Recruitment Services
VRS Recruitment delivers three service models across all six scientific sectors: permanent placement, contract and interim resourcing, and retained executive search. Each model is built around technique-level candidate qualification and clear delivery timeframes agreed at brief stage.
Service Models
Permanent Placement
Permanent placements cover everything from graduate scientists into first industry roles through to head-of-function appointments. VRS works on exclusive and contingent terms, with exclusive assignments delivering tighter shortlists and shorter time-to-fill. Pricing is percentage of first-year basic salary, negotiated against role difficulty and assignment volume.
Contract and Interim Resourcing
Contract assignments cover project-based scientific work, maternity cover, validation projects, and short-term technical support roles. Demand sits highest in field service engineering, validation, regulatory affairs, and analytical chemistry where project timelines drive flexible resourcing. VRS holds candidate availability calendars across all six sectors.
Retained Executive Search
Retained search applies to senior, confidential, or hard-to-fill assignments where exclusive engagement and a structured methodology are required. Examples include head-of-research appointments, commercial leadership hires into scaling biotechs, and country manager appointments for international instrumentation businesses entering the UK market.
Info For You
What's included in a permanent placement service?
Brief calibration, candidate sourcing across active and passive networks, technique-level screening interviews, calibrated shortlist (typically 3-5 candidates), interview coordination, offer negotiation support, and counter-offer management. Replacement guarantees apply within agreed terms if a candidate leaves inside the rebate period.
How quickly can contract placements be delivered?
Common-technique contract roles deliver candidates within five working days. Niche specialisms (advanced bioanalysis, specific instrument platforms, security-cleared technical roles) require longer because the available candidate universe is smaller. Timeframes agreed at brief stage against role difficulty, not at submission.
Does VRS handle IR35 status determinations?
VRS works with end clients who have completed their own Status Determination Statements per HMRC guidance. We do not act as the deemed employer for inside-IR35 contracts, but we route candidates through compliant umbrella providers where the SDS requires inside-IR35 working. Outside-IR35 contracts run on standard limited-company terms.
When does retained search make sense over contingent?
When the role is confidential, when the role requires headhunting passive candidates rather than advertising, when the brief is complex enough that exclusive consultant attention is needed, or when previous recruitment attempts have failed. Most senior commercial and scientific leadership hires fit one or more of these criteria.
All six VRS sectors: analytical chemistry, life sciences, scientific sales and commercial, field service and instrumentation engineering, scientific software, and quality and regulatory affairs. The service model adapts to the sector; the technique-level screening discipline remains the same across all of them.
