible. But when has the impossible ever stopped an engineer? Aerospace companies around the world are working hard to devise new aircraft that can meet those needs and fit within the existing infrastructure of airports. Here are some of our favourites: Aurora Flight Sciences D8 You’d be forgiven for thinking Aurora Flight’s D8 is some kind of seafaring creature, or more at home in a cult science fiction franchise set in a galaxy far far away. The ‘double bubble’ fuselage is quite alien compared to the more traditional craft. However, the wider fuselage allows a smaller, lower drag wing and tail. Developed in partnership with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the D8 has boundary-layer-ingestion (BLI) propulsion. This new technology could reduce fuel burn by 8.5% and works by positioning the engines closer to the fuselage to take in the slower moving boundary-layer of air that flows around the aircraft. Using slower air means the engine doesn’t have to work, allowing a lower fuel burn. The engines are embedded in the top of the aft fuselage where they ingest the boundary layer and reenergize the wake to reduce drag. But wake-filling propulsion requires distortion-tolerant fans to cope with the turbulent air entering the engines. The non-circular, dual lobe cabin, will provide a twin-aisle layout but the fuselage cross-section requires a unique composite structure which could make it expensive to produce. It’s also not clear if Aurora is still developing the craft as NASA’s funding for the project stopped at the end of 2018 and the D8 page has been removed from Aurora’s site. Whether or not the plane has been scrapped, the design is one worth pursuing. Onera Nova Onera clearly agrees as their own experimental aircraft – the Nova – is inspired by the D8’s distinctive design. With a more pronounced nose, it has the profile of a mink whale and has a similar wide lifting fuselage and BLI propulsion. Whereas the D8’s engines are mounted on the aft of the plane, the Nova’s are embedded inside the rear fuselage, with inlets on the sides rather than the top, where they ingest 40% of the fuselage boundary layer. The aircraft is being designed to carry 180 passengers over 3,000 nautical miles at Mach 0.85 – or 652 miles per hour. Almost 100 miles an hour faster than current designs, it also has a comparable range to the Boeing 737-800. With far lower fuel consumption. Unlike the D8 it has downward facing winglets for improved stability and a standard T-tail over the weight reducing pi tail. Airbus Nautilius The Nautilius concept is almost an evolution of the Nova and the D8. Airbus’ concept is significantly larger with the fuselage narrowing to two stings on which the nacelles are mounted. The intention being is to maximize ingestion of the fuselage boundary layer while minimizing azimuthal distortion of flow into the fans. Driven by gas turbines or electric motors installed upstream of these propulsors, the fans ingest 100% of the fuselage boundary layer with minimum distortion, maximizing the drag saving. Airbus have been experimenting with some fairly cutting-edge designs for years. In 2010 they raised eyebrows with a concept with peculiar shaped wings and engines that were fully integrated into the fuselage. They also patented a design of plane in which the passenger compartment was a separate entity to the plane itself. The idea being the passenger compartment could be lifted out and ‘docked’ with the terminal, allowing the plane to be moved to the next, ready for a fresh compartment to be lowered into place. The compartment could also be ejected in the event of critical system failure or hijacking. It’s unlikely that these features will make it into an aircraft any time soon, however. Wright Electric M-Star Representing the electric future of commercial flight, Wright Electric is developing a 180-seat electric airliner for short routes such as London-Paris. The distinctive M shaped wing assembly – upon which is mounted arrays of electric fans gives it a distinctive and ‘near-future’ look that will appeal to airlines and passengers alike. It also sports a V-tail with a third bank of electric fans situated between for additional thrust and boundary layer ingestion to reduce drag. Wright Electric is working exclusively with budget UK airline EasyJet currently but – if the aircraft is successful – it’s hard to see that exclusivity lasting long. Even if Wright Electric produce a variant for general sale. The current range of the M-Star sits around 310 miles making it ideal for use across Europe. EasyJet expect the M-Star to start flying their London to Amsterdam service. As their second busiest route this would make a huge difference in terms of reducing emissions. What isn’t clear is how long the M-Star would take to recharge and what adverse weather could do to the range. Onera Dragon The Dragon concept – according to Onera – is an answer to the standards imposed by Europe and to meet the challenges associated with fuel consumption and emissions. Under Europe’s Clean Sky 2 aeronautics research program, Onera has developed the Dragon concept which features distributed hybrid-electric propulsion. By using 20 electric ducted fans under each wing, the Dragon can carry 150 passengers at Mach 0.8. The positioning of the fans along the trailing edge avoids interference with airflow over the wing and increasing transonic drag. The fans are powered by two turbo-generators mounted on the rear fuselage, burning kerosene to generate the electricity needed to power the fans. Blowing the fan exhaust over small wing trailing-edge flaps provides high lift for take-off and landing. This hybrid design would reduce fuel consumption by 25% for an 870-mile flight. So – if this design could be scaled up – on long distance flights the fuel, emission and cost reductions would be significant. It’s reasonable to assume that not all these designs will make it into production. At least not in their current forms. But, whether it’s the Flying-V, the D8 or the Dragon – or all of them – the next few years could see some incredibly designed aircraft taking to the skies. If you’re looking for a new role in aerospace upload your CV today or check out our vacancies. Alternatively, if you’re looking for top technical and engineering talent in the aerospace sector, register your details with us and a member of the team will get in touch.
-
The EASA announces framework to develop VTOL aircraft
On the 2nd July 2019 the EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) announced a framework to enable safe operation of hybrid and electric VTOL aircraft. It’s welcome news for businesses working in this emerging market as current frameworks don’t accommodate the sheer variety of aircraft in development and could lead to arbitrary classifcation. Which could lead to an unfair competitive adge. The current regulatory framework was designed with fixed wing, rotorcraft, balloons and sailplanes in mind. Propulsion was also provided by piston or turbine engines, using fossil fuels. The emergence of new technology isn’t also easy to predict so it is no surprise that the current framework doesn’t accommodate aircraft of this type. There was just no way of knowing that air travel could become not only a viable alternative to conventional transport but partially or wholly electrically driven. With the passenger drone and VTOL markets heating up it was no doubt a welcome relief for the manufacturers. After all, they were essentially developing aircraft that weren’t legally allowed to fly, let alone carry passengers. What does the Framework Say? According to the EASA: The framework applies to person-carrying VTOL heavier-than-air aircraft in the small category, with lift/thrust units used to generate powered lift and control. The small category covers aircraft with a passenger seating configuration of 9 or less and a maximum certified take-off mass up to 3175 kg. The certification objectives are made dependent on the type of operation in order to provide flexibility and proportionally and also to give a clear visibility to the industry of the objectives for their designs. Two certification categories are introduced in this special condition namely Basic and Enhanced and are linked to the intended type of operations. A direct relationship between airworthiness and types of operations already exist, for example when certifying for VFR or IFR operations. Introducing this additional link provides greater scalability in setting safety objectives and allows to assign the highest safety levels of Category Enhanced to protection of third-parties when flying over congested areas and commercial air transport of passengers. The operational rules can then be built on demonstrated aircraft safety levels and adapted as necessary to local particularities. The Agency engaged with its international partners in order to work together towards achieving common standards. What does this mean? Although explained in the full document – which can be downloaded here – it outlines how hybrid and eVTOL are permitted to operate. It’s clear at this stage the EASA doesn’t foresee these kinds of craft as a viable form of mass conveyance. Nine people isn’t inconsiderable and certainly bigger than the average family, but it wouldn’t be much use to anyone other than schools taking students on a short residential. Although Uber and other organisations will likely see the earning potential in ferrying small groups of executives to meetings and the like. Where it does open up potential for, however, is emergency services. Police and ambulance VTOL craft could be exactly what are needed to overcome worsening traffic conditions and stretching response times. Flying above the streets rather than trying to fight their way through could make all the difference. There is also a huge emphasis on safety. This is entirely understandable. Light aircraft and helicopters don’t have the best safety records so any organisation that offered either VTOL or automated VTOL aircraft as a transport solution needs to be confident lives won’t be put at risk. The framework covers what the EASA expects from the aircraft in the event of emergencies and how manufacturers can protect passengers. From a sales and marketing standpoint, reassuring potential customers/passengers will be pivotal to encourage early adoption and a strong foothold in the market. How does it impact on manufacturers? For manufacturers of fixed wing and other conventional aircraft – very little. For eVTOL market it’s welcome news indeed as up to now their aircraft could not progress beyond the experimental stage – no matter how many investors they found or how many pre-orders. It’s also a big step towards a future in which eVTOL craft will become a common place form of transport. Or at least that’s what the eVTOL trailblazers are banking on. However, now there’s a framework in place it will act as the proverbial starter’s pistol for some of the bigger aerospace companies to begin heavily investing in this new market. While some – like Airbus – have been actively developing a prototype, others have been spending their money purely in an ‘investigative’ capacity. Essentially determining the viability of the hybrid and eVTOL solutions without getting in too deep. Few aerospace companies can afford a misstep in a market of tightening margins and unpredictable sales. The EASA’s announcement will force those companies either commit or cut their losses. Or start buying up the smaller outfits in an effort to keep up with – or overtake – the major players. There’s a real possibility that the market is going to undergo a great deal of change as businesses rise, fall or get absorbed into others. How the sector looks in 12 months’ time will be very different to how it looks now. Regardless, we can expect to see development of the various hybrid and eVTOL craft speed up significantly as the European market has essentially had the ‘open for business’ sign hung on the door. Realistically we’re still couple of years away from any form of VTOL craft being commercially available and it’ll be a couple more years before there’s any kind of mass market adoption. However, the framework is a huge step towards a future where flying cars are not only a reality but commonplace. KDC Resource are actively working with a number of organisations working in the eVTOL space, actively working on the next generation in transportation. If you’re looking for an exciting new opportunity, then upload your CV today. Or if you’re looking for top technical talent and would like support in filling your requirements, we want to hear from you. Contact us and a member of the team will get back to you.
