While I've never done it, it might be worth headhunting and paying more than the engineering market rate if you have specific requirements like this. Two of my

While I've never done it, it might be worth headhunting and paying more than the engineering market rate if you have specific requirements like this. Two of my friends have this exact skillset, but they're both moving into management because it pays better, so you'd have to convince them that you're able to offer A) a salary competitive with a tech lead or EM, and B) sufficiently interesting work. I think if you're expecting to find someone with 5 years experience who'll work for a mid-level engineering salary but also understand design, you might need to adjust your expectations towards paying more or hiring older people from non-traditional backgrounds, maybe both.