Question 1

What exactly is nearcore?

Accepted Answer

A boutique staff augmentation firm specialized in senior Data and Cloud talent from Latin America for US companies. Not a mass-scale agency, and not a freelance marketplace: a curated bench of senior engineers working your exact hours.

Question 2

Why only ten roles?

Accepted Answer

Because specialization is the product. Ten senior Data and Cloud roles, each with its own dedicated talent bank and vetting criteria. A generalist agency knows a little about every IT position; we go deep on the exact profiles your data and cloud teams run on.

Question 3

Why senior-only? What if we want a cheaper mid-level profile?

Accepted Answer

We don't run junior, semi-senior and senior grids, and that's deliberate. In Data and Cloud, the rate difference between a mid and a senior is smaller than the cost of ramp-up, rework and mistakes in production. Seven-plus years of production experience is the floor, without exceptions.

Question 4

We already work with a nearshore agency. Why switch?

Accepted Answer

Most agencies compete on volume: dozens of CVs, mixed seniority, and you doing the filtering. We send around 3 curated profiles in under five days, each one reviewed by our founders. You don't need to switch to find out: run one search with us in parallel and compare the shortlists.

Question 5

How does pricing work?

Accepted Answer

Ten senior profiles, ten fixed rates. All-inclusive: no recruiting fees, no administrative charges, no replacement fees. Hourly, or a fixed monthly value using 160 hours as the reference. The rate card is not published openly; you receive it through a custom quote.

Question 6

Who is behind nearcore?

Accepted Answer

NearCore was founded by Marcelo and Leandro, founders of Qadvance, a staff augmentation company with eight years serving US companies. NearCore is the boutique, senior-only evolution of that experience: ten Data & Cloud roles, direct to end clients, and a bench of engineers we know by name.

Question 7

How fast can we see candidates?

Accepted Answer

Once the requirement is well defined, we present candidates in under five days. That is our current operating standard, not an aspiration. And you will not get a pile of CVs: expect a curated shortlist of around 3 profiles, never more than 4 or 5.

Question 8

How do you vet candidates?

Accepted Answer

Every profile goes through integral validation before reaching you: technical depth and seniority, confirmed English level, real time-zone availability, industry and project context, expectations, and cultural fit. A startup and a large enterprise need different kinds of senior engineers, and we select for that. Our founders personally review every profile before it is sent.

Question 9

Can we interview candidates before committing to anything?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and you should. You interview the 2 or 3 finalists with your own team, on your own terms. The engagement starts only when you choose someone; until then you have spent nothing but one conversation.

Question 10

How does pricing work?

Accepted Answer

Ten senior profiles, ten fixed rates. There are no seniority tiers, because every profile is already senior. Rates are all-inclusive: no recruiting fees, no administrative charges, no replacement fees. We usually work hourly, or as a fixed monthly value using 160 hours as the reference. The rate card is not published openly; you receive it through a custom quote.

Question 11

How does the price compare to hiring onshore?

Accepted Answer

Around 35% more economical than the US onshore equivalent. Deliberately moderate: we compete on specialization, seniority and selection quality, not on being the cheapest option on the market.

Question 12

Do engineers work our hours?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Full US time-zone overlap is a hard requirement for every profile we place. They join your standups, your incidents, and your working day.

Question 13

What happens after the engineer joins?

Accepted Answer

The day-to-day happens directly between the engineer and your team, with no bureaucracy in the middle. NearCore stays behind the operation handling contracts, payments, hours, vacations, incidents and eventual replacements, so the experience feels like having one more member on your team.

Question 14

What if a placement doesn't work out?

Accepted Answer

We search for a replacement at no additional cost, at any point in the project. It is part of the all-inclusive rate, not an extra.

Question 15

What keeps your engineers from leaving mid-project?

Accepted Answer

We pay them well, on purpose. The typical nearshore model hires cheap and bills high, so the engineer ends up underpaid and spends the whole engagement looking for the next opportunity. You feel that as rotation. We run the opposite model: a boutique bench of well-paid senior engineers, so the people who join your team stay on your team.

Question 16

Can you scale if we need more than one engineer?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Each search can be assigned to one or several recruiters depending on volume and complexity. Teams often start small and grow progressively; we have seen engagements scale from 3 people to 7, then 12, then 38.

Question 17

Do you accept junior or mid-level engineers?

Accepted Answer

No. Nearcore is senior-only: a minimum of 7 years of production experience. There is no junior, semi-senior and senior grid. Senior is the standard, without exceptions.

Question 18

I'm happily employed. Why should I apply anyway?

Accepted Answer

Most of our bench is. Applying is not a job change; it is joining a curated bench of senior engineers. When a search appears that matches your stack, your rate expectations and the kind of team you want, you hear about it first. If it never does, nothing changes for you.

Question 19

Is the work remote?

Accepted Answer

Yes, fully remote from anywhere in Latin America, with full overlap with US working hours. You join the client's rituals as a real team member, not an external vendor.

Question 20

How am I paid?

Accepted Answer

In USD, at competitive senior rates for the LatAm market. We deliberately keep our profiles well paid, because that is what keeps great engineers and reduces rotation. Terms are settled before you start. No surprises mid-project.

Question 21

What does your interview process look like?

Accepted Answer

Four steps: we review your application, we validate your English and experience in conversation, you go through a hands-on technical vetting for your stack, and you meet the client's team for the final call. We prepare you for each step.

Question 22

Are these freelance gigs or full-time roles?

Accepted Answer

Long-term, full-time placements with US end clients. We don't do one-off gigs, and we don't resell you through intermediaries. You work directly with the company you were placed with.

Question 23

What happens once I'm placed?

Accepted Answer

Your day-to-day is with the client team: their standups, their tools, their projects. NearCore handles everything in the background, from contracts and payments to hours and time off, so you can focus on the engineering.

No surprises starts here

General

For companies

For senior engineers