Principal Technical Recruiter

Etsy•New York, NY

1d•$149,000 - $193,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Etsy is seeking a Principal Recruiter to manage the full recruitment lifecycle for Data Science and Machine Learning roles. This senior individual contributor position is ideal for someone who excels in ambiguous environments, builds trust with technical stakeholders, and maintains a high standard for candidate quality. The role involves partnering with hiring managers across Data Science and Machine Learning to develop pipelines, manage processes, and secure top talent in a competitive market. This is a full-time position reporting to the Talent Acquisition Manager. In addition to salary, employees are eligible for an equity package, an annual performance bonus, and comprehensive benefits.

Requirements

8+ years of full lifecycle recruiting experience, with significant time spent on technical roles in Data Science, Machine Learning, or AI.
Ability to hold a credible conversation about DS/ML — model types, research vs. applied roles, the difference between a data scientist and an ML engineer.
Strong client management: you run the process, you don't just support it. Hiring managers trust your judgment.
Track record of closing senior candidates in competitive markets (FAANG-adjacent or research-heavy environments).
Data fluency: you use pipeline metrics to diagnose problems and make the case for process changes.
Experience with Workday Recruit or a comparable enterprise ATS (Applicant Tracking System).
Know when to push back, and you do it well — with data, not just opinion.
Comfortable with ambiguity and able to prioritize across multiple open searches without losing quality.

Responsibilities

Own the full recruiting lifecycle for Data Science and Machine Learning roles — from intake through offer — with minimal direction.
Build and execute sourcing strategies for senior and highly technical talent, including applied scientists, ML engineers, and data scientists at all levels.
Act as a true partner to hiring managers: challenge misaligned expectations, bring market data, and push back when the process isn't set up to succeed.
Develop and maintain talent pipelines for roles that recur or require long lead times.
Track and report on pipeline health, time-to-fill, and quality-of-hire metrics using Workday Recruit.
Contribute to team-level improvements — process, tooling, or sourcing — not just your own desk.
Represent Etsy well at every candidate touchpoint.