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Embedded Architect vs hiring a senior in-house
Hiring is the right long-term answer for core, permanent work. But for a specific AI capability you need shipped now, the timeline and the cost rarely favour a new hire.
| Hiring in-house | Embedded Architect | |
|---|---|---|
| Time to productive | 3–6 months to hire and ramp | Days to scope, shipping week one |
| Cost | €8–13k+/mo, fully loaded* | €7,500 / month, no employer overhead |
| Commitment | Permanent; severance risk if temporary | Month to month |
| AI-production experience | Hard to find, expensive to compete for | The reason the studio exists (see wintura.ai) |
| If the need ends | You carry the salary or manage an exit | One month's notice |
When hiring in-house is the better call
Choose to hire when this is permanent core work — then hire, and we can ship it while you recruit and hand off clean.
Questions
Isn't a hire cheaper long-term?
For permanent core work, yes — hire. For a capability you need in weeks, or when you are not ready to commit a headcount, the pod ships it now without the 3–6 month bet or the severance risk.
What is the asterisk on fully-loaded cost?
Salary plus employer taxes, benefits, tooling and management — a general EU range, not a Soatech quote. Verify against your own market.