CalTek Staffing

What CalTek Staffing does

CalTek Staffing is a private, bootstrapped B2B staffing and recruiting firm founded in 2002 in San Diego by recruiters Archie Payne and Kevin Neill. The firm specializes in placing engineering, IT, manufacturing, and other technical professionals into companies across aerospace, defense, civil engineering, software, machine learning, robotics, CNC machining, HVAC, MEP, quality control, and adjacent technical disciplines. CalTek generates revenue through three engagement models: temporary/contract staffing (where it serves as employer of record), temporary-to-direct hire staffing (no buyout fees for conversion), and direct placement (one-time fees as a percentage of placed salary), with all fees charged to employers rather than job seekers. CalTek does not publicly disclose pricing; terms are negotiated per engagement.

CalTek operates a proprietary IT and engineering resume database described as inaccessible to other recruiters, combined with AI-powered search and sourcing tools and a structured four-stage hiring methodology (Client Analysis, Job Requirements, Recruiting, Comprehensive Screening) that delivers qualified candidates within 72 hours of contract signing. The firm reports a 91% one-year retention rate for permanent placements and serves clients ranging from startups with 10 employees to enterprises with 10,000+ employees, including Siemens, Parsons, Illumina, Microvention, Zodiac Aerospace, Tomi Engineering, and Frore Systems. CalTek maintains multi-state operations across California, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Texas, and Washington with 15+ metro-area offices, and in 2026 earned dual placement on Forbes' America's Best Temp Staffing Firms and America's Best Professional Recruiting Firms lists (with Statista). The firm has 101-250 employees, has never raised external capital, and remains under founder control with no disclosed institutional ownership.

Name

CalTek Staffing

Legal name

CalTek Staffing

Website

https://caltekstaffing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CalTek Staffing is a bootstrapped, founder-led B2B technical recruiting firm founded in 2002 that places engineering, IT, manufacturing, and skilled-trade professionals via temporary, temp-to-direct, and direct-hire engagements across six U.S. states for clients ranging from startups to Fortune-class enterprises.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Technical Staffing Services

NAICS

Temporary Help Services (561320)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Mechanical, Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering Staffing (BPACADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Telecom & Network Engineering Staffing (BPACADAE), Electrical/Electronics & Embedded Systems Staffing (BPACADAF), Government & Public Sector Temp Staffing (BPACACAL)

Keywords

• Engineering staffing
• IT staffing
• Manufacturing staffing
• Technical recruiting
• Temporary staffing

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Employer-Funded Staffing Fees: CalTek Staffing generates revenue by charging hiring companies (employers) for staffing and recruitment services. The firm offers three engagement models: Temporary or Contract Staffing, Temporary-to-Direct Hire Staffing, and Direct Placement Staffing. CalTek does not charge job seekers or employees any fees for placement. The firm provides a matching 401k plan for temporary employees and covers staffing fees including FICA, workers compensation, and unemployment insurance on behalf of temporary employees, embedding its margin in employer-paid service fees.
2. Temporary Staffing (Contract Labor): Revenue from placing temporary/contract workers with client companies, where CalTek serves as the employer of record and bills clients for the employee's hourly rate plus a service margin.
3. Direct Placement (Direct Hire): Revenue from one-time placement fees when a candidate is directly hired by a client, typically structured as a percentage of the placed candidate's annual salary.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CalTek Staffing is a technical staffing agency that recruits and places engineering, IT, manufacturing, and other skilled technical professionals for employer clients on a temporary, temp-to-direct, and direct placement basis. The firm sources candidates, screens them, and deploys them to client companies needing specialized technical talent.

Product overview

CalTek Staffing is a premier staffing and recruiting services firm that offers temporary, temporary-to-direct hire, and direct placement staffing solutions across multiple technical disciplines. The company's core service portfolio includes IT recruitment, engineering recruitment (aerospace, mechanical, electrical, civil, chemical, biomedical), manufacturing recruitment, machine learning and AI recruitment, software recruitment, HVAC staffing, MEP technician staffing, quality control staffing, robotics staffing, hardware recruitment, CNC machinist recruitment, maintenance technician staffing, and technical recruitment. CalTek operates as a staffing services firm rather than a software product company, connecting organizations with specialized technical talent across sectors including aerospace, automotive, defense, semiconductor, medical/pharmaceutical, oil and gas, and telecommunications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Temporary Staffing
• Temp-to-Direct Staffing
• Direct Placement / Permanent Placement

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% one-year retention rate for permanent placements across all industries
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Kelly Services: Diversified global staffing firm covering IT, engineering, manufacturing, and professional services — broader incumbent that overlaps CalTek in technical and industrial staffing.
• Robert Half: Established broad-based professional staffing firm with significant IT, engineering, and finance/administrative placement — overlaps with CalTek in IT and direct-hire professional recruiting at greater scale.
• Randstad: Global staffing leader with deep US operations across engineering, IT, and industrial staffing — competes broadly with CalTek in technical and manufacturing verticals as a larger incumbent.

Direct peers

• TEKsystems: One of the largest IT and engineering staffing firms in North America, specializing in technology talent placement — directly comparable to CalTek's IT recruitment, software, and cybersecurity verticals.
• CyberCoders: Technology, engineering, and science-focused recruiting firm placing software, aerospace, defense, and manufacturing professionals — directly comparable specialty technical recruiting model.
• Apex Systems: IT and engineering staffing and services firm placing technical professionals across aerospace, defense, and commercial sectors — competes with CalTek across IT, engineering, and federal/defense verticals.
• Kforce: Professional staffing firm focused on technology and finance/accounting talent — directly comparable in IT staffing, contract, and direct-hire solutions for technical roles.
• Insight Global: Large US staffing firm placing IT, engineering, and manufacturing professionals on contract, contract-to-hire, and direct-hire bases across multiple industries — directly comparable to CalTek's service portfolio and vertical focus.
• Aerotek: Engineering, technical, manufacturing, and industrial staffing firm operating across the US — competes head-to-head with CalTek in aerospace, defense, and manufacturing verticals with similar temp and direct-hire models.

Regional players

• Hays: Specialist recruitment firm with US operations focused on IT, engineering, manufacturing, and life sciences — comparable vertical specialization but stronger UK/Europe footprint than CalTek's US-only footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CalTekJobs
• Facebookfacebook.com/CalTek-Staffing-136335616395346
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caltek-staffing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CalTek Staffing