Real Staffing
Real Staffing is a life sciences specialist recruitment consultancy, part of Specialist Staffing Group / SThree plc. It places STEM professionals into pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, CRO, and healthcare communications organizations across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia via permanent, contract, SOW, RPO, and Global Employment Solutions offerings.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersAmsterdam, Netherlands
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Real Staffing does
Real Staffing is a life sciences specialist recruitment consultancy established in 1998 and operating as the life sciences brand within Specialist Staffing Group (SSG), itself a subsidiary of SThree plc, the London-listed STEM workforce group. The company sources and places STEM professionals into pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical devices and technology, contract research, and healthcare communications organizations. Its service portfolio covers permanent recruitment, contract staffing, Statement of Work (SOW) services, Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), executive search, and — most strategically — Global Employment Solutions, which provides Employer of Record and Agency of Record services enabling clients to hire in 145 countries without establishing local legal entities. Geographic reach is broad but selectively concentrated: the company operates 17 owned offices across the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, drawing on the wider SSG network of 46+ offices and 3,000+ employees in 14 countries.
The underlying operating model is a non-software, consultant-driven professional services business rather than a technology platform. Revenue is generated from placement fees on permanent hires, mark-ups on contract bill rates, managed-service fees on SOW and RPO engagements, and service fees on EOR/AOR engagements; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Customer acquisition combines enterprise field sales (dedicated consultants serving organizations from mid-market through enterprise) with inside sales and a self-serve online job portal; marketing is anchored on thought-leadership content including the STEM Skills Index co-developed with the Centre for Economics and Business Research and branded Life Sciences reports. Differentiators articulated by the company include 25+ years of specialist domain expertise, a "Red Carpet Experience" post-placement service model, and a 360-degree consulting approach emphasizing long-term partnerships over transactional placements. Reported 2024 scale metrics (US-facing) include 2,518 specialist placements and 1,009 organizations served; 2025 UK-facing figures reference approximately 12,042 candidate placements and around 6,000 clients worked with.
Real Staffing firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Real Staffing
- Legal name
- Real
- Website
- https://realstaffing.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Real Staffing is a life sciences specialist recruitment consultancy, part of Specialist Staffing Group / SThree plc. It places STEM professionals into pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, CRO, and healthcare communications organizations across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia via permanent, contract, SOW, RPO, and Global Employment Solutions offerings.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Real Staffing industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Life Sciences Staffing Services
- NAICS
- Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Temporary Help Services (561320), Human Resources Consulting Services (541612)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Life Sciences & Biotech (R&D/Clinical) Staffing (BPACADAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Professional & Technical Direct Hire (IT, Engineering, Finance, Healthcare) (BPACAFAC), Healthcare Clinical & Allied Health Staffing (BPACADAJ), Manufacturing, MSAT & Operations Staffing (API/Biologics/Cell & Gene) (HLAGAOAL), Data, AI/ML & Analytics Staffing (BPACADAB), Mechanical, Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering Staffing (BPACADAG)
Keywords
Where Real Staffing is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Amsterdam
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices17 records
Markets served
Real Staffing business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Permanent Recruitment Services: Fee-based permanent placement services where recruiters with specific experience in STEM hiring within Life Sciences source candidates for long-term employment. Leverages local networks and databases to find experienced and diverse talent.
- Contract Recruitment Services: Contract staffing services placing professionals in temporary or contract roles. Provides compliant contract solutions for demanding timelines and project resources. Candidates include W2 workforce and independent contractors.
- SOW (Statement of Work) Services: Enhanced services for procurement departments offering improved efficiency and accountability in contract management, risk mitigation, compliance with procurement policies, resource allocation and cost control.
- Global Employment Solutions: Employer of Record (EOR) and Agency of Record (AOR) services enabling organizations to hire in 145 countries without establishing legal entities. Handles contracts, international payroll, benefits, and local compliance. Revenue from service fees for global workforce management.
- Referral Program: Referral bonus program offering up to $500 for successful candidate placements, driving organic candidate acquisition through existing network.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | One time | Referral bonus for successful placement |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Real Staffing product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Real Staffing is a specialist life sciences recruitment consultancy that sources and places STEM professionals into pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, contract research, and healthcare communications organizations on a permanent, contract, or Statement of Work basis. It supplements placement services with Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), executive search, and Global Employment Solutions (Employer of Record / Agency of Record) that allow clients to hire in 145 countries without establishing local legal entities, supported by a post-placement "Red Carpet Experience" program.
Product overview
Real Staffing is a life sciences workforce consultancy that operates as a service-based staffing platform rather than a software product. The company offers a unified portfolio of recruitment and workforce solutions centered on its core Permanent Recruitment, Contract Recruitment, SOW Services, Global Employment Solutions, and RPO offerings. These services are organized around specialized life sciences sector focuses (Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology, Medical Devices and Technology, Contract Research, and Healthcare Communications and Marketing), supported by a proprietary post-placement 'Red Carpet Experience' program. The Global Employment Solutions service enables international hiring through Employer of Record (EOR) and Agency of Record (AOR) models in 145 countries, while the Referral Program provides incentive-based candidate sourcing. The company positions itself as a 360-degree recruitment consultant with deep sector expertise rather than a technology platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Permanent Recruitment Services Recruitment service focused on sourcing and placing candidates into permanent full-time roles within life sciences organizations, covering candidate assessment, interview management, offer negotiation, and post-placement follow-up.
- Contract Recruitment Services Staffing solution that connects employers with qualified W2 contractors and independent contractors for project-based, time-limited, or flexible workforce needs in life sciences sectors, with compliant contract solutions for demanding timelines.
- SOW (Statement of Work) Services Statement of Work services providing enhanced procurement department solutions for contract management, risk mitigation, compliance with procurement policies and standards, and resource allocation and cost control.
- Global Employment Solutions International hiring solution enabling organizations to employ professionals in 145 countries without establishing local legal entities, providing Employer of Record (EOR) and Agency of Record (AOR) services that handle contracts, international payroll, benefits administration, and local compliance.
- RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing) Outsourced recruitment service in which Real manages the full hiring process for client organizations, including workforce planning, candidate sourcing, screening, and onboarding support.
- Executive Search Specialized permanent recruitment service for executive and senior-level positions within life sciences organizations, including targeted headhunting and comprehensive candidate evaluation.
Quantifiable outcome
- Contract profiles delivered within 48 hours
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Real Staffing
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Real Staffing technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Real Staffing partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Specialist Staffing GroupcoreReal is a specialist life sciences brand under Specialist Staffing Group, the global STEM workforce consultancy. Specialist Staffing Group operates in 14 countries with over 3,000 employees and more than 46 offices globally. The brands are united by the common purpose of bringing skilled people together to build the future.
- SThreecoreSThree is the ultimate parent company of Specialist Staffing Group, celebrating its 40th anniversary. Founded in 1986 as a pure-play STEM specialist, SThree helps companies worldwide future-proof their workforce through its family of brands including Real for life sciences staffing.
- Specialist Staffing Group (Global Employment Services)coreSpecialist Staffing Group handles global employment services including contracts, international payroll solutions, benefits administration, and local compliance across 145 countries for Real's global clients.
- Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr)minorPartnership to develop the STEM Skills Index, a data-led ranking of nations based on their ability to cultivate, retain, and apply STEM expertise. Published as part of Real's thought leadership content.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Real Staffing competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Paramount Recruitment: Paramount Recruitment is a UK specialist life sciences recruiter placing scientific, clinical, and medical affairs professionals. Comparable to Real in niche life sciences focus, particularly across pharma and clinical research.
- Barrington James: Barrington James is a specialist life sciences recruiter covering pharma, biotech, medical devices, and consumer health across global markets. Closely comparable to Real's specialist life sciences vertical focus.
- CY Partners: CY Partners is a UK-based life sciences recruitment specialist serving pharmaceutical, biotech, and CRO clients. Comparable to Real's UK life sciences focus and contract/permanent delivery model.
- Skills Alliance: Skills Alliance is a specialist life sciences recruitment consultancy focused on pharma, biotech, medical devices, and CRO sectors globally. Comparable to Real in niche life sciences focus and delivery of permanent, contract, and FSP-style services.
- Planet Pharma: Planet Pharma is a pure-play life sciences staffing firm specializing in biotech, pharma, and medical device placements. Directly comparable to Real Staffing as both serve the same pharmaceutical/biotech/medtech client base with permanent and contract solutions.
- Cpl Life Sciences: Cpl Life Sciences is the specialist life sciences arm of Cpl Resources, providing permanent and contract staffing across pharma, biotech, medical devices, and clinical research. Directly comparable to Real's vertical-specialist positioning.
- Mantell Associates: Mantell Associates is a specialist life sciences recruiter serving pharma, biotech, medical devices, and nutraceuticals. Comparable to Real as a boutique life sciences staffing competitor with similar vertical coverage.
- Hays Life Sciences: Hays Life Sciences is the life sciences vertical of global recruiter Hays plc, offering permanent and contract staffing across pharma, biotech, and medical devices. Comparable to Real in offering multi-region life sciences staffing under a larger parent brand.
Broad incumbents
- Aerotek: Aerotek is a large US staffing firm with life sciences practice, placing scientific, clinical, and engineering professionals. Broader incumbent compared to Real due to its multi-vertical scope, but directly overlaps in life sciences contract and permanent placements.
- SThree plc: SThree plc is Real's publicly-traded ultimate parent company (LSE: STH), operating STEM specialist brands globally. While broader than Real, SThree is materially relevant as the parent that controls capital allocation, brand strategy, and global infrastructure for Real.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Real Staffing social profiles
Digital presenceReal Staffing financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Real Staffing leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Real Staffing funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Real Staffing M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Real Staffing
What does Real Staffing do?
Real Staffing is a specialist life sciences recruitment consultancy that sources and places STEM professionals into pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, contract research, and healthcare communications organizations on a permanent, contract, or Statement of Work basis. It supplements placement services with Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), executive search, and Global Employment Solutions (Employer of Record / Agency of Record) that allow clients to hire in 145 countries without establishing local legal entities, supported by a post-placement "Red Carpet Experience" program.
Is Real Staffing a public or private company?
Real Staffing is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Real Staffing founded?
Real Staffing was founded in 1998. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Real Staffing based?
Real Staffing is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Real Staffing make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Permanent Recruitment Services are the primary driver. The others are contract Recruitment Services, SOW (Statement of Work) Services, global Employment Solutions and referral Program.
Who are Real Staffing's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Paramount Recruitment, Barrington James, CY Partners, Skills Alliance, Planet Pharma, Cpl Life Sciences, Mantell Associates and Hays Life Sciences. Broad incumbents are Aerotek and SThree plc.
Does Real Staffing have an API?
No public API is recorded for Real Staffing.
What industry is Real Staffing in?
Real Staffing's product category is Life Sciences Staffing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACADAL, Life Sciences & Biotech (R&D/Clinical) Staffing, with a secondary code of BPACAFAC, Professional & Technical Direct Hire (IT, Engineering, Finance, Healthcare). Its NAICS code is 561311 and its SIC code is 7361.