People thought of sustainable jobs, they pictured wind turbine technicians or solar panel installers. But as we move deeper into 2025, the narrative has shifted dramatically. The energy transition is well underway, but the next frontier of our planetary survival relies on sectors that are arguably even more complex: Food Tech, Climate Resilience, and Advanced Materials.

At Talego, we have seen this shift firsthand. The requests landing on our desks aren't just for software engineers to build energy dashboards anymore. They are for biotechnologists who can scale alternative proteins, process engineers for carbon capture, and materials scientists inventing the future of packaging.

However, there is a bottleneck. The innovation is outpacing the workforce. In this guide, we explore where the GreenTech talent gaps are most acute and how purpose-driven companies can win the war for talent in these emerging Deep Tech sectors.

The New Frontier: Why We Must Look Beyond Renewables

While decarbonising the grid remains crucial, it solves only part of the climate equation. A significant portion of global emissions comes from agriculture, industrial processes, and the built environment. This is where the new wave of Tech-for-Good recruitment is focused.

Investors know this. Funding for "Deep Green" tech technologies based on tangible engineering innovation rather than just software—has remained resilient despite broader market fluctuations. But here is the challenge: hiring for a SaaS platform is fundamentally different from hiring for a company trying to reinvent how humanity produces food or captures carbon.

The talent pool for these industries is small, specialised, and highly contested. To succeed, founders and talent leads must understand the nuances of these specific gaps.

1. Food Tech Hiring: From Lab to Table

The global food system is responsible for roughly a third of global greenhouse gas emissions. Fixing this requires a revolution in Agritech, alternative proteins, and precision fermentation.

The Talent Gap: The biggest hurdle in Food Tech hiring right now is "scale-up" talent. We see many brilliant scientists who can cultivate meat or optimise crop yields in a petri dish or a test plot. The difficulty lies in finding the engineers who can take that process from the lab bench to a factory floor capable of feeding millions.

Key Roles in Demand:

• Bioprocess Engineers: Professionals who understand fermentation tanks and bioreactors.
• Machine Learning Specialists in Agritech: For analysing satellite imagery to optimise water usage and crop health.
• Supply Chain Strategists: To build completely new logistical networks for novel food products.

Talego Insight: We recently worked with a vertical farming startup that struggled to find a Head of Engineering. They were looking for a software background, but we helped them realise they actually needed an expert in industrial automation and fluid dynamics. Adjusting the persona unlocked a new, richer talent pool.

 

2. Climate Resilience Jobs: Engineering for a Changing World

Mitigation (stopping climate change) is vital, but Adaptation (surviving the changes already locked in) is now urgent. This includes Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS), flood defense technology, and wildfire prediction AI.

The Talent Gap: Climate resilience jobs are unique because they often require a hybrid of physical engineering and high-level data science. You aren't just coding a website; you might be coding a model that predicts flood risks based on hydrological sensors.

Key Roles in Demand:

• Chemical Engineers for Direct Air Capture: Creating the solvents and sorbents needed to pull CO2 from the atmosphere.
• Geospatial Data Scientists: Analysing climate models to predict risk for insurance and urban planning.
• Hardware/Firmware Engineers: Developing ruggedised sensors that can survive extreme weather events to transmit critical data.

 

3. Advanced Materials: The Invisible Backbone

If we want to move away from single-use plastics and reliance on scarce minerals, we need better materials. This sector includes the development of biodegradable polymers, more efficient battery chemistries, and sustainable construction materials (like green concrete).

The Talent Gap: This is "Hard Tech" in its truest form. The development cycles are long, and the expertise is highly academic. The recruitment challenge here is pulling talent out of academia and into the fast-paced startup world.

Key Roles in Demand:

• Materials Scientists (Polymers & Metallurgy): The architects of the molecular world.
• Process Scaling Engineers: To figure out how to manufacture mushroom-based packaging at the speed of Styrofoam.
• Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) Analysts: Data experts who prove that a new material is genuinely sustainable from cradle to grave.

 

 

The "Talent-for-Good" Factor: Why Mission Alignment Matters

Technical skills are non-negotiable in Deep Tech, but in our experience, they are rarely the reason a new hire fails. The failure point is usually culture and mission alignment.

In 2025, the most talented engineers and scientists have their pick of employers. They are not just looking for a paycheck; they are looking for a legacy. This is where mission-aligned engineering becomes your competitive advantage.

How to Attract Impact-Driven Talent

1. Radical Transparency: Don't greenwash. Engineers are skeptical by nature. Show them your real impact metrics, not just marketing fluff.
2. The "Hard Problem" Pitch: Top GreenTech talent loves a challenge. Frame your role not just as a job, but as an opportunity to solve a specific, difficult problem for the planet.
3. Equity and Ownership: Deep Tech takes time to mature. ensuring your team has a stake in the long-term success is vital for retention.

 

How Talego Connects Purpose with People

At Talego, we don't just match keywords on a CV. We understand that finding a Lead Engineer for a carbon capture plant requires a different approach than hiring a Full Stack Dev for a fintech app.

We spend time understanding the scientific and engineering nuance of your product. If you are in Food Tech hiring, we look for candidates who understand the biological constraints of your work. If you are in advanced materials, we look for resilience and patience.

Most importantly, we assess for values. We tap into networks of passive candidates who are currently working in traditional industries (like oil and gas or traditional manufacturing) but are desperate to pivot their skills into Tech-for-Good recruitment opportunities.

Conversion Bridge

Finding the right technical skills is hard; finding them combined with genuine passion for the planet is harder. That is where we step in—bridging the gap between the world's most innovative problem-solvers and the companies that need them most.

Your Next Step: Mastering GreenTech Talent in 2025

Ready to build a team that can change the world? Start with these three actions:

1. Audit Your "Must-Haves": Are you asking for specific software experience when you really need problem-solving ability? Broaden your scope to include transferrable skills from traditional engineering sectors.

2. Define Your Impact Story: Draft a one-pager that explains specifically how an engineer’s daily work contributes to your climate goals. This is your best recruiting asset.

3. Book a Strategy Call: Partner with Talego to diagnose your current hiring bottlenecks and access our curated network of impact-ready talent.

 

FAQ: Hiring in Emerging GreenTech Sectors

What are the biggest talent shortages in ClimateTech?

The shortages are most acute in "hybrid" roles that blend physical engineering with digital capabilities. Specifically:

• Process Engineers capable of scaling lab innovations.
• Climate Data Scientists who understand meteorology and AI.
• Hardware Engineers for IoT and remote sensing.

 

How do I hire engineers for a Food Tech startup?

Food Tech hiring requires looking in unconventional places.

• Look at Pharma/Biotech: Transferrable skills in fermentation and sterile processes are high here.
• Target Academia: Many PhDs are looking to move into industry.
• Emphasise Speed: Sell the startup pace versus the slow movement of Big Food conglomerates.

 

What skills are required for carbon capture technology?

Carbon capture (CCUS) relies heavily on chemical and mechanical engineering. Key skills include:

• Gas Separation Thermodynamics: Understanding how to separate molecules.
• Systems Integration: Connecting capture units to storage or utilisation pipelines.
• Regulatory Knowledge: Understanding the compliance landscape for carbon storage.

 

Why is mission alignment important in tech recruitment?

In GreenTech talent acquisition, mission alignment predicts retention.

• Resilience: Deep Tech has long product cycles and failures; belief in the mission keeps teams motivated.
• Innovation: Employees who care about the outcome (the planet) proactively solve problems rather than waiting for instructions.
• Brand Ambassadorship: Passionate employees attract other passionate talent.

 

Author Bio

Rekiel Moss is a Senior Content Strategist and Talent Partner at Talego, specialising in the intersection of Deep Tech and social impact. With a finger on the pulse of the Tech-for-Good recruitment landscape, Rekiel helps founders navigate the complexities of building teams for Climate Resilience jobs and sustainable innovation. He believes that the solution to the climate crisis lies in connecting the world's brightest minds with its most urgent problems.