I found a seemingly simple-to-implement idea I really liked, here:
http://ufoai.org/forum/index.php/topic,2304.0.html
Could anyone point me in the general direction of the relevant code for sorting of people in the personnel view? I might give it a go and submit for approval.
Out of head:
src/client/cgame/campaign/cp_employee_callbacks.cpp / h
base/ufos/ui/hire.ufo
Well, actually hire UI should be reconstructed to use the dynamic node (widget) adding/removal feature, like it's done for Ufoyards in
base/ufos/ui/popup_installations.ufo / src/client/cgame/campaign/cp_installation_callbacks.cpp and market base/ufos/ui/market.ufo / src/client/cgame/campaign/cp_market_callbacks.cpp
-geever