Founding Recruiter (Early-Stage Startup)
About The Position
Are you a recruiting trailblazer who thrives in the high-stakes world of seed-stage startups? Do you get energized by owning talent acquisition from scratch, partnering shoulder-to-shoulder with founders, and leveraging cutting-edge AI tools to scale a team amid explosive demand? If you've got a proven track record in fast-growing tech environments—especially sourcing product and technical talent—this is your shot to join as employee #6 at an AI-native innovator revolutionizing public services for state and local governments. About the Role Our client on the hunt for a Founding Recruiter with at least 4 years of hands-on experience to spearhead company talent strategy at this early-stage, venture-backed startup. You'll be the driving force behind scaling their lean team from 5 to 15+ members, focusing initially on key hires like a forward-deployed product manager while flexing into other roles as they grow. This is a ground-floor opportunity to shape their culture, processes, and people operations in a remote-friendly setup where innovation meets real-world impact. Work directly with the founding team in a collaborative, high-growth environment that's already outpacing demand. Embrace an AI-first approach—think using tools like Claude to supercharge sourcing and streamline workflows—while tackling the excitement (and ambiguity) of building from the ground up.
Requirements
- 4+ years of full-cycle recruiting in fast-paced, early-stage tech companies (Seed to Series C) or top agencies—startup grit is a must; FAANG-only backgrounds won't cut it.
- Hands-on experience recruiting for product or technical roles in high-growth environments, with a knack for sourcing passive talent and scaling teams (e.g., from 5 to 15+).
- Adaptable and excited about learning: No prior cloud code knowledge needed, but openness to AI tools like Claude is key.
- Strong soft skills: Excellent communication, relationship-building, and a proactive mindset to thrive in ambiguity.
- Undergrad degree preferred.
- Location-flexible: Remote (US preferred), with alignment to Eastern Standard Time; open to international candidates with solid US company experience. Visa sponsorship not standard (case-by-case for H1B transfers).
Nice To Haves
- A varied background in product recruiting or early tech startups.
- Experience in govtech, AI, or B2B SaaS.
Responsibilities
- Lead full-cycle recruiting end-to-end: From proactive sourcing and screening to interviews, offers, and closing top talent across product, technical, and other functions.
- Collaborate closely with the founder to define hiring needs, craft strategies, and rapidly scale the team to meet surging customer demands.
- Prioritize hiring for specialized roles like forward-deployed product managers, building pipelines through networking, AI-enhanced outreach, and innovative tools.
- Integrate state-of-the-art AI (e.g., Claude) into recruiting processes to boost efficiency, from candidate matching to automation.
- Handle early people ops tasks, such as contractor management and process setup, as the company evolves.
Benefits
- Competitive equity package for long-term alignment.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
