Three Services. One Philosophy.
Every engagement starts with clarity. Whether you need to define the role, fill it, or both, the Role Clarity Assessment is the foundation.
Service 1
Role Clarity Assessment
Standalone diagnostic for companies that need to define a senior engineering role before deciding how to fill it.
For companies that need to define a senior engineering role before deciding how to fill it. The RCA is a structured 10-dimension diagnostic that produces a comprehensive report covering:
The 10 Dimensions
1. Context & Current Need
Why this role exists and what prompted the hiring need
2. Role Definition & Scope
Clarifying what this role actually does day-to-day
3. Success Criteria & Expectations
How you will know if this hire is successful
4. Team & Reporting Structure
Understanding where this role fits in the organization
5. Signal Audit: Clarity of Need
Assessing whether the hiring need is clearly understood
6. Signal Audit: Role Boundaries
Clarifying where this role starts and stops
7. Signal Audit: Hiring Risk Factors
Identifying potential sources of misalignment in the hiring process
8. Candidate Profile Alignment
Ensuring your ideal candidate profile matches the actual role needs
9. Employer Self-Assessment
Your honest evaluation of readiness to hire successfully
10. Readiness & Engagement
Understanding what you hope to gain from this assessment
Deliverable
A written report you keep and use however you choose, whether you search with Synterra, another firm, or internally.
Ideal for: Companies unsure whether they need to hire, promote, or restructure. The RCA answers that question before you spend $50K finding out the hard way.
Service 2
Engaged Executive Search
Engineering Leaders in A&D & Advanced Manufacturing
For companies ready to hire a senior engineering leader and willing to invest in getting it right. Every Engaged Search begins with a Role Clarity Assessment; the engagement fee IS the diagnostic.
What's Included
Full Role Clarity Assessment (10 dimensions)
Targeted sourcing through clearance-verified networks
3–5 pre-qualified candidates scored against RCA dimensions
Interview coordination & offer negotiation support
90-day performance guarantee
Signal Bonus paid to placed candidate at Day 90 (funded by Synterra, not the employer)
Why Engaged Search
You get a tangible deliverable before a single candidate is presented
The engagement fee is credited against the placement fee; it's not an additional cost
90-day exclusivity means we're fully committed to your search
If the hire doesn't work out within 90 days, we re-engage at no additional engagement fee
If you decide not to proceed after the RCA, you keep the report and owe nothing further
The Signal Bonus means your candidates are financially incentivized to engage seriously
Service 3
The Signal Bonus Program
The only search firm in A&D and Advanced Manufacturing engineering that shares placement revenue with the placed candidate.
Signal Bonus
Candidate Milestone Reward
When a candidate is placed through Synterra and reaches the 90-day milestone in good standing, they receive a cash Signal Bonus, funded entirely from Synterra's placement fee, not the employer's budget. This rewards the candidate's commitment to the process and offsets the real costs of making a career transition at the senior level.
Referral Bonus
$2,500
Know a company that needs a senior engineering leader? Know an engineer who's ready for their next challenge? If your referral converts to a signed Engaged Search agreement, you earn $2,500. Open to anyone: placed candidates, industry contacts, professional network.
Boomerang Bonus
Returning Client Reward
Previously placed through Synterra and now you're the one hiring? Your engagement fee is waived. Because the engineering director we placed three years ago is exactly the kind of VP who should be hiring through us today.
In the traditional search model, the candidate is the product. We believe the candidate is a partner. If they're good enough to place, they're good enough to reward. And when you reward people, they tell other people. That's how a specialized firm builds a network that rivals a 50-person agency.
Craig Fouts, Founder
Not Sure Which Service You Need?
Start with a conversation. We'll help you figure out whether you need a diagnostic, a search, or both.
Schedule a Consultation