01
The re-screening tax
A Python CV could belong to a backend engineer, a data engineer or someone who has built AI features. Working out which takes an engineer, so every CV comes to you for a second read, on top of the day job.
Python developer recruitmentClients in the UK, Europe and USA
Python is on the CV. Backend, AI or data: which job can they do?
Python alone doesn’t define a role. A developer reads every CV before you do and tests the domain that matters for yours, so you only meet candidates worth a final interview.
Where your hiring time goes
02
The CV stopped being evidence
- The CV saysPython, PostgreSQL, RESTful APIs
- It can’t tell youWhether they can structure a service, model types and errors and find the query causing a performance issue.
- The CV saysLLM, RAG
- It can’t tell youHow they evaluate retrieval and stop low-quality output from silently reaching users.
- The CV saysBigQuery, Dataflow, Pub/Sub
- It can’t tell youHow they handle duplicate or late events, and test and replay a failed pipeline.
If you run hiring for engineering
You need CVs that pass engineering’s interview, so you can send a shortlist it trusts. An engineer reads every CV before it reaches you. Fewer CVs, but better ones.
58%
of HR and recruitment leads who use agencies say the main reason engineering rejects agency candidates is that the CV looked good, but the person couldn’t do the job.
What the CV can’t tell you, and our interview does
A developer or CTO who works in the stack interviews every candidate. Each of these is a question you would otherwise only answer in your own interview.
Application engineering
Whether they can structure a service, model types and errors, reason about concurrency and find the query or code causing a performance issue.
AI work
How they design retrieval, evaluate output and handle model failure, including how they stop low-quality output from silently reaching users.
Data and cloud
Whether they can design an observable ingestion flow, handle duplicate or late events and explain how they would test and replay a failed pipeline.
What every shortlisted candidate has to show
Knows what the code is doing
They can explain what their libraries and runtime do underneath, and investigate a failure without copying fixes from an AI assistant.
Uses AI with engineering discipline
They can explain how they check generated code, notebooks and tests, protect confidential data and stay accountable for the result.
Honest about their domain
They say which of backend, AI or data work they know deeply and which they have only touched.
How we take the screening off your desk
We recruit Python developers across backend services, AI applications and data engineering. The technical screen is shaped around the role’s actual responsibilities, including APIs, model workflows, pipelines, databases, cloud services, testing and production operation.
Either way you get about 3 to 5 screened CVs a week, per role.
Route 1: we screen, you run the deep interview
We do
- Source candidates for the role
- A technical screen of every candidate, run by a developer or CTO who works in your stack
- A CTO approves every CV before it reaches you
You do
- Run the deep technical interview with the shortlist
- Make the offer
Route 2: we run the deep interview too
We do
- Everything in Route 1, including the technical screen of every candidate
- A 1.5 to 2 hour live-coding, architecture and implementation interview with your final candidates
- A written assessment of each candidate after the interview
You do
- Meet the candidates who passed
- Make the offer
Teams we have hired for
What clients say
“Metamindz helped us recruit our now CTO, reviewing CVs as they came in and then putting the CTO through a thorough 90-minute live 360 technical test. Feedback from our now CTO of the test was glowing and comms from Metamindz throughout the entire process were excellent. Highly recommend!”
Rupert Boddington
Co-Founder, Pockla
“Worked with Lev and Max. We worked with MetaMindz to help us interview and assess software engineering candidates. They were professional and great from the outset and throughout, great speed too. Would 100% recommend and we will be working with them again.”
Alexander Bushe
CEO, Fuller Focus
“We found it really easy working with Lev and the team to hire for our lead developer role and despite it still being early days, our new hire is making an impact already!” source
Billy Whiffen
Google review
What it costs
£5,000
Fixed fee for your first role
15% to 17%
Commission on each further hire
Included
- Sourcing and screening
- A technical screen of every candidate by a developer or CTO
- A CTO approves every CV before you see it
- About 3 to 5 screened CVs a week, per role
- No exclusivity required
- A 3 to 6 month guarantee, depending on seniority
Optional extra
Deep technical interview (Route 2)£300 an hour
A 1.5 to 2 hour live-coding and technical grilling session per final candidate.
All fees exclude VAT.
Tell us about the roleFrequently Asked Questions
We recruit Python developers for backend engineering, AI and LLM applications, and data engineering roles.
Yes. For relevant briefs, the technical interview can cover LLM integration, RAG workflows, evaluation, data and production reliability.
Yes. We tailor the search to the cloud services, data pipelines, APIs, deployment model and operational ownership involved. Previous requirements have included Google Cloud, BigQuery, Dataflow and Pub/Sub.
Looking to hire?
Give us a few details about the role and your hiring plans. We'll assess your needs and get back to you with a practical next step.
Related technical recruitment
View all technical recruitment expertiseTechnologies in briefs we have recruited for
Listed for reference. We use these to scope the brief with you. A keyword on a CV is where screening starts, and the interview decides whether the candidate can do the work.
Application engineering
- Python
- RESTful APIs
- Microservices
- SQL
- PostgreSQL
AI
- LLM integration
- RAG
- OpenAI Codex
- Claude Code
Data and cloud
- BigQuery
- Dataflow
- Pub/Sub
- Google Cloud (GCP)
- PowerBI
- Looker
Soft skills and working style
- Analytical thinking
- Readable engineering
- Experimental curiosity
- Pragmatism
- Collaborative problem-solving
Teams usually bring us in for: A Python backend or API team. An applied AI or LLM product. A data pipeline and processing environment.