Lead Technical Recruiter

Duolingo • New York, NY

21h • Onsite

About The Position

We're looking for a Lead Recruiter to own product hiring at Duolingo
partnering directly with our Chief Product Officer to build and shape the Product org from the ground up. This isn't just executing on a req list. You'll help define what great looks like, influence how we think about product talent, and build the processes and relationships that make hiring a competitive advantage. If you love blending strategy with hands-on execution, operating at the intersection of recruiting and business, and leaving your fingerprints on a world-class team, this is the role for you.

Requirements

• Ability to work onsite in Pittsburgh, PA, Monday–Thursday, with Friday optional
• 7+ years of full-cycle recruiting experience, with meaningful depth in Product hiring
• Experience partnering closely with senior leaders (VP/C-suite) to shape org strategy, not just fill seats
• A track record of hiring across levels from PMs to Directors to VPs with strong judgment on what "great" looks like at each
• Comfort operating in ambiguity, with the ownership mindset to create structure where it doesn't exist
• Strong data fluency you know how to use pipeline metrics to drive conversations and influence decisions

Nice To Haves

• Experience leading or mentoring a recruiting team, even informally
• Deep market knowledge of the Product talent landscape, including how to position Duolingo competitively
• A history of building repeatable hiring systems that improve quality and efficiency at scale
• And, of course… an impressive Duolingo streak.

Responsibilities

• Own full-cycle recruiting for Product roles at all levels ICs to senior leaders building deep pipelines and consistently closing top talent.
• Be a true partner to the CPO, shaping hiring strategy, prioritizing roles, and helping define what great Product talent looks like at Duolingo.
• Lead and influence without direct authority, working across recruiting, sourcing, and business stakeholders to align processes, calibrate expectations, and drive outcomes.
• Drive sourcing strategy (roughly 25–30% of your time), going beyond inbound to build proactive outreach for senior and hard-to-fill roles.
• Use data to tell the story diagnosing pipeline health, surfacing insights to leadership, and making decisions that balance speed with quality.
• Champion the candidate experience from first touch to offer close, making sure every interaction reflects Duolingo's brand and values.
• Build the infrastructure whether that's interview frameworks, leveling guidance, or hiring playbooks that scales beyond you.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees