KE Select - Scientific & Medical Recruitment Specialists

What KE Select - Scientific & Medical Recruitment Specialists does

KE Select is an Australian-founded boutique recruitment firm founded in 2012 by Kerry McMahon (BSc Biomedical Science) that specializes exclusively in scientific, medical, and STEM talent acquisition. The firm operates across permanent placement, contract/temporary staffing, retained executive search, outsourced talent acquisition partnerships, career coaching, and a salary survey data product, with revenue derived from placement fees, retained search fees, managed services billing, and direct program fees (e.g., the Success in STEM program priced at $1,295 per participant).

The company targets life science, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, pathology, and healthcare organizations through dedicated account directors and regional managers, with offices in Sydney (headquarters), Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and three New Zealand locations (Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin), plus active expansion into UK regions and APAC markets. Its go-to-market is sales-led enterprise engagement rather than self-service, supplemented by a candidate-facing job board, CV upload portal, and content marketing that drives the supply side of the recruitment flywheel. Notable enterprise relationships include Beckman Coulter, Thermo Fisher Scientific, SydPath, Histopath, Merck Life Science ANZ, Eppendorf, Candela Medical, and Douglass Hanly Moir Pathology, with multiple client tenures spanning 5–15 years.

KE Select is not a technology company: it has no proprietary software, algorithms, AI/ML capabilities, or platform infrastructure described in company materials. Its core asset is the founder's 20+ year personal network within ANZ STEM recruitment and the institutional knowledge embedded across its ~32-person team. Industry affiliations include AusBiotech, AusMedtech, IMNIS, and the Recruitment, Consulting & Staffing Association (RCSA), and the company is GDPR/Privacy Act 1988 compliant.

Name

KE Select - Scientific & Medical Recruitment Specialists

Legal name

KE Select

Website

https://keselect.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KE Select is an Australian-founded boutique recruitment firm specializing in scientific, medical, and STEM talent acquisition, serving life science, biotech, pharmaceutical, medical device, pathology, and healthcare organizations across Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and APAC via permanent placement, contract staffing, and retained executive search.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scientific & Medical Recruitment Services

NAICS

Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131), Executive Search Services (561312)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPACAFAC

Professional & Technical Direct Hire (IT, Engineering, Finance, Healthcare)

Business & Public Services/HR, Staffing & Recruitment Services/Permanent Placement & Direct Hire

SECONDARYBPACAAAE

Healthcare & Life Sciences Leadership Search

Business & Public Services/HR, Staffing & Recruitment Services/Executive Search & Headhunting

SECONDARYBPACAFAB

Executive & Leadership Direct Hire

Business & Public Services/HR, Staffing & Recruitment Services/Permanent Placement & Direct Hire

Keywords

• Scientific recruitment
• Medical staffing services
• Executive search
• Life science recruitment
• STEM talent placement

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Permanent Placement Recruitment: Fee-based permanent placement services where KE Select sources and places candidates in permanent roles for employers in the scientific and medical sectors. The company takes time to understand client requirements and organizational culture fit.
2. Retained Executive Search: Retained search assignments for executive and senior management positions across life sciences, biotechnology, clinical diagnostics, medical device, and pharmaceutical sectors. Operates on a retained fee basis with a 3-month replacement guarantee.
3. Contract/Temporary Staffing: Placement of contract and temporary workers in scientific, technical, and clinical roles. The company managed rapid deployment and onboarding of staff during COVID-19 for surge testing and laboratory operations.
4. Outsourced Talent Acquisition: Designated remote or onsite integrated Talent Acquisition Partners who manage internal recruitment processes for clients, supported by KE Select's internal recruitment team for sourcing and networking.
5. Executive Career Coaching: One-on-one career coaching services provided by Kerry McMahon including career plan development, interview preparation, resume writing, and professional mentoring. Face-to-face consultations at $395 inc. GST, video call consultations at $295.
6. Success in STEM Career Transition Program: 3-day immersive career transition program for STEM professionals, graduates, and career changers. Includes psychometric testing, career coaching, interview training, and mentorship. Total cost: $1,295 for all sessions.
7. Salary Survey Data Collection: Anonymous salary data collection from candidates to build industry salary database. Participants qualify for $100 monthly voucher draw and receive free annual report. Generates market intelligence for recruitment services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

KE Select is an Australian-based scientific and medical recruitment firm that sources and places STEM professionals in permanent, contract, part-time, and casual roles for clients across biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, pathology, diagnostic, and healthcare sectors in ANZ and APAC. The firm operates a retained executive search division (KE Select Executive) for C-suite placements with a 3-month guarantee, plus outsourced talent acquisition partnerships, career coaching, and a STEM career transition program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KE Select Recruitment Services Core permanent, contract, part-time, and casual recruitment placing scientific and medical professionals in biotechnology, pathology, healthcare, medical device, and pharmaceutical organizations across Australia, New Zealand, and the UK.
• KE Select Executive (Retained Executive Search) Retained executive search for CEO, CFO, COO, VP, Director, Managing Director, General Management, and Chief Risk Officer roles within biotechnology, life science, clinical diagnostics, medical device, medical technology, and pharmaceutical sectors, operating on a retained fee basis with a 3-month placement guarantee.
• Outsourced Talent Acquisition Support Remote or onsite embedded Talent Acquisition Partners who manage clients' permanent and temporary staffing, project-manage recruitment initiatives, and provide monthly reporting, supported by KE Select's internal recruitment team.
• Success in STEM Career Transition Program 3-day immersive program (12 hours total across 3 x 4-hour sessions) covering psychometric testing, career coaching, interview preparation, and mentorship for STEM graduates and career changers, priced at $1,295 for all sessions.
• Industry Salary Survey Anonymous industry salary database covering scientific and medical sectors; participants enter a $100 monthly voucher draw and receive a free annual report, supporting KE Select's market intelligence and candidate pipeline.
• Executive Career Coaching Confidential one-on-one coaching by Kerry McMahon covering career planning, interview preparation, resume writing, and networking; face-to-face consultation at $395 inc. GST (1.5 hours) and video call at $295 inc. GST.
• Douglass Hanly Moir Opportunities (Dedicated Recruitment Partnership) Dedicated job opportunities page and ongoing sourcing partnership for Douglass Hanly Moir Pathology covering pathology collectors, laboratory staff, and healthcare professionals across NSW and north-west Victoria.

Quantifiable outcome

• Built entire laboratory teams within hours during COVID-19 pandemic surge
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• AusBiotechcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKE Select partners with AusBiotech, Australia's biotechnology industry organization. The partnership allows KE Select to connect with biotechnology professionals, share industry knowledge, and provide career development resources to AusBiotech members. KE Select references this partnership as part of their candidate and client service offering.
• AusMedtechcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKE Select partners with AusMedtech, Australia's medical technology industry organization. The partnership provides networking opportunities, industry insights, and candidate sourcing channels within the medical device sector.
• IMNIS (Industry Mentoring Network in Science)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKE Select is affiliated with IMNIS, an industry mentoring network connecting students and early-career scientists with industry mentors. Logo displayed in website footer indicating partnership support for STEM career development initiatives.
• RCSA (Recruitment, Consulting & Staffing Association)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKE Select is a member of RCSA, the professional body for recruitment and staffing companies in Australia and New Zealand. RCSA membership indicates adherence to industry standards and professional codes of conduct.
• Douglass Hanly Moir PathologymajorOthersKE Select operates a dedicated job opportunities page for Douglass Hanly Moir Pathology, the largest member of Sonic Healthcare group operating in NSW and north-west Victoria. KE Select sources pathology collectors, laboratory staff, and healthcare professionals for DHM on an ongoing basis.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• OnTalent: OnTalent is an Australian executive search firm specializing in life sciences, healthcare, and medical technology C-suite placements. Directly comparable in retained executive search for the same client verticals.
• Healthcare Australia: Healthcare Australia is a major healthcare staffing provider covering nursing, allied health, and pathology, with growing life sciences exposure. Comparable in pathology staffing and ANZ healthcare workforce focus.
• Cpl Healthcare: Cpl Healthcare is the specialist healthcare and life sciences arm of Cpl Resources, providing permanent and contract staffing for pharmaceutical, medical device, biotech, and clinical roles. Direct competitor in life sciences recruitment with similar service mix.
• Talent International: Talent International is an ANZ recruitment firm with a strong technology and STEM focus, placing professionals in scientific, engineering, and research roles. Direct competitor in STEM talent sourcing across the same geographies.
• Wavelength International: Wavelength is an ANZ-focused medical recruitment specialist placing doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals. Comparable in healthcare-focused permanent and locum placement across ANZ markets.
• Cox Purtell Executive Search: Cox Purtell is an Australian executive search firm with dedicated life sciences and healthcare practices. Comparable in retained executive search model and ANZ client base.
• Hays: Hays is one of the largest global recruitment firms with a dedicated Life Sciences practice covering pharma, biotech, medical devices, and clinical research across Australia and New Zealand. Directly comparable to KE Select in life sciences vertical specialization and ANZ geographic coverage.

Broad incumbents

• Robert Half Australia: Robert Half is a global professional staffing firm with ANZ offices, offering finance, technology, and administrative recruitment. Broader incumbent with overlapping healthcare and life sciences capabilities but not vertically specialized.
• Chandler Macleod: Chandler Macleod is one of Australia's largest generalist staffing and recruitment firms with a life sciences practice. Broader incumbent providing generalist competition across ANZ with some vertical overlap.
• Ambition Australia: Ambition is a global professional recruitment firm with ANZ presence covering technology, sales, and life sciences roles. Broader incumbent with partial overlap in life sciences commercial and technical placements.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/keselect

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 KE Select - Scientific & Medical Recruitment Specialists