Cleared · R&D · AI-Native Engineering
We find the people who aren’t looking.
Boutique retained search for cleared, defense, and AI-native engineering — and the leaders who build those teams.
Initiate a SearchWhy Sycamore Creek
You don’t need another resume screener. You need a talent engine.
One principal runs every search from scoping to signed offer — no handoff, no associates. From stealth defense startups to global institutions, we reach the specialists other firms can’t and close them on a scorecard built with you.
Cleared & Defense Talent
Deep fluency in the cleared and defense ecosystem — from FPGA and reverse engineering to research leadership.
AI-Native Hiring
We know where LLM-native engineers actually are, and how to bring them to the teams building the frontier.
Hard-to-Reach Talent
The best people aren’t applying. We reach them discreetly, treat them well, and earn the conversation.
Lead Service
Retained Search
Dedicated, end-to-end ownership of your most critical hires. When a mis-hire isn’t an option — cleared engineering leads, AI-native specialists, confidential replacements — we run the search from market map to signed offer.
Embedded Recruiting
We integrate directly into your team for a defined engagement — inside your ATS and standups — building pipeline and scaling hiring without the overhead of a full-time recruiter.
Strategic Advising
When the problem is the process — slow interviews, uncompetitive offers, an org navigating AI-driven change — we advise leadership on compensation, interview design, and talent strategy.
Our Focus
Cleared, Defense & AI-Native Talent
AI is rewriting the org chart, and the cleared world is racing to keep up. We specialize in the hardest technical searches — LLM-native engineers, FPGA and reverse-engineering talent, research leadership — across the full seniority spectrum, from early-career cohorts to the executive suite. Rooted in DC and NYC, placing nationwide.
The Track Record
We are defined by the offers we close.
Figures reflect completed engagements; identities withheld for confidentiality. See the full record
Field notes
What we’re seeing in the market.
- Executive SearchHow to Hire Executives: Running a VP and C-Level Search That Actually SticksAn executive hire is the highest-leverage and highest-risk decision a company makes. The wrong VP sets a team back a year; the right one compounds for years. Here is how to run a senior search deliberately — and why the usual hiring playbook breaks at this level.
- Product LeadershipHow to Hire Product Leaders: Staff PMs, Principal Designers, and Directors of ProductSenior product roles are where hiring goes wrong quietly. The résumés all look strong, everyone interviews well, and the gap between a good staff PM and a great one is almost invisible until the work ships. Here is how to hire product leaders on judgment, not polish.
- CompensationCleared & Defense AI/ML Engineer Salary Guide (DC & Northern Virginia, 2026)Clearance level, not just seniority, is the single biggest multiplier on engineering compensation in the DC market. Here is how the numbers break down in 2026 — and why the posted salary band is almost never the real one.
How We Work
Three steps from brief to signed offer.
Alignment
We define the precise technical requirements, cultural non-negotiables, and market realities.
Calibration
Within 72 hours, we deliver a targeted cross-section of passive profiles to align on the exact target.
Delivery
A discreet, high-touch outreach effort — we present a shortlist of fully vetted finalists, engaged and ready to move.