Talent Acquisition Lead

Yupp AI • Mountain View, CA

136d

About The Position

Join a fast‑growing AI‑first startup as the founding Talent Acquisition Lead. You will design and launch a full‑stack recruiting function that fuels Yupp’s hyper‑growth across AI research, engineering, product, design, partnerships, and operations. Partner directly with senior leadership, champion an elite candidate experience, and set the talent bar for a company at the cutting edge of artificial intelligence. This role can be either a full-time employee role or a contractor role.

Requirements

• 8+ years of full‑cycle technical recruiting, preferably in early‑stage, high‑tech startups.
• Proven success sourcing and hiring engineers, ML researchers, and other AI‑focused roles.
• Strong analytical mindset; experience building hiring metrics and using data to shape strategy.
• Expertise in talent operations, process design, and ATS implementation.
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills; ability to convey Yupp’s mission and impact.
• Comfortable recruiting across time zones and cultural contexts.
• Detail‑oriented multitasker with a passion for creating great employee experiences.

Nice To Haves

• Direct experience recruiting for applied ML/AI positions.
• Track record scaling recruiting functions in high‑growth, ambiguous environments.
• Demonstrated ability to launch employer‑branding, community‑outreach, or team‑building initiatives.
• Strong curiosity in AI.
• Outstanding communication skills, both verbal and written with the ability to engage candidates, build relationships, and explain the value proposition of working at Yupp.
• Certifications or training in recruitment, talent acquisition, or organizational development.

Responsibilities

• End‑to‑end recruiting – source, interview, negotiate, and close top global AI, engineering as well as non-technical talent.
• Build the hiring engine – create sourcing strategies, interview frameworks, assessment rubrics, and onboarding processes from the ground up.
• Data‑driven talent strategy – define hiring metrics, track sourcing KPIs, and produce regular reports to inform leadership decisions.
• Creative sourcing – tap non‑traditional channels, academic networks, and AI research communities to uncover talent missed by conventional pipelines.
• Candidate experience – craft a high‑touch, personalized journey that reflects Yupp’s innovative culture and values.
• Partner with hiring managers – translate product and research roadmaps into concrete hiring plans; coach managers on interviewing and closing techniques.
• Employer branding – position Yupp as the premier destination for AI specialists, differentiating us from larger tech firms.
• Bottleneck elimination – proactively identify and resolve process friction to accelerate hiring velocity.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees