Summit Talent Search is a veteran‑founded recruiting firm that specializes in $100k+ cleared hires for small and mid‑size defense contractors. Built and led by former government/defense recruiters with active clearances, we run targeted headhunting on a simple 25% contingency model – you only pay when you hire.
Every day a cleared role sits open, delivery slips and revenue leaks. Most agencies don't understand how defense actually works. They post a req and pray. We headhunt pre-cleared talent who can hit the mission fast.
We're not a generalist staffing firm — we're defense recruiters. Every part of how we work is built for this specific problem.
Summit Talent Search is built by veterans with 32 years in uniform, including 18 years in government/defense recruiting and retention. Our founders began their careers in intelligence collection and Investigation / Administration, and for the last 9 years each have specialized in filling critical billets. Every search at Summit runs on that same methodology.
We focus on Secret, TS/SCI, and polygraph-cleared professionals in program management, intel, cyber, and engineering.
Custom outreach and follow-up automations mean candidates hear from us in minutes, not days. No warm lead dies in our pipeline.
Every search runs on the process we built from 18 years of government/defense recruiting and retention. Christian and Michael oversee every engagement, and only trained Summit recruiters work your roles – never generic juniors who don't understand your contract risk.
One founder holds an active Secret clearance and the other an active TS/SCI. We understand clearance levels, access, and the realities of hiring for export-controlled work.
Contingency only. 25% of first-year base salary, paid when you hire. 90-day replacement guarantee. Former defense recruiters who know how defense works.
Pre-cleared candidates only. No surprises. No resume dumps. A process built on military discipline and executed with speed.
15 minutes to understand the role, clearance, salary band, and urgency. We go to work the same day.
We tap our defense network and outbound systems to identify qualified, interested, and available candidates — not job boards.
You receive 2–4 cleared candidates with resumes and written assessments, not a pile of unfiltered resumes.
We support interviews, offers, and acceptance. If the hire leaves in the first 90 days, we replace them at no additional fee.
We keep it straightforward so you can move fast. No retainers. No upfront fees. No exclusivity required.
One flat percentage — no hidden fees, no escalators, no surprises. Clear from day one.
If we don't deliver a hire you want to make, you pay nothing.
If the hire doesn't work out within 90 days for any reason, we replace them at no additional fee. Period.
For mission-critical hires, we offer an optional 3-year retention bonus program that contracts incentives at the time of hire to keep your best people in seat. Ask us about this during your intake call if you have long-term, high-impact roles.
Summit works exclusively with $100k+ roles and pre‑cleared professionals in defense and government contracting. We understand clearances, contract work, and what it takes to move without risking your reputation or access. And we never charge you a dime, now or ever.
We work for you — not the employer. Our job is to find the right role, advocate for your value, and never waste your time.
Summit is paid by the employer. You will never pay a placement fee, a registration charge, or anything else. If someone tells you otherwise, that's not Summit.
We never share your name, resume, or contact info with any employer without your explicit permission. Your current employer finds out nothing.
Summit only works on roles with a base salary of $100,000 or more. We will not waste your time with junior offers. That's a promise.
TS/SCI, MOS codes, transition timelines, VA benefits — we understand cleared backgrounds. You won't have to explain yourself to someone who doesn't get it.
We specialize exclusively in defense and government contracting — cleared roles, cleared professionals.
Summit Talent Search was built by two veterans who spent 18 years in Government/Defense Recruiting and retaining talent. Now we apply that same discipline to help defense contractors fill $100k+ cleared roles fast – and keep them filled.
Co-Founder & CEO
17-year military veteran with 9 years in government/defense recruiting and retention, and an active Secret clearance. Christian is the relationship engine of Summit — driving client acquisition, candidate relationships, and every high-stakes conversation that requires human trust to close. His expertise in phone sales and face-to-face communication means Summit moves fast without losing the personal touch that separates a great hire from a great fit.
Connect on LinkedInCo-Founder & COO
15-year military veteran with 9 years in government/defense recruiting and retention, and an active TS/SCI clearance. Michael is the systems architect behind Summit — building the proprietary automation that makes the firm faster and more consistent than any manual operation. His expertise in technology and outreach systems means Summit never loses a candidate to slow follow-up, never lets a pipeline go cold, and delivers a vetted shortlist while competitors are still sorting resumes.
Connect on LinkedInWe don't guess, we execute. Every submittal is a candidate we'd stake our reputation on — nothing goes forward without a written assessment.
We represent both sides of transparency. Candidates and clients both get the truth — always. We would rather lose a deal than lie to close one.
Urgency is built into everything we do. An empty seat costs real money every day. We treat it that way — because you do too.
A placement isn't finished until the person stays. We stay in touch with you and the hire after day one and offer an optional contracted retention program for long‑term, mission‑critical roles.
Whether you need a cleared hire or you're looking for your next $100k+ role — Summit moves fast. No fluff. No job boards. Just results.
Everything employers and candidates ask us most often — answered directly, the way veterans answer questions.
Summit provides a 90-day replacement guarantee. If the hire departs or is let go within 90 days of their start date for any reason, we conduct a full replacement search at no additional fee. No arguments. No conditions. That's the deal.
Contingency only. You pay nothing until you make a hire. We invest our time and resources upfront because we're confident in our pipeline. If we don't deliver, you owe us nothing — and we mean that.
For pre‑cleared roles in defense and government contracting, typical industry time‑to‑hire is around 41–60 days. Our goal is to sit on the faster end of that range by maintaining an active, pre‑vetted pipeline and moving quickly once you give the green light. Actual timelines depend on clearance, seniority, location, and how fast your team can interview and decide.
We primarily place candidates with active Secret, Top Secret, and TS/SCI clearances. We focus on adjudicated, active clearances – no "maybe" statuses for cleared positions. If a candidate reports a clearance, we verify it before we bring them to you.
Yes. Summit is a remote-first operation and places talent across the United States. Our candidate pipeline spans every major defense contracting hub — Northern Virginia, San Diego, Huntsville, Colorado Springs, and beyond. Geography is not a constraint.
Summit does not work on roles with a base salary below $100,000. We are an executive and senior professional search firm – not a temp agency or general staffing company. Right now, we focus on $100k+ cleared roles in defense and government contracting. We do not currently take searches outside this niche.
Zero. Summit is always paid by the employer. Candidates never pay a placement fee, a registration fee, or anything else — now or ever. We will never charge you. If you've heard otherwise, that's not Summit.
We offer an optional long‑term retention program for mission‑critical hires. It contracts a bonus at a future tenure milestone so both you and the employee are rewarded for staying the course. Because structures can vary by role and company, we walk through the details during your intake call and only recommend it when it clearly makes financial sense.
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