Unusual physics / EE job - where best to find applicants?

[Cromer355]

I’m posting this on behalf of a very fast growing technology company which is about to open an office in Cambridge, UK.  The company concerned have contracts with many large companies worldwide to create commercially relevant inventions which can form the basis or part of future consumer and industrial products.  They are looking to recruit a number of “Invention Developers” – people who use the company’s proprietary software to create inventions, and then communicate these to its customers. 

Some of the essential characteristics of an Invention Developer are (i) intuitive, fundamental and broad knowledge of electronic engineering and/or physics, (ii) genuine interest in technology – regular reader of science and/or technology columns, for example, (iii) good first degree in a relevant subject.

This is quite an unusual job, and accordingly I’m wondering if anyone has any thoughts about how best to connect with suitable applicants.

Thanks for your help.

Cromer

[HackedFridgeMagnet]

me me me, but on second thoughts maybe the commute is a bit far.

I think interesting work will attract good candidates, but it's hard to find good people fast. Good luck.

You could try the local university. They seem to have made a name for themselves.

[Bored@Work]

Are you trying to tell us there is a company out there using a proprietary software to somehow magically create inventions? No own ideas required?  No specific, in depth, subject knowledge required, because the magic software knows it all? Whatever line of business?

And are you trying to tell us that other large companies hire this company, to do inventions for them, essentially outsourcing their "inventing" and no longer doing it on their own for their kind of business?

[tggzzz]

Remuneration?
Benefits?
Disadvantages? (Apart from it being in the UK equivalent of the Nullarbor Plain, and there being insufficient ink of any colour on the OS 1:50000 maps )
Company name?

[Corporate666]

I've always found that if the pay is good (at least, in line with industry norms) and the work is interesting, that it's not too hard to find applicants.

Why not tell us the name of the company and what sort of job responsibilities and salary are being offered - if they fit with my first sentence, I'd imagine you could find quite a few interested folks right here.

It does sound a little strange though... I don't know what "use the company's proprietary software to create inventions" means.  And I don't know of any large companies that write contracts with outside companies to create "inventions" using some kind of proprietary software that those companies will then use in future products.  Most companies, certainly large companies, do their R&D in-house.

[Precipice]

  Most companies, certainly large companies, do their R&D in-house.

There are plenty of consulting shops around here which do R&D, both in-house and for clients.
http://www.cambridgeconsultants.com are probably the best known, but there are others. They also spin out a steady stream of not-quite-startups.
But yes, as ever, more details would deliver more detailed responses.

[chickenHeadKnob]

Are you trying to tell us there is a company out there using a proprietary software to somehow magically create inventions? No own ideas required?  No specific, in depth, subject knowledge required, because the magic software knows it all? Whatever line of business?

And are you trying to tell us that other large companies hire this company, to do inventions for them, essentially outsourcing their "inventing" and no longer doing it on their own for their kind of business?

My thoughts exactly, it sounds like the Nathan Myhrvold/Intellectual Ventures patent troll business model. A few engineers and scientists sit around a lunch table talking, with a shit load of lawyers recording everything  to come up with a mountain of crapoid patents. Except in this case it appears each "worker"  sits alone in a cube farm talking to his computer which then generates and records the troll patent. Brilliant. The entire troll patent operation is thusly automated!

[EEVblog]

Are you trying to tell us there is a company out there using a proprietary software to somehow magically create inventions? No own ideas required?  No specific, in depth, subject knowledge required, because the magic software knows it all? Whatever line of business?
And are you trying to tell us that other large companies hire this company, to do inventions for them, essentially outsourcing their "inventing" and no longer doing it on their own for their kind of business?

Yes, it does all sound a bit, umm, magical...

I'd turn up to a local hacker space and ask around, put up a flyer etc. Universities usually have job bulletin boards, go post something there with one of those tear-off contact details strips

[EEVblog]

Even I know there is some kind of thing called a QR code that people  use these days.

I don't use QR codes. Don't think I even have a reader app on my phone for it...