Profiles in ~48 hoursVetted shortlist after your brief
Start within a weekAfter a short interview or trial
You own the codeIP assignment and NDA
Scale with 30 days noticeAdd or release engineers
Trusted by founders and enterprises worldwide
About hiring C and C++ engineers
Everything to know before you hire C and C++ talent
Hire C and C++ developers when software sits close to hardware or must squeeze every bit of performance from a machine. Speqto engineers work on embedded firmware, real-time and device software, performance engines and desktop applications, for hardware companies and product teams that need careful engineering and clear, reviewable code.
C and C++ dominate when you need direct control over memory, timing and hardware. Microcontroller firmware, drivers, game and graphics engines, audio and video processing, trading systems, scientific tooling and many desktop applications are still written in them, because nothing else offers the same combination of speed, portability and ecosystem. Teams that choose these languages usually do so for control, so the engineers need to be comfortable with the cost of that control.
That power carries risk. Manual memory management, undefined behavior and subtle concurrency bugs cause crashes and security vulnerabilities. Competent teams reduce the risk with modern C++ (smart pointers, RAII, ranges), static analysis, sanitizers and strict code review, and they consider whether Rust suits new components better. Build and toolchain management is another quiet source of pain, which is why we value developers who can tame CMake, package managers and cross-compilation setups.
How we vet C and C++ developers
We test fundamentals that do not appear in tutorials: object lifetime, pointer aliasing, the memory model, alignment, and what makes behavior undefined. Candidates read a short piece of code and find the bug, then explain how they would debug a crash that only occurs on target hardware using gdb, core dumps or a logic analyzer. We also ask about debugging stories involving hardware, timing or race conditions, because those experiences are hard to fake and reveal how methodically someone works.
Role-specific checks follow. Embedded candidates discuss interrupts, RTOS tasks, DMA, bootloaders and power constraints. Desktop and engine candidates cover Qt or similar toolkits, threading, build systems with CMake, and cross-platform packaging. Familiarity with MISRA or similar coding standards counts where safety matters, but we do not claim certification for any project. Reading datasheets, protocol specifications and vendor SDK code is part of daily work, so communication and patience with unclear documentation matter as much as syntax.
How the engagement works
Send us the target platform, toolchain and the kind of problem, and we will share relevant profiles within about two business days. Developers can work against your hardware remotely or with test rigs, and present working builds or logs in weekly demos. The first weeks cover toolchain setup, a build that reproduces on a clean machine and a small, well-tested change, which shows how the engineer works with your hardware and process.
You can hire one engineer to own a firmware module, or a small team including QA and test automation. Scaling needs 30 days notice. We sign NDAs on request, which matters for device work, and all IP is assigned to you. AI assistants help with tests and documentation, while humans review all code. For regulated devices, we agree up front how requirements, tests and review evidence will be recorded, so your own audit trail stays complete.
Why teams hire from Speqto
A bench, not a single freelancer
If an engineer is unavailable or the fit is wrong, a replacement comes from the same bench, with knowledge handed over.
Firmware for ARM Cortex-M and similar microcontrollers, including drivers, communication stacks such as BLE, CAN and UART, and over-the-air update logic.
Real-time and RTOS software
Task design, interrupt handling and timing analysis using FreeRTOS or Zephyr, with attention to priority inversion and deterministic behavior.
Performance-critical engines
Parsing, simulation, media or financial calculation libraries tuned with profiling, cache-aware data layouts and carefully managed threading. Tail latency is measured, not just averages.
Desktop and device applications
Cross-platform applications and device tools built with Qt or native APIs, packaged and signed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Legacy code modernization
Moving old C++ to modern standards, adding tests around brittle code, fixing memory issues found by sanitizers, and tidying build systems.
Bindings and integration
Exposing native libraries to Python, Node.js or mobile apps through stable interfaces, so higher-level teams can reuse fast core code.
Skill set
Skills and tools your C and C++ hire brings
Matched against your stack during screening, not listed for decoration.
CC
C2C++20
CMCMake
QTQt
FRFreeRTOS
ZEZephyr
GDgdb
VAValgrind
ADAddressSanitizer
GOGoogle Test
COConan
BOBoost
How we vet
Five filters before you see a profile
You only interview engineers who have already cleared code review, a live problem-solving session and a communication check.
1Role brief matched to our bench
2Code and project review
3Technical assessment
4Live problem solving
5Communication and culture check
How to hire
Hire C and C++ talent in four steps
A short, low-risk path from your brief to a working engineer. If the first engineer is not right, we replace them.
1
Share your brief
Tell us the role, stack, hours overlap and how long you need the engineer. A 20-minute call is usually enough.
2
Get vetted profiles
In about two business days you receive candidates with assessment notes, code samples and availability.
3
Interview and trial
Speak to the engineers yourself. Start with a short paid trial and continue only if the fit is right.
4
Onboard and ship
Your engineer joins stand-ups and repositories, demos weekly and is backed by a delivery lead.
Included
Every engineer comes with
No hidden extras: the basics of a safe, managed engagement are part of the package.
NDA and IP assignment
Signed before details are shared; everything built is yours.
Weekly progress reports
Plain-language updates and a demo of working software.
Replacement from our bench
If the fit is wrong, a new engineer joins with a proper handover.
Your tools and repositories
Your Git, tickets and chat; we adapt to your process.
Equipment and payroll handled
Hardware, leave and compliance stay with Speqto.
30 days notice to scale
Add engineers or release them as your roadmap changes.
Compare options
Speqto, freelancer or in-house hire
Speqto dedicated engineer
Freelancer
In-house hire
Time to start
About one week
Days, but quality varies
Often two to four months
Vetting
Practical assessment and senior review
You test every candidate
You run the whole process
If someone leaves
Replacement from our bench
You start the search again
Gap until the next hire
Management
Delivery lead plus your direction
Entirely yours
Entirely yours
Scaling
Add or release with 30 days notice
One person at a time
Slow and costly to reverse
IP and NDA
Assigned to you by contract
Depends on the agreement
Standard employment terms
Equipment and payroll
Handled by Speqto
Their own
Yours
FAQ
Hire C and C++ Developers FAQs
Straight answers on cost, timelines, IP ownership, team setup and how we work. Cannot find yours? Ask a solutions architect directly.
Rust suits new security-sensitive components where memory safety is a priority and the team can learn it. C++ is better when you rely on existing libraries, vendor SDKs, mature tooling or engineers who already know it. Mixed systems are common.
Can you work on our embedded hardware remotely?
Often yes, using remote debug probes, shared test rigs or emulators and CI that flashes boards. For hardware bring-up, we agree on logistics early, such as shipping boards or a local lab arrangement. Time zones and lab access are agreed before work starts.
Do your developers use modern C++ standards?
Yes, by default. They use smart pointers, RAII, standard containers, ranges and constexpr where the toolchain supports them. For constrained embedded targets they adapt, following your compiler support and coding rules. Compiler support is checked in CI on every target.
How do you reduce memory bugs in C and C++?
Through modern ownership patterns, compiler warnings as errors, static analysis, AddressSanitizer and UBSan in CI, fuzzing for parsers, and thorough code review. These practices catch most defects long before release. Code owners must approve changes in safety-relevant modules.
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