Deerfoot is an IT recruitment agency placing permanent and contract technology staff across Cambridge and East Anglia, from the Science Park to Peterborough, Norwich and Ipswich, since 1997.
One consultant handles your role from brief to offer, and speaks to every candidate personally.
The Cambridge technology market
Cambridge is a specialist market rather than a big one. Silicon Fen grew out of the university and the Cambridge Science Park, founded by Trinity College in 1970, and the city now hosts Arm's global headquarters and AstraZeneca's largest UK R&D centre on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. Cambridge Ahead counts more than 4,000 knowledge-intensive companies and 100,000 employees within 20 miles of the city.
That mix shows up in what employers advertise. In the six months to September 2026, 13.4% of Cambridge's permanent technology vacancies mentioned AI and 10.4% asked for C++, according to IT Jobs Watch, and embedded and electronics engineers sit among the most-advertised job titles. Across East Anglia the picture widens: insurance and financial technology in Norwich, telecoms research at BT's Adastral Park near Ipswich, and engineering in Peterborough.
The practical consequence for employers: a Cambridge software engineer's median is £75,000 against £100,000 in London, but the pool of people with deep embedded, FPGA or machine learning experience is small, and most of them are already in work. Good candidates are more often found through a direct approach than an advert.
13.4%
of Cambridge permanent tech vacancies mentioned AI in the six months to September 2026, more than one in eight
94%
of our permanent placements still in post twelve months later, in our most recent audited period
269
Software Engineer vacancies advertised in Cambridge in the six months to September 2026, Cambridge's most in-demand technology role
The roles we fill in Cambridge
Our Cambridge work centres on the skills the city's employers hire for most:
We also recruit across business analysis, project management and infrastructure and IT leadership.
How we work
Our process is documented, externally audited and the same every time. See how we recruit.
INDEPENDENTLY ACCREDITED SINCE 1997
Cambridge hires for depth.
The specialists local employers want are few, and the best of them are rarely looking. We have been finding technology people since 1997.
What Cambridge employers are paying
Cambridge's deep-tech and semiconductor employers pay well for embedded and electronics skills, and compete for the same small pool of engineers. Contract rates are rarely advertised here, so ask us for a benchmark. These medians come from advertised vacancies, not our own placements.
Cambridge IT salaries and day rates
The six most-advertised technology job titles in Cambridge, medians from advertised vacancies, six months to September 2026
- Software Engineer
£75,000
Contract: rate on request
249 salaries - Developer
£65,000
Contract: rate on request
101 salaries - Senior Software Engineer
£75,000
Contract: rate on request
80 salaries - Embedded Engineer
£75,000
Contract: rate on request
73 salaries - Embedded Software Engineer
£75,000
Contract: rate on request
64 salaries - Electronics Engineer
£80,000
Contract: rate on request
54 salaries
Source: IT Jobs Watch, Cambridge medians from advertised vacancies. Day rates shown only where at least 10 contract rates were advertised. Updated quarterly.
Who you will be dealing with
Peter Hirst · Associate Director · LinkedIn
An Associate Director with more than 22 years at Deerfoot, Peter works with employers across Cambridge and East Anglia. Cambridge briefs are usually specialist, such as the C++, embedded and AI roles that product companies around the Science Park and the Biomedical Campus hire for, so a short list of well-matched people counts for more than a long list of CVs.
Outside work, his twin boys keep him busy, and any spare time goes on golf, football and walks with his two dogs.
To talk to Peter, call us on 020 3701 5510 and ask for him, or email hello@deerfoot.co.uk and it will reach him.
Common questions about hiring in Cambridge
Do you have an office in Cambridge?
No. We have worked remote-first for years, so there is no Cambridge office. Most clients prefer a video or Teams call, but we can meet you in person too, whether you are on the Science Park, the Biomedical Campus or elsewhere in East Anglia.
How much does it cost to use a Cambridge IT recruiter?
Our fee is a percentage of the first year's salary, set by how hard the role is to fill, and you have the figure in writing before you agree to anything. As standard, permanent hires come with a six-month, 100% refund if the placement does not work out, and each month we place one person fee-free for a registered charity or non-profit.
How long does it take to hire in Cambridge?
Most mid-level roles typically have a shortlist in seven to ten days and an offer in four to six weeks. Niche embedded, FPGA and machine learning roles usually take longer, because the people who can do them are few and rarely on the market.
Can you find embedded and C++ engineers in Cambridge?
Yes. Embedded and electronics engineers are among the most-advertised job titles in Cambridge, and C++ appears in around one in ten permanent tech vacancies, so we approach people directly rather than waiting for applications.
Do Cambridge tech employers expect people in the office?
Often, at least part of the week, particularly where the work involves labs or hardware. About a third of live Cambridge IT listings on IT Jobs Watch are advertised as hybrid or remote. The fastest trains reach London King's Cross in under 50 minutes, which widens the pool for roles with some office time.
Can you provide contractors in Cambridge?
Yes. We are an FCSA Recruiter Partner, so contractors are engaged compliantly and the IR35 determination is agreed before day one.
Which areas around Cambridge do you cover?
Cambridge and the rest of Cambridgeshire, including Peterborough, plus Norwich, Norfolk, Ipswich and Suffolk. We also recruit right across the UK, including IT recruitment in London, Hertfordshire, the Thames Valley and Manchester.
What salary should I offer in Cambridge?
The medians on this page are a starting point, but specialist Cambridge roles can sit well above them. We can benchmark your exact role for free against both advertised and placed salaries.
Why should a Cambridge employer care that we are a B Corp™?
It is verified independently, not self-declared. B Lab assesses how we treat our staff, candidates and the environment, and if your organisation is a B Corp or on the way to certification, using a certified supplier helps your own score. Day to day, that means one fee-free placement a month for registered charities, Living Wage Employer accreditation and carbon offsetting for every placement.
Talk to us about a Cambridge role
Brief us online or ring us, and you will speak to the recruiter who will run the search.
