Overview
What separates a Dedicated Embed from a freelancer or short-term contractor is context. The engineer isn't scoping a deliverable and exiting. They're building familiarity with your architecture, your codebase, your team's way of working — and over time becoming the person who knows where the bodies are buried.
This model is designed for companies that need sustained engineering capacity without the cost, risk, or six-month timeline of a permanent hire. No benefits overhead. No equity negotiation. No awkward performance management if circumstances change. The engagement is structured to extend or wind down cleanly — whatever your business actually needs.
From your team's perspective, a well-placed embed is functionally invisible. They show up in standups, they ship features, they leave thoughtful code review comments. The only difference is the contract is yours to end when the need changes.
How it works
- 01
Tell us what the engineer would own
Describe your stack, team culture, timezone constraints, and what area the engineer would be responsible for. Two paragraphs is enough — we ask good questions from there.
- 02
We shortlist, you decide
We match engineers who genuinely fit — not just on paper. You receive a curated shortlist with context on why each person was selected. If you want a call with a candidate, we arrange it. If the shortlist doesn't feel right, we iterate.
- 03
Start date set, onboarding begins
Once aligned, we set a start date — typically within two weeks. The engineer gets access to your systems, reviews your codebase, and joins their first standup. We stay available if anything comes up during the first 30 days.
- 04
They ship. You grow.
From week two, they're in code review and shipping. By month two, they own something. The engagement continues for as long as it's valuable — with month-to-month flexibility after the initial term.
Ideal for
Growing without committing
You need to grow the engineering team but don't want to take on permanent headcount until the business justifies it. The embed gives you the output without the obligation.
Replacing a departing engineer
A key person is leaving and you need someone to absorb their context before it walks out the door. The embed starts during the transition window.
Launching a second product line
The core team is already stretched. You need dedicated engineering capacity for a new surface without splitting the team that's keeping the current product alive.
Scaling output post-funding
You've raised a round and need to double engineering output in the next quarter. Hiring full-time at this pace takes too long. The embed ships from day one.
What to expect
Week 1
Environment setup, codebase walkthrough, first small PR merged. Getting familiar with team communication norms.
Week 2–3
Active in code reviews. First real feature shipped. Starting to flag things they've noticed in the codebase.
Month 2
Full ownership of a system or feature area. The team is stopping second-guessing whether it was the right call.
Month 3+
Full context. The person others reference when something in their domain comes up. Indistinguishable from a founding hire.