A dedicated remote tech team is a group of engineers who work full time on one company’s product, from another location, as part of that company’s own team. They follow your processes, report to your engineering leads, and stay focused on your roadmap.
irys
How Irys Built a Dedicated Remote Tech Team Without Giving Up Product Control
Irys Technologies wanted to scale its software application with a dedicated remote tech team in Mexico, without handing product development to an outsourced agency. CodersLink helped the company hire its first two Full Stack Developers and supported the team as it grew to five members across full-stack, UX/UI, Android, and iOS roles.
TECHNOLOGY - STAFF AUGMENTATION -
PRODUCT ENGINEERING
2 → 5
TEAM GROWTH
4 roles
TECH COVERAGE
2 cities
MEXICO TALENT
5 areas
sourcing focus
IN A NUTSHELL
Irys needed to expand its product team while keeping direct control over software development. CodersLink sourced two nearshore developers working remotely from Querétaro and Mexico City and handled payroll and benefits in the background. As the relationship expanded, the Mexico team grew from two to five members across engineering, design, and mobile development.
Overview
About the client
Irys Technologies, formerly Cityflag, is a San Antonio-based technology company. At the time of the CodersLink engagement, Cityflag focused on civic technology designed to improve public participation, community engagement, and communication between residents and government.
- Industry
Civic / Government Technology
- EngagementStaff Augmentation
- Mexico TEAM Queretaro /
Mexico City
Solution
Building Irys’s Dedicated Remote Tech Team in Mexico
Key decision: Irys chose to own software development rather than outsource it. CodersLink provided the talent and employment infrastructure in Mexico, while Irys kept control of the product, engineering priorities, and day-to-day work.
Phase 1: Operating-model alignment
- Defined Irys’s need for greater control over its software development team.
- Chose staff augmentation instead of outsourced project delivery.
- Kept product and engineering management directly inside Irys.
- Positioned CodersLink to support recruiting, payroll, and benefits.
Phase 2: Initial Full Stack team
- Sourced nearshore developers around JavaScript, Node.js, Django, Python, and relational database requirements.
- Hired two initial Full Stack Developers working remotely from Querétaro and Mexico City.
- Avoided the need to open a dedicated Mexico office for those first hires.
Phase 3: Team expansion
- Extended hiring beyond the initial Full Stack positions.
- Added coverage across UX/UI design and mobile development.
- Grew the team supported through CodersLink from two to five members.
- Kept the Mexico team directly integrated with Irys.
Impact
Irys’s Results: From 2 Developers to a 5-Person Team
What began with two remote Full Stack Developers became a five-person Mexico technology team, broadening Irys’s product capabilities across engineering, design, and mobile development.
→ Metric #1: 2 initial Full Stack hires
CodersLink sourced the first two Full Stack Developers, who joined Irys remotely from Querétaro and Mexico City.
→ Metric #2: Team grew from 2 to 5
The initial two-person team expanded to five technology team members supported through CodersLink.
→ Metric #3: 4 role areas supported
The expanded team covered Full Stack development, UX/UI design, Android development, and iOS development
Roles supported
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Full-Stack Developers
-
UX/UI Designers
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Android Mobile Developers
-
iOS Mobile Developers
Technologies & capabilities
JavaScript · Node.js · Django · Python · Relational Databases
How staff augmentation helped Irys keep product control
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Direct control over product development instead of outsourced project ownership.
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Access to specialized Mexico talent without opening a local office.
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Expansion from core Full Stack development into design and mobile.
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A scalable employment model, with payroll and benefits handled in the background.
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Closer integration between the Mexico team and Irys’s Texas organization.
The takeaway
Staff Augmentation vs. Outsourced Project Delivery
Staff augmentation adds engineers to your own team: they work inside your processes and take direction from your engineering leaders. Outsourced project delivery hands a defined scope to a vendor, which manages its own team and delivers the result.
| Factor | Staff augmentation | Outsourced delivery |
| Daily direction | Your engineering leads | Vendor’s project manager |
| Contract | Partner employs, you direct | Vendor staffs, you buy output |
| Roadmap | Owned by you | Set in the statement of work |
| Pricing | Monthly rate per engineer | Fixed bid or hourly billing |
| Scaling | Add roles one at a time | Renegotiate scope and budget |
| Exit | Knowledge stays in-house | Handover is its own project |
Irys is a clear example of the first model. It had product and engineering leadership in Texas and wanted a dedicated remote tech team working directly inside it, so staff augmentation fit. Outsourced delivery still fits well for fixed-scope builds, or for companies without internal engineering leadership to direct the work. The difference between staff augmentation and outsourced project management comes down to who runs the work day to day. For a broader comparison, see our decision guide.
About CodersLink
CodersLink helps US companies hire on-demand developers in Mexico, vetted to the Top 1% Standard. Eleven years in Mexico, 1,050+ engineers placed, and 45,000 professionals in our active pool, with 300 that meet our Top 1% Standard today. Teams start with Staff Augmentation, scale with MESHubs, and hire at volume with Nearshore RPO. See comparable engagements in our case studies.
FAQs on Hiring Nearshore Developers
Most US companies hire nearshore developers in Mexico through a partner that sources engineers and holds their employment contract locally, so there is no need to open a Mexico entity or office. Irys hired its first two developers in Querétaro and Mexico City this way.
Staff augmentation adds engineers to your team instead of handing the work to a vendor. Your leaders set priorities and direct day-to-day work, while the partner handles recruiting, payroll, and benefits.
CodersLink helps US companies hire on-demand developers in Mexico through three models: Staff Augmentation to start, MESHubs to scale a dedicated team, and Nearshore RPO to hire at volume. Compare the three models.
The cost depends on role, seniority, and stack. With staff augmentation, you pay a fixed monthly rate per engineer. For market pay by role in Mexico, see our Tech Salaries Report.
When we first partnered, they mentioned they wanted to have more control over their team, as compared to having an outsourced team manage their software development.
CODERSLINK
PARTNERSHIP INSIGHT
NEXT STEP
Ready to build a dedicated remote tech team in Mexico without giving up product control?
Let’s map the roles, employment support, and operating model you need to build a Mexico team that works directly inside your organization.
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