About

You don't fail an MES programme because of the technology. You fail because of the person you put in charge of it.

MITREC is a retained critical hire search firm built for one market. MES, Smart Manufacturing, and Industry 4.0. Founded by Daniel Langley after 10 years and 9,000+ interviews inside this single space.

Why MITREC Exists

The origin story

I spent my first five years in recruitment watching generalist firms send manufacturers 15 CVs for an MES role. 12 of them from people who'd never set foot on a plant floor. The client would interview all of them out of desperation, hire the least bad option, and be back on the phone six months later. The industry called this recruitment. I called it a waste of everyone's time and money.

So I stopped taking briefs I couldn't fulfil properly. I went deep into one market. MES, Smart Manufacturing, and Industry 4.0. Over 10 years, I've conducted more than 9,000 candidate interviews across this single space. I learned who reports to the VP of Ops, who owns the MES budget, who actually runs the rollout at 5am. After 250+ critical hires delivered for companies including iBASEt, Körber Pharma Software, Rockwell Automation, Agropur, Aizon, and POMS . I know who's delivered and who's just managed.

The companies I work with have all learned the same lesson. The wrong hire doesn't just cost money. It costs momentum, contracts, sometimes the whole rollout. That's why every MITREC search is research-led and right first time. Three client types. MES software vendors, system integrators, and manufacturers. Three markets. Europe, North America, and the GCC.

I'm also the founder of SixFigureOS, a career platform that helps professionals land and grow six-figure roles. It's the candidate-side counterpart to MITREC's employer-side search practice. I know how both sides of this market think. That's not common in recruitment. It should be.

Daniel Langley

Founder, MITREC

250+

Critical hires delivered

9,000+

Candidate interviews conducted

42 days

Average time to placement

10+

Years in MES & Industry 4.0

3 Regions

Europe · N. America · GCC

$30M+

Compensation negotiated

52 leaders who trusted MITREC with a critical hire

What people say

Dave Staehle

Industrial Engineer

“Daniel was awesome to work with during my job search! He's one of those rare people who's both highly professional and genuinely personable. He found a role that was a great fit on both sides and made the transition onto my new team smooth and enjoyable.”

Amar Ghanwat

MES Lead Consultant

“I highly recommend Daniel for their professionalism and efficiency during my hiring process for MES Lead position in Netherlands. He ensured a smooth transition, communicated clearly, and moved quickly to complete every step. His proactive and professional approach made the entire experience...”

Lucky Kumari

EU Lead MES Engineer

“I truly appreciate Daniel's support during my job search. Within just three weeks, Daniel scheduled interviews, guided me through the process, and helped me confidently choose the right offer. Working with him was smooth and reassuring. Always professional, reliable, and true to his word. I would...”

Maxime Tremblay

Digital Manufacturing Leader

“I highly recommend Daniel for his exceptional support in finding an MES resource. From the initial intake to the final offer, the entire process was smooth, efficient, and truly stress-free. His professionalism, insight, and dedication made a world of difference, and I couldn't be more satisfied...”

Justin Smith

Manufacturing Automation Manager, Sun Chemical

“Daniel found me while I was on my job search and, from the start, working with him felt natural and easy. He listened to my desires and aspirations for a new role and made sure to understand what to convey when it came time to speak with an employer. The role that he had brought to my attention...”

Tamille Johnson

PMO Manager - Sr. Project Manager

“Daniel made my job search effortless. He and his team took the time to truly understand my career aspirations, ensuring they connected me with an opportunity that perfectly aligned with my skills and goals. From our very first conversation, Dan focused not just on my resume but on my strengths,...”

Peter Tang

Senior IT Functional Analyst - MES Lead

“Daniel was a pleasure to work with during my job search and I can't recommend him highly enough. I could tell he did his research as he reached out to me with a position that was exactly aligned with my previous experience and was a natural progression towards the next step. Daniel was...”

Rich Moore

Solution Engineer, Fuuz

“I am incredibly grateful to have worked with Daniel during my job search. From our first conversation, it was clear that he truly understood my professional goals and the type of opportunity I was looking for. Daniel was not only thorough in matching my skills with the right roles, but he also...”

Before you reach out

Questions we get asked

How long does a typical search take?

Our average is 42 days from brief to signed offer. That’s not a target, it’s what happens when you’re not starting from scratch. We’ve spent 10 years building a network inside this market. When a brief lands, we already know who the shortlist should include. Every search is different, but most clients see their first assessed candidates within two weeks.

What does retained mean? Why don’t you work on contingency?

Retained means you pay a structured fee across the search, and we work exclusively on your hire. No racing. No spray-and-pray. No sending you 15 CVs and hoping one sticks. We present three to five assessed candidates per search. Every one of them has been interviewed in depth, technically validated, and mapped against your specific requirements. We work this way because critical hires deserve proper research, not a numbers game.

What happens if the hire doesn’t work out?

Every MITREC placement comes with a guarantee period. If the hire doesn’t work out within that window, we re-run the search at no additional cost. In 10 years, we’ve rarely needed to use it, but it’s there because we stand behind every placement we make.

I’m a candidate, not a client. Should I still reach out?

Yes. If you work in MES, Smart Manufacturing, or Industry 4.0 at a senior level, we want to know you. Even if we don’t have a live search that fits right now, we track this market closely. When the right role comes up, you’ll hear from us, and you’ll hear from someone who actually understands what you do.

Hiring for a role that can't fail?

If you're filling an MES or Smart Manufacturing leadership seat, let's make sure the person you put in it is the right one. First time.

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