Escala. Talent
Partners

Canada · Colombia · United States

Expand your team across the Americas, without the hassle.

We help startups, mid-market companies and enterprises hire and manage experienced technology, marketing and operations professionals in Canada, Colombia and the US. Vetted, professional and reliable, and working the hours you do.

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Why Escala

Built for teams where quality isn't negotiable.

Whether you're a startup making your first remote hire or an enterprise scaling a global program, you need more than CVs. You need people who contribute from week one.

Rigorously vetted

Each candidate passes role-specific skills assessments, structured interviews and English communication screening before you meet them.

Real-time collaboration

All three of our markets share North American working hours. That means live meetings, same-day turnaround and no overnight handoffs.

Compliant by design

Local employment contracts, IP assignment, confidentiality and background checks, scaled to your procurement and security requirements.

From one specialist to a full pod

Add a single senior specialist or stand up a complete cross-functional team. Scale up or down as your programs change.

How we work

Recruiting, employment and HR, handled by people.

We specialize in the regions we operate in. We know how to source great talent fast, we understand local compliance inside out, and we provide real oversight of your team on the ground.

Recruit

Specialist recruitment

We source, vet and shortlist candidates for hard-to-fill roles. You hire them directly onto your own payroll or entity.

Best for: companies with a local entity that need hiring firepower

Recruit + Onboard

Full-service teams

We find your people and onboard them as contractors or full-time employees, with benefits that meet local requirements or exceed them if you choose. You direct the work; we handle contracts, payroll, HR and compliance.

Best for: building a team in a new country, fast

Custom project

Dedicated office setup

Have a work-from-office policy? We can set up a fully equipped office for your team in-market, including space, fit-out, equipment, connectivity and on-site support. Scoped and priced to your needs.

Best for: teams that work better together in person

  • Specialist recruitmentRole-specific sourcing, assessment and shortlisting across technology, marketing and operations.
  • Employer of record (EOR)We become the legal employer in-country, with compliant contracts and benefits. This includes hires you've already found.
  • Contractor of record (COR)Engage independent contractors without misclassification risk. Agreements, invoicing and payments included.
  • Local payroll & complianceAccurate, on-time payroll with local taxes, social security and labor-law requirements managed.
  • HR servicesOnboarding, benefits administration, employee support and offboarding, handled locally.
  • Device managementFor larger teams: laptop procurement, secure setup, shipping and recovery.

Locations

Choose the right market for each engagement.

Combine locations within one program to balance cost, proximity and compliance needs.

Canada

Research-grade depth

A world-class AI and data ecosystem anchored by Toronto, Montréal and Vancouver, with a cost structure that is meaningfully more efficient than major US metros.

  • Strong AI/ML research and applied-ML talent
  • Shared time zones with every US region
  • Familiar legal, privacy and business norms

Colombia

Nearshore value

One of Latin America's fastest-growing technology markets. Bogotá and Medellín have deep pools of senior engineering, marketing and operations talent experienced with US enterprises.

  • Full overlap with US Eastern and Central hours
  • Significant cost efficiency at senior levels
  • Short, direct flights for on-site workshops

United States

Onshore assurance

For work that must stay onshore, US-based professionals meet data-residency, regulatory and client-facing requirements without compromise.

  • Suited to regulated industries and public sector
  • Client-facing and on-site ready
  • Onshore leads for blended global teams

Typical market rates

What full-time talent costs in each market.

Colombian professionals with English at B1 level or above typically cost a third to half of US rates, on the same working hours. Canada sits in between, with deep specialist talent pools.

Roles Colombia Canada United States
Technology
Software Developer$30-45$50-75$90-150
Data Engineer$35-55$65-95$110-170
DevOps / Cloud Engineer$35-55$65-95$110-170
QA Engineer$25-40$45-65$70-100
AI Engineer (LLMs & Agents)$40-65$80-120$140-220
Project Manager$30-50$55-85$90-130
Marketing
Digital Marketing Specialist$20-35$35-55$50-85
Content Writer / Copywriter$18-30$35-50$45-75
Graphic Designer$20-35$35-55$50-85
Email Campaign Developer$20-35$40-60$55-90
Marketing Operations$25-40$45-65$65-100
Administrative
Executive Assistant$12-20$25-40$35-60
Administrative Coordinator$10-16$22-32$28-45

Indicative 2026 ranges for full-time talent, shown as all-in hourly cost in USD. Colombia ranges are for professionals with English at B1 (CEFR) level or above. Actual rates depend on experience, skills, engagement model and benefits. Ask us for a tailored quote.

Roles we place

Talent for your technology and business teams.

If the work can be done remotely, we can staff it. These are the roles we're asked for most.

Technology

  • Software EngineeringBackend, frontend, full-stack, mobile
  • AI & Machine LearningAI agents, LLM apps, ML engineering, MLOps
  • Data EngineeringPipelines, warehousing, Spark, dbt
  • Data Science & AnalyticsModeling, BI, experimentation
  • Cloud & DevOpsAWS, Azure, GCP, platform, SRE
  • Quality EngineeringTest automation, performance
  • SecurityAppSec, cloud security, IAM
  • Technical LeadershipArchitects, tech leads, TPMs

Marketing & Operations

  • Digital MarketingPaid media, SEO/SEM, social, email
  • Content & CreativeCopywriting, design, video
  • Marketing OperationsCRM, automation, reporting
  • Administrative SupportExecutive assistants, coordinators, back office

Our process

A clear path from requirement to productive team.

  1. 01

    Define

    We scope the roles, seniority, tech stack, location mix and budget with your delivery leads.

  2. 02

    Shortlist

    You receive a small set of pre-vetted candidates with assessment results, not a pile of resumes.

  3. 03

    Select

    You interview and make the final call. We handle offers, contracts and compliance.

  4. 04

    Scale

    We onboard your team and stay engaged with regular check-ins, backfill support and room to grow.

FAQ

Common questions

Who do you typically work with?

Startups, mid-market companies and large enterprises, including consulting firms that deliver programs for enterprise clients. Our process scales from a founder's first remote hire to organizations with established procurement and security standards.

How quickly can we see candidates?

For most roles we share a vetted shortlist within a couple of weeks of scoping. Niche or very senior positions may take longer, and we'll give you a realistic timeline up front.

Can we mix locations within one team?

Yes. Many clients pair a US-based lead with team members in Colombia or Canada to balance cost, proximity and compliance requirements.

Who manages the day-to-day work?

Your team does. Escala professionals integrate with your tools, rituals and leadership. We handle hiring, contracts and ongoing support behind the scenes.

What if a hire isn't the right fit?

Tell us early. We'll work with you on a replacement so your program keeps moving.

Contact

Tell us what you're building.

Share a few details and a member of our team will reply within one business day. We'll discuss the roles, the timing and the location mix that suits you best.

  • No-obligation consultation
  • Confidential by default
  • Single specialists to full teams
Roles you're interested in