{"id":181909,"date":"2026-09-25T06:53:53","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T06:53:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.devsdata.com\/?post_type=case_study&#038;p=181909"},"modified":"2026-09-28T08:31:07","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T08:31:07","slug":"smile-train-software-developer-recruitment","status":"publish","type":"case_study","link":"https:\/\/staging.devsdata.com\/de\/case-studies\/smile-train-software-developer-recruitment\/","title":{"rendered":"Smile Train \u2013 IT Recruitment for a Global Children&#8217;s Charity"},"content":{"rendered":"<section>\n<h1>Smile Train \u2013 IT Recruitment for a Global Children&#8217;s Charity<\/h1>\n\n    <style>`\n        .post-info {\n            display: flex;\n            flex-direction: row;\n            font-family: Montserrat;\n            font-style: normal;\n            font-weight: 500;\n            font-size: 16px;\n            line-height: 150%;\n            letter-spacing: 0.02em;\n            color: #6D7082;\n            \/*padding-top:32px;*\/\n        }\n\n        .info-container .post-info {\n            display: flex;\n            flex-direction: column;\n            justify-content: space-between;\n        }\n\n        .post-info-main {\n            width: 100%;\n            display: flex;\n            flex-wrap: wrap;\n            row-gap: 5px;\n            column-gap: 20px;\n            grid-template-rows: repeat(3, auto);\n            grid-template-columns: 60px max-content auto;\n            margin-bottom:12px;\n        }\n\n        .with-reviewer {\n            flex-wrap: wrap;\n            row-gap: 5px;\n        }\n\n        .author-name {\n            margin-bottom:4px;\n            grid-row-start: 2;\n            text-decoration: underline;\n            color:black !important;\n        }\n\n        .rank-math-breadcrumb {\n            margin-top:20px;\n            position: relative;\n            z-index: 1;\n        }\n\n        .rank-math-breadcrumb p {\n            margin: 0;\n            white-space: nowrap; \n            overflow: hidden;\n            text-overflow: ellipsis;\n            gap: 8px;\n            display: flex;\n        }\n\n        .rank-math-breadcrumb a {\n            color: #6d7082;\n        }\n\n        .rank-math-breadcrumb a:hover {\n            text-decoration: underline;\n            color: #0332c9;\n        }\n\n        .author-avatar {\n            display: flex;\n            justify-content: center;\n            margin-right: 15px;\n            width: fit-content;\n            grid-row-start: span 2;\n            grid-row-end: 4;\n        }\n\n        .author-avatar picture {\n            display: flex;\n            justify-content: center;\n            align-items: center;\n        }\n\n        .author-avatar.clicked {\n            transform: scale(1.1);\n        }\n\n        .post-info .author-avatar img {\n            min-width:44px;\n            height: 44px;\n            width: auto;\n            object-fit: cover;\n            aspect-ratio: 1\/1;\n            filter: grayscale(1);\n            border-radius: 100%;\n            position: relative;\n            top: 2px;\n        }\n\n        .post-info .author_socials {\n            display: flex;\n            flex-direction: row;\n            align-items: center;\n            grid-row-start: 3;\n            grid-column: span 2;\n            gap: 15px;\n            list-style-type: none;\n            padding: 0;\n            margin: 0;\n        }\n\n        .post-info .author_socials li a {\n            display: flex;\n            align-item: center;\n            text-decoration: none;\n        }\n\n        .author_socials a svg {\n            width: 16px;\n            height: 16px;\n            transition: 0.3s;\n            color: #000;\n        }\n      \n        .author_socials li:hover svg {\n            color: #0332c9;\n        }\n\n        .right-info a {\n            width: fit-content;\n            color: unset;\n        }\n\n        .right-info a:hover {\n            text-decoration: underline;\n        }\n\n        .post-info .clock {\n            position: relative;\n            padding-right: 5px;\n            top: 2px;\n        }\n\n        .post-info .arrow {\n            position: relative;\n            margin-left: 10px;\n            margin-right: 10px;\n            transition: .2s;\n            height: 6px;\n            bottom: 1px;\n        }\n        .post-info .post-info-separator {\n            padding-right: 3px;\n            padding-left: 3px;\n        }\n\n        .reviewer-info {\n            display: flex;\n            flex-direction:column;\n            justify-content: center;\n            align-items: flex-start;\n            grid-row-start: 2;\n            align-self: start;\n            justify-self: end;\n            font-family: \"Montserrat\", arial;\n            color: #000;\n        }\n\n        .reviewer-info.the_first_row {\n            justify-self: start;\n            grid-row-start: 1;\n            grid-column: span 3;\n        }\n\n        .meta-checkmark {\n            width: 20px;\n            height: auto;\n        }\n\n        .reviewer-info a {\n            margin-left: 0;\n            color: #000;\n            text-decoration: underline;\n        }\n        .reviewer-info a:hover {\n            color: #0332c9;\n        }\n        .reviewer-info a:visited {\n            color: #551a8b;\n        }\n        .reviewer-info a:active {\n            color: #0332c9;\n        }\n        .language-dropdown-container {\n            display: inline-block;\n            width: 200px;\n        }\n\n        .language_switcher {\n            display: inline-flex;\n            align-items: center;\n            flex-direction: row;\n            gap: 5px;\n            vertical-align: middle;\n        }\n        \n        .language_switcher .wpml-ls-legacy-dropdown {\n            width: auto;\n            position: relative;\n            vertical-align: middle;\n        }\n\n        .language_switcher .wpml-ls-legacy-dropdown ul {\n            list-style: none;\n            padding: 0;\n            margin: 0;\n        }\n\n        .language_switcher .wpml-ls-legacy-dropdown .wpml-ls-current-language {\n            position: relative;\n            margin-bottom:0;\n        }\n\n        .language_switcher .wpml-ls-legacy-dropdown .wpml-ls-current-language > a {\n            padding-left:16px !important;\n            display: flex;\n            align-items: center;\n            justify-content: space-between;\n            width: 100%;\n            box-sizing: border-box;\n        }\n\n        .language_switcher .wpml-ls-legacy-dropdown .wpml-ls-sub-menu {\n            display: none;\n            position: absolute;\n            z-index: 10;\n            top: 100%;\n            left: 0;\n            width: 100%;\n            margin: 0;\n            background-color: rgb(238, 238, 238);\n            border-radius: 0 0 8px 8px;\n            overflow: hidden;\n        }\n\n        .language_switcher .wpml-ls-legacy-dropdown .wpml-ls-sub-menu li {\n            display: block;\n            width: 100%;\n            margin-bottom:0;\n        }\n\n        .language_switcher .wpml-ls-legacy-dropdown .wpml-ls-sub-menu li:hover {\n            background-color:rgba(204, 204, 211) !important\n        }\n\n        .language_switcher .wpml-ls-legacy-dropdown .wpml-ls-sub-menu a {\n            display: block;\n            width: 100%;\n            padding: 8px 15px 8px 16px;\n            margin-left: 0;\n            box-sizing: border-box;\n            white-space: nowrap;\n            text-align: left;\n        }\n\n        @media (hover: hover) {\n            .language_switcher .wpml-ls-legacy-dropdown .wpml-ls-current-language:hover > .wpml-ls-sub-menu {\n                display: block;\n            }\n        }\n\n        .language_switcher .wpml-ls-legacy-dropdown .wpml-ls-current-language.wpml-dropdown-open > .wpml-ls-sub-menu {\n            display: block;\n        }\n\n        .language_switcher .wpml-ls-legacy-dropdown .wpml-ls-current-language.wpml-dropdown-open > a.wpml-ls-item-toggle:after {\n            transform: scale(.7) rotate(180deg);\n        }\n\n        .language_switcher .wpml-ls-legacy-dropdown .wpml-ls-current-language.wpml-dropdown-open > .wpml-ls-item-toggle {\n            border-radius: 8px 8px 0 0;\n            background-color: rgba(204, 204, 211);\n        }\n\n        .wpml-ls-legacy-dropdown a:focus {\n            background-color: #FFFFFF;\n        }\n\n        .language_switcher .wpml-ls-legacy-dropdown a:visited {\n            color: #000000 !important;\n        }\n\n        .wpml-ls-legacy-dropdown a.wpml-ls-item-toggle:after {\n            content: \"\";\n            display: inline-block;\n            transform: scale(.7);\n            height: 20px;\n            width: 20px;\n            background: url(\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Vector.png\");\n            margin-left: 5px;\n            background-repeat: no-repeat;\n            background-position: center center;\n            background-size: 10px;\n            border: none;\n            position: unset;\n            background-color: #eee;\n            border-radius: 50%;\n            padding: 10px;\n            transition: transform 0.2s ease-in-out;\n            vertical-align: middle;\n            flex-shrink: 0;\n        }\n\n        .language_switcher a {\n            border: none;\n            padding: 10px 15px;\n        }\n\n        .wpml-ls-legacy-dropdown a.wpml-ls-item-toggle {\n            padding: 0 5px 0 2px !important;\n        }\n\n        @media (hover: hover) {\n            .wpml-ls-sub-menu a.wpml-ls-link:hover,\n            .language_switcher .wpml-ls-legacy-dropdown a.wpml-ls-item-toggle:hover {\n                background-color: rgba(204, 204, 211);\n                color: #000000 !important;\n                text-decoration: none;\n            }\n        }\n\n        .wpml-ls-sub-menu {\n            border: none !important;\n            background-color: transparent;\n        }\n\n        .wpml-ls-sub-menu a {\n            background-color: #FFFFFF;\n        }\n\n        .wpml-ls-current-language .wpml-ls-item-toggle {\n            border-radius: 8px;\n        }\n\n        @media (hover: hover) {\n            .wpml-ls-current-language:hover .wpml-ls-sub-menu a {\n                background-color: rgb(238, 238, 238) !important;\n            }\n\n            .wpml-ls-current-language .wpml-ls-sub-menu a:hover,\n            a.wpml-ls-item-toggle:hover:after {\n                background-color: rgba(204, 204, 211) !important;\n            }\n\n            .wpml-ls-current-language:hover a.wpml-ls-item-toggle:after {\n                transform: scale(.7) rotate(180deg);\n            }\n\n            .wpml-ls-current-language:hover .language_switcher .wpml-ls-legacy-dropdown a {\n                background-color: rgba(109, 112, 130, 0.1);\n            }\n\n            .wpml-ls-current-language:hover .wpml-ls-item-toggle{\n                border-radius: 8px 8px 0 0;\n            }\n\n            .wpml-ls-current-language:hover .wpml-ls-item:last-child .wpml-ls-link{\n                border-radius: 0 0 8px 8px;\n            }\n        }\n\n        .wpml-ls-current-language.wpml-dropdown-open .wpml-ls-sub-menu a {\n            background-color: rgb(238, 238, 238) !important;\n        }\n\n        .wpml-ls-current-language.wpml-dropdown-open .wpml-ls-item:last-child .wpml-ls-link{\n            border-radius: 0 0 8px 8px;\n        }\n\n        ul.language-list {\n            \/*min-height: 71px;*\/\n            margin: 0;\n            overflow: hidden;\n            position: absolute;\n            display: inline-block;\n            list-style: none;\n            vertical-align: top;\n            background-color: #FFFFFF;\n            padding: 0;\n            z-index: 2;\n        }\n\n        ul.language-list.mobile {\n            border-radius: 10px;\n            border: 1px solid rgba(109, 112, 130, 0.1);\n            margin-left: 10px;\n        }\n\n        .language-list.mobile li:hover {\n            background-color: rgba(109, 112, 130, 0.1)\n        }\n\n        .language-list.mobile li:hover a {\n            color: #000000;\n        }\n\n        .dropdown-arrow {\n            display: inline-block;\n            border-radius: 50%;\n            height: 30px;\n            width: 30px;\n        }\n\n        .dropdown-arrow {\n            background-color: rgba(109, 112, 130, 0.1);\n        }\n\n        .dropdown-arrow:hover {\n            background-color: rgba(109, 112, 130, 0.3);\n        }\n\n        .dropdown-arrow.mobile,\n        .dropdown-arrow.mobile:hover {\n            background-color: unset;\n        }\n\n        .language-list li {\n            padding-left: 10px;\n            cursor: pointer;\n            display: none;\n        }\n\n        .language-list li a {\n            color: #6D7082;\n            text-decoration: none;\n        }\n\n        .language-list li:first-child {\n            display: block;\n        }\n\n        .active li {\n            display: block;\n        }\n\n        .rotated {\n            transform: rotate(180deg);\n            bottom: 2px !important;\n        }\n        .bookmark {\n            align-self: center;\n            cursor:pointer;\n            display:none;\n        }\n        \n        .article h1 + p,\n        .article h1 + p + p {\n            margin: 0;\n            margin-bottom: 0 !important;\n        }\n\n        .info-container{\n            \/*min-height:150px;*\/\n            direction: ltr;\n            display: flex;\n            flex-direction: column;\n            justify-content: space-between;\n            padding-top: 20px;\n        }\n        .tags{\n            font-family: \"Montserrat\", sans-serif;\n            display: flex;\n            flex-direction: row;\n            justify-content: flex-start;\n            flex-wrap: wrap;\n            width: 100%;\n            overflow: hidden;\n            font-size: 14px;\n            border-radius: unset;\n            margin-bottom:20px;\n        }\n        .tags a {\n            font-style: normal;\n            line-height: 1.75em;\n            border: 0.5px solid #e2e5e9;\n            margin-right: 7px;\n            margin-top: 7px;\n            transition: 0.2s;\n            transition-property: background;\n            border-radius: 5px;\n            padding: 0.2em 0.8em;\n            color: black;\n        }\n        .tags a:hover {\n            background-color: #c1c7d0;\n        }\n\n        .tags a:visited {\n            color: #000;\n        }\n        .tags a:active {\n            color: #000;\n        }\n        .default-a:focus {\n            background-color: unset;\n        }\n\n        .default-a:hover{\n            text-decoration: underline;\n        }\n        .separator {\n        color:black !important;\n        font-weight:600;\n        }\n        .last {\n        color:black !important;\n        font-weight:600;\n        }\n        @media screen and (max-width:1034px) {\n        .author_links {\n        margin-right:auto;\n        }\n        .reviewer-info {\n        width: 100%;\n        }\n        }\n        @media screen and (max-width:767px) {\n        .language_switcher {\n        display: flex;\n        margin-top: 5px;\n        }\n        }\n        @media screen and (max-width:490px) {\n        .review-lowres {\n        display:flex !important;\n        }\n        .review-highres {\n        display:none !important;\n        }\n        .author_links {\n        margin-right:36px !important;\n        } \n        }\n    <\/style>\n    <div><nav aria-label=\"breadcrumbs\" class=\"rank-math-breadcrumb\"><p><span class=\"last\">Home<\/span><\/p><\/nav><\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"info-container\">\n    <div class=\"post-info with-reviewer\">\n        <div class=\"post-info-main\">\n            <div class=\"author-avatar\">\n                <picture>\n                        <source\n                            srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.devsdata.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/tsiala-jobava-min.webp\" type=\"image\/webp\"> \n                        <source \n                            srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.devsdata.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/tsiala-jobava-min.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\">\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" \n                            class=\"avatar lazyload\"\n                            width=\"64\" \n                            height=\"64\"\n                            src=\"https:\/\/staging.devsdata.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/tsiala-jobava-min.jpg\"\n                            alt=\"avatar\"\n                            loading=\"lazy\"\n                            title=\"Tsiala Jobava\"\n                        >\n                <\/picture>\n            <\/div>\n            <div style=\"display:flex; flex-direction:column;margin-right:auto;\" class=\"author_links\">\n            <a href=\"\/author\/tsiala-jobava\/\" class=\"author-name\">Tsiala Jobava<\/a>\n            <ul class=\"author_socials\">\n            <li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/tsira-jobava-131081206\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" aria-label=\"Tsiala Jobava on Linkedin\">\n                    <svg version=\"1.0\" fill=\"currentColor\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                            <g id=\"linkedin5_layer\">\n                                <path d=\"M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z\" data-hs-event-238572417=\"1\"><\/path>\n                            <\/g>\n                        <\/svg>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li><\/ul>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"reviewer-info\"> \n                                                                            <span style=\"color:#6D7082;\" class=\"\">\n                Last updated on \n                25. September 2026 \n                <span class=\"post-info-separator\">| <\/span> \n                9 min read\n                \n            <\/span>\n                            <\/div>\n        \n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"bookmark\">\n        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/bookmark-add-2-1.svg\" alt=\"bookmark\" title=\"\">\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"tags\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <script type=\"module\" defer>\n      document.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", function () {\n    \/\/ Get the current path from the URL\n    const path = window.location.pathname;\n\n    \/\/ Check if it starts with \/case-studies\n        if (path.startsWith(\"\/case-studies\")) {\n        const tagsElement = document.querySelector(\".tags\");\n        if (tagsElement) {\n        tagsElement.style.marginBottom = \"0\";\n        }\n        }\n        });\n        Array.from(document.getElementsByClassName(\"separator\")).forEach(el => {\n            el.textContent = \" > \";\n        });\n\n            var wpmlToggle = document.querySelector(\".language_switcher .wpml-ls-item-toggle\");\n            if (wpmlToggle) {\n                wpmlToggle.addEventListener(\"click\", function(e) {\n                    e.preventDefault();\n                    e.stopPropagation();\n                    var currentLang = this.closest(\".wpml-ls-current-language\");\n                    if (currentLang) {\n                        currentLang.classList.toggle(\"wpml-dropdown-open\");\n                    }\n                });\n                document.addEventListener(\"click\", function(e) {\n                    var openDropdown = document.querySelector(\".wpml-ls-current-language.wpml-dropdown-open\");\n                    if (openDropdown && !openDropdown.contains(e.target)) {\n                        openDropdown.classList.remove(\"wpml-dropdown-open\");\n                    }\n                });\n            }\n\n            var languageList = document.querySelector(\"#language-list\");\n            var dropdownArrow = document.querySelector(\".dropdown-arrow\");\n\n            if(languageList){\n                languageList.addEventListener(\"click\", () => {\n                    languageList.classList.toggle(\"active\");\n                    document.querySelector(\"#arrow\").classList.toggle(\"rotated\");\n                })\n            }\n                \n            function handleViewportChange() {\n                if(languageList) {\n                    if (window.innerWidth < 1280) {\n                        if(!languageList.classList.contains(\"mobile\")) {\n                            languageList.classList.add(\"mobile\");\n                            dropdownArrow.classList.add(\"mobile\");\n                        }\n                    } else {\n                        if(languageList.classList.contains(\"mobile\")) {\n                            languageList.classList.remove(\"mobile\");\n                            dropdownArrow.classList.remove(\"mobile\");\n                        }\n                    }\n                };\n            };\n\n            \/\/ If there is a small\/no space between reviewer and author name, reviewer moves to the first row\n            function update_post_info_layout() {\n                const author_name_element = document.querySelector(\".author-name\");\n                const reviewer_element = document.querySelector(\".reviewer-info\");\n                const post_info_container = document.querySelector(\".post-info\");\n\n                if(reviewer_element) {\n                    let distance_next_to_author, reviewer_fits_next_to_author; \n                    if(post_info_container && author_name_element) {\n                        distance_next_to_author = post_info_container.getBoundingClientRect().right - author_name_element.getBoundingClientRect().right;\n                        reviewer_fits_next_to_author = distance_next_to_author - reviewer_element.clientWidth >= 15;\n                    }\n\n                    if(!reviewer_fits_next_to_author) {\n                        reviewer_element.classList.add(\"the_first_row\");\n                    } else if (reviewer_fits_next_to_author && reviewer_element.classList.contains(\"the_first_row\")) {\n                        reviewer_element.classList.remove(\"the_first_row\");\n                    }\n                }\n            }\n\n            handleViewportChange();\n            update_post_info_layout();\n             \n            window.addEventListener(\"resize\", () => {\n                handleViewportChange();\n                update_post_info_layout();\n            });\n    <\/script>\n\n        <span class=\"img-container\">\n            <picture class=\"\" style=\"filter: grayscale(0)\">\n                <source srcset=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/charitym.webp\" type=\"image\/webp\">\n                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/charitym.webp\" width=\"640\" height=\"357\" alt=\"Smile Train main image\" title=\"\">\n            <\/picture>\n        <\/span>\n    \n<ul>\n<li>Three engineering roles filled for Smile Train&#8217;s global cleft-care platform, all placed within roughly two months from first outreach to signed contracts.<\/li>\n<li>Search pivoted from Colombia to Mexico after an English proficiency gap surfaced, where every hire cleared the B2 language threshold the team required.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Introduction<\/h2>\n<p>When a global children&#8217;s health organization needed to strengthen the engineering team behind a <a href=\"https:\/\/devsdata.com\/services\/devops-and-cloud\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">cloud-based<\/a> platform serving programs across 90+ countries, it turned for help to <a href=\"https:\/\/devsdata.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">DevsData LLC<\/a>. Three roles were open: Software Developer, Software Architect, and QA Engineer. The search began in Colombia, ran into a consistent English proficiency gap across the candidate pool, and was redirected to Mexico, where all three profiles were found. From the first outreach to signed contracts, the process took approximately two months.<\/p>\n\n        <span class=\"img-container\">\n            <picture class=\"open-picture\" style=\"filter: grayscale(0)\">\n                <source srcset=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/charityg.webp\" type=\"image\/webp\">\n                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/charityg.webp\" width=\"640\" height=\"357\" alt=\"info image\" title=\"\">\n            <\/picture>\n        <\/span>\n    \n<h2>Client overview<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smiletrain.org\/\" rel=\"nofollow noreffer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Smile Train<\/a> is a New York-based international children&#8217;s charity founded in 1999. The organization works exclusively on cleft care, operating through a model built around local medical professionals who receive training, funding, and resources to deliver treatment in their own communities. This approach allows Smile Train to provide care 365 days a year, rather than relying on periodic visiting medical teams.<\/p>\n<p>Over more than two decades, the organization has supported quality surgery and comprehensive cleft care. Local partner clinics go beyond surgery to provide speech therapy, psychological support, nutritional services, and orthodontic care. Smile Train employs around 200 people and operates from New York City.<\/p>\n<p>Behind that operating model sits a cloud-based platform that coordinates clinical activity across more than 90 countries. The system links partner clinics into a single source of program data, runs on AWS, and is built on a Java and Spring Boot backend with PostgreSQL handling the underlying clinical and operational records. Engineering responsibility rests with a small in-house platform team that owns architecture decisions, deployment quality, and the day-to-day reliability that field operations depend on.<\/p>\n<h2>Hiring challenge<\/h2>\n<p>The three roles sat inside a small platform engineering team responsible for maintaining and evolving the cloud-based system that coordinates Smile Train&#8217;s work across partner clinics worldwide. The platform tracks surgical programs in each region, processes data tied to care delivery, and connects field operations with the central organization, which means any downtime or instability directly affects how children receive treatment. Strengthening the engineering team behind it was a precondition for scaling the charity&#8217;s reach without compromising the reliability partners depend on. The Software Developer would work across the stack of the existing platform, contributing to feature delivery and the day-to-day stability of the system that partner clinics rely on. The Software Architect would own technical direction for the platform, defining standards and guiding modernization decisions. The QA Engineer would be responsible for testing coverage, deployment validation, and maintaining code quality before production releases.<\/p>\n<p>Across all three roles, the communication requirement was equally demanding. The team coordinated directly with architects, Product Managers, and external partners. Each hire would need to articulate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, participate in design discussions, and contribute to sprint planning. Professional working English at B2 or above was a firm condition on every position.<\/p>\n<p>DevsData LLC opened the search in Colombia. The country has a growing developer community with real depth in Java and cloud technologies, and early sourcing confirmed that technically qualified profiles existed across all three role types. At the language screening stage, the picture changed. Candidates were consistently rated at A1 to B1 proficiency levels, which covers basic comprehension and structured exchanges but falls well short of the fluency these roles demanded. Continuing in that market would have extended the timeline without changing the outcome.<\/p>\n\n            <div class=\"schedule-consultation middle-scheduler\">\n                <div class=\"block-contact\">\n                    <p>Do you have IT recruitment needs?<\/p>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"contact-us-show schedule-consultation-button\">\n                    \ud83c\udfa7\n                    <span>Schedule a meeting<\/span>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n    \n<h2>Our approach<\/h2>\n<p>Mexico&#8217;s technology sector is concentrated across <a href=\"https:\/\/devsdata.com\/top-it-recruitment-agencies-mexico\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Mexico City<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/devsdata.com\/it-recruitment-agency-guadalajara\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Guadalajara<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/devsdata.com\/it-recruitment-agency-monterrey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Monterrey<\/a>, and its developer community has a higher rate of English exposure than many comparable Latin American markets. This stems from sustained commercial integration with the US and a larger share of companies operating in English-language environments. That higher rate of English exposure made Mexico the logical next market.<\/p>\n<p>DevsData LLC carried the same technical screening criteria forward from the Colombia phase and added one significant change: English proficiency assessment was moved to the front of the evaluation process rather than treated as a late-stage check.<\/p>\n<p class='quote'>Any candidate who did not demonstrate B2 or above in live conversation was not advanced, regardless of how strong their technical profile was. This gate prevented the team from running full interview cycles on candidates who would not clear the client&#8217;s language standard.<\/p>\n<p>Running parallel searches for roles this different in seniority and function is the kind of brief that exposes whether a recruitment partner has real cross-functional capability or only a single specialism. DevsData LLC built each evaluation track around the specific demands of the position rather than applying one generic engineering screen across the board.<\/p>\n<p>For the Software Developer, the technical evaluation covered Java and Spring Boot in depth, AWS service experience across ECS, RDS, S3, and Lambda, RESTful API design, and CI\/CD familiarity. The Software Architect assessment focused on platform design decisions, cloud-native architecture patterns, and the ability to lead technical discussions with both engineering teams and non-technical stakeholders. QA evaluation examined testing methodology, experience with deployment pipelines, and structured thinking around quality assurance in a continuously evolving platform environment. Communication assessments ran across all four tracks, looking at how candidates handled both technical explanations and cross-functional discussions.<\/p>\n<h2>Execution and delivery<\/h2>\n<p>The Colombia phase, initial sourcing and language screening, surfaced the proficiency gap, at which point the search was redirected to Mexico. Once Mexico became the active market, the structured evaluation framework meant the shortlisting phase moved at pace across all three roles simultaneously. Candidates who passed both the language gate and role-specific technical assessments were submitted to Smile Train for review, with interview coordination managed closely to keep the process moving without gaps between stages.<\/p>\n<p class='quote'>DevsData LLC designs its cross-border recruitment workflows to hold up under exactly this kind of market shift, with standardized scoring and assessment criteria that travel cleanly between countries without losing the consistency clients rely on.<\/p>\n<p>All three specialists joined Smile Train under full-time formal employment contracts, working fully remotely.<\/p>\n<p>The total time from first outreach to signed contracts was approximately two months. On the DevsData LLC side, the engagement was handled by a dedicated recruitment lead who ran sourcing and client coordination, supported by two technical recruiters focused on Java and cloud profiles, a language assessor certified for CEFR-based evaluation, and an account manager who handled the pivot conversations with Smile Train.<\/p>\n<p>A meaningful share of the value sat in the advisory layer rather than the execution layer. The same team had visibility into compensation benchmarks for senior Java and cloud engineering profiles in both Colombia and Mexico, fed real-time hiring market data into the conversation with Smile Train when the pivot decision was on the table, and translated language proficiency distributions across the two candidate pools into a recommendation the client could act on with confidence. Running three parallel searches increased coordination complexity, while the pivot introduced additional steps that a single-market search would not require. Redirecting early, rather than continuing in Colombia in search of outliers, prevented further delays in the overall timeline.<\/p>\n\n            <div class=\"schedule-consultation middle-scheduler\">\n                <div class=\"block-contact\">\n                    <p>Do you have IT recruitment needs?<\/p>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"contact-us-show schedule-consultation-button\">\n                    \ud83c\udfa7\n                    <span>Schedule a meeting<\/span>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n    \n<h2>Outcome<\/h2>\n<p>DevsData LLC closed three technically demanding roles for Smile Train with specialists who met both the engineering requirements and the communication standard the team needed. Profiles behind the placements tell the fit story clearly. The Software Developer is a backend engineer with production Java and Spring Boot credentials on AWS infrastructure, whose prior role mirrored the technology stack they now own at Smile Train.<\/p>\n<p>The Software Architect is a seasoned platform designer whose body of work lines up with the charity&#8217;s need for coherent technical direction across a system serving dozens of countries. The QA Engineer comes from a regulated software environment where automated test coverage and pre-production validation gates were treated as hard requirements, which is exactly what Smile Train&#8217;s operational continuity demands. All three candidates came from Mexico and cleared the B2 language threshold that had been the defining constraint of the search from the outset. They stepped into their roles ready to contribute from week one. The weight of this outcome goes beyond three filled seats. It positions the team behind Smile Train&#8217;s global platform to move from maintenance into real evolution, which directly supports the charity&#8217;s ability to extend cleft care to more children in more regions. This is the caliber of cross-border placement DevsData LLC has built its practice around.<\/p>\n<p>The engagement reflected a broader reality in Latin American recruitment: English proficiency is not uniform across the region, and the gap between markets is real and consequential for roles where communication is central to the work. Treating language assessment as an early-stage filter across all three searches, rather than a final formality, is what allowed the process to resolve within a reasonable timeframe rather than stall across two markets.<\/p>\n<h2>About DevsData LLC<\/h2>\n<p>DevsData LLC is a technology recruitment agency and software development consultancy with offices in Brooklyn and Warsaw, and regional partners across Latin America, Europe, and beyond. The company holds a 5\/5 rating on <a href=\"https:\/\/clutch.co\/profile\/devsdata-tech-talent\" rel=\"nofollow noreffer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Clutch<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodfirms.co\/company\/devsdata-tech-talent-llc\" rel=\"nofollow noreffer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">GoodFirms<\/a> and operates on a success-based fee model with a guarantee period included on every placement.<\/p>\n<p>Considering a LATAM search for Java, AWS, or platform engineering roles where language standards have to be non-negotiable? The Smile Train engagement reflects the standard way our team approaches that brief, from early market assessment to B2-level spoken screening integrated into the first evaluation stage. Contact <a href=\"mailto:general@devsdata.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">general@devsdata.com<\/a> to start a conversation about your hiring need, or visit <a href='\/' target='_blank' rel=\"noopener\">www.devsdata.com<\/a> for more on our practice.<\/p>\n<p>\n        <section class=\"author_section_container\">\n            \n            <div class=\"schedule-consultation\">\n                <div class=\"block-contact\">\n                    <p>Discover how IT recruitment and staffing can address your talent needs. Explore trending regions \n        like Poland, Portugal, Mexico, Brazil and more. <\/p>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"contact-us-show schedule-consultation-button\">\n                    \ud83d\uddd3\ufe0f\n                    <span>Schedule a consultation<\/span>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"author_section\">\n                <div class=\"author_photo_container\">\n                    <picture>\n                        <source srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.devsdata.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/tsiala-jobava-min.webp\" type=\"image\/webp\"> \n                        <source srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.devsdata.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/tsiala-jobava-min.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\">\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"avatar lazyload\" width=\"64\" height=\"64\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.devsdata.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/tsiala-jobava-min.jpg\" alt=\"avatar\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Tsiala Jobava\" >\n                    <\/picture>\n                    <a class=\"read_full_bio\" href=\"\/author\/tsiala-jobava\/\" aria-label=\"Read more from Tsiala Jobava\">Read full bio<\/a>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"author_info_container\">\n                    <div class=\"author_info\" data-role=\"Author\">\n                        <h4 id=\"author_title\">\n                            <a href=\"\/author\/tsiala-jobava\/\" aria-label=\"Read more from Tsiala Jobava\">Tsiala Jobava<\/a>\n                            <span class=\"position\">Copywriter and Marketer<\/span>\n                        <\/h4>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"author_about\">\n                    <span>Tsiala Jobava is a talented marketing specialist. Tsiala holds a bachelor\u2019s degree in International Relations and a master\u2019s in Marketing and Communication from Barcelona Business School. She has built a diverse career, working as a Copywriter and in marketing and PR, before returning to her first passion \u2013 writing. Along the way, she has gained valuable experience in social media management, content creation, and brand development.<\/span>\n                    <div class=\"links\">\n                        <ul class=\"author_socials\">\n            <li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/tsira-jobava-131081206\/\" aria-label=\"Check out Tsiala Jobava on LinkedIn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\">\n                    <svg version=\"1.0\" fill=\"currentColor\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                        <g id=\"linkedin5_layer\">\n                            <path d=\"M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z\" data-hs-event-238572417=\"1\"><\/path>\n                        <\/g>\n                    <\/svg>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n            <li>\n                <a href=\"mailto:tsiala.jobava@devsdata.com\" aria-label=\"Email Tsiala Jobava\">\n                    <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"32\" height=\"32\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M64 112c-8.8 0-16 7.2-16 16v22.1l172.5 141.6c20.7 17 50.4 17 71.1 0L464 150.1V128c0-8.8-7.2-16-16-16zM48 212.2V384c0 8.8 7.2 16 16 16h384c8.8 0 16-7.2 16-16V212.2L322 328.8c-38.4 31.5-93.7 31.5-132 0zM0 128c0-35.3 28.7-64 64-64h384c35.3 0 64 28.7 64 64v256c0 35.3-28.7 64-64 64H64c-35.3 0-64-28.7-64-64z\"\/><\/svg>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li><\/ul>\n                        <a class=\"recruitment_link\" href=\"\/recruitment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\n                            Read more about our IT staffing services\n                            <svg width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                                <path d=\"M5 12H19\" stroke=\"#000\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path>\n                                <path d=\"M12 5L19 12L12 19\" stroke=\"#000\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path>\n                            <\/svg>\n                        <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"tags-author \">\n                \n            <\/div>\n        <\/section>\n    <br \/>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"author":46,"featured_media":181920,"template":"","class_list":["post-181909","case_study","type-case_study","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.devsdata.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/case_study\/181909","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.devsdata.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/case_study"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.devsdata.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/case_study"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.devsdata.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/46"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.devsdata.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/181920"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.devsdata.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=181909"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}