Talent Acquisition & Retention Specialist

Ayoroa Simmons LLC • Washington, DC

14d • $65,000 - $90,000 • Remote

About The Position

The Talent Acquisition & Retention Specialist owns the full employee lifecycle at Ayoroa Simmons, LLC (A|S), from sourcing and hiring through onboarding, development, and retention. The role reports to the CEO and supports a team of more than 30 licensed surveyors, geomatics technologists, BIM and architectural technicians, UAV operators, and project managers across Lexington, Kentucky; Nashville, Tennessee; Washington, DC; and Puerto Rico. As the firm grows through new offices, federal contract awards, and teaming partnerships, this position builds the workforce capacity required to support that growth. It is suited to a self-directed HR generalist who can build programs from the ground up and represent the firm credibly to technical candidates in the AEC and federal contracting markets.

The specialist works with executive leadership, project managers, directors, principals, division leads, the Business Manager, and employees to forecast staffing needs, develop workforce plans, recruit for technical and professional roles, and support hiring for RFQs, RFPs, contracts, task orders, and new markets. The role manages year-round sourcing and recruiting, candidate pipelines, applicant tracking, interviews, offers, references, and applicable pre-employment requirements.

The position also administers onboarding, the Employee Development Plan (EDP), career ladders, performance reviews, training and certification planning, retention initiatives, recognition and referral programs, and incentive compensation programs. HR operations include personnel records, organizational charts, the employee handbook, benefits coordination, employment-law and federal-contractor compliance support, and monthly reporting on recruiting, turnover, and engagement. Compensation is a base salary of $65,000 to $90,000, commensurate with experience and certification, plus a tiered per-hire bonus paid after the new hire completes 90 days of employment.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Psychology, or a related field; candidates with demonstrated equivalent experience are welcome to apply.
• Three or more years of experience in talent acquisition, HR generalist work, or a combined recruiting and retention role.
• A record of filling technical or professional positions, such as engineering, surveying, architecture, GIS, or IT roles, with evidence of improved time-to-fill or retention.
• Working knowledge of federal and multi-state employment law, EEO reporting, and federal contractor HR requirements.
• Experience with an applicant tracking system, LinkedIn Recruiter, and HRIS platforms.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and sound judgment in handling confidential information.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365, including Word, Excel, Teams, and SharePoint.

Nice To Haves

• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification.
• Recruiting experience in the AEC, geospatial, or government contracting sectors.
• Experience building an onboarding, career ladder, or performance program from the start.
• Bilingual English and Spanish skills in support of the firm's Puerto Rico subsidiary.

Responsibilities

• Communicate with executive leadership, project managers, and directors to monitor staffing implications of contract, client, and project requirements, and develop hiring timelines and headcount plans.
• Translate the firm's growth plan—including new offices, contract awards, task orders, and joint venture work—into workforce forecasts for review with the principals.
• Build local candidate pipelines and recruiting relationships before entering new markets.
• Develop staffing plans for RFQs and RFPs, including key personnel, contingent hires, and letters of commitment.
• Maintain a current, organized, and formatted library of team resumes, including SF 330 Section E, for marketing and proposal staff.
• Research labor markets, compensation benchmarks, and licensing requirements in target geographies and advise the principals on workforce costs and availability.
• Scale onboarding, EDP, and HR processes to support consistent standards across new offices and remote teams.
• Identify when additional HR or recruiting headcount is warranted and present the case to the CEO.
• Forecast hiring needs by office, service line, and contract with the principals and division leads.
• Draft and maintain job descriptions aligned with the Employee Development Plan career ladder.
• Conduct year-round sourcing and recruiting through job boards, LinkedIn Recruiter, university programs, professional societies, and the employee referral program; track and meet weekly recruiting activity metrics.
• Maintain screened candidate pipelines for recurring roles, organized by position and location in the applicant tracking system.
• Screen applicants, coordinate technical interviews with hiring managers, and keep candidates informed throughout the process.
• Prepare offer packages using the Total Compensation Calculation workbook and coordinate offer letters with the principals.
• Manage the applicant tracking system, reference checks, and pre-employment requirements, including eligibility documentation tied to federal and DoD work.
• Represent A|S at career fairs, SAME and industry events, and campus recruiting visits.
• Run onboarding for office, remote, and field staff, including 30-, 60-, and 90-day check-ins.
• Administer the EDP, maintain career ladder documentation, and coordinate promotion reviews with division leads.
• Coordinate performance review cycles, including timelines, templates, and manager guidance.
• Conduct stay interviews, exit interviews, and engagement surveys, and recommend actions to the principals.
• Support training and certification planning, including PLS licensure, UAV Part 107, software credentials, and CMMC and CUI awareness.
• Administer recognition, referral, and incentive compensation programs under the firm's compensation policies.
• Maintain personnel records, organizational charts, and the employee handbook in coordination with the Business Manager.
• Coordinate benefits enrollment and renewals and answer employee benefits questions.
• Support compliance with EEO, FLSA, ADA, FMLA, state employment laws in Kentucky, Tennessee, DC, Maryland, Virginia, and Puerto Rico, and federal contractor reporting requirements.
• Track time-to-fill, offer acceptance rate, cost per hire, turnover, and engagement; report monthly to the principals and maintain the HR section of the management scorecard.
• Represent A|S professionally to candidates, universities, and industry partners; maintain strict confidentiality; apply hiring and promotion standards consistently; and collaborate with principals, the Business Manager, division leads, and staff.
• Build reliable recruiting pipelines, retention results, documented programs, and workforce-planning capability to support potential growth into a People Operations leadership role or added headcount.

Benefits

• 401(k) with company match.
• Comprehensive health, dental, vision, and life insurance.
• Employee referral program.
• Paid time off.
• Professional development support, including HR certification and SHRM membership.
• Tiered per-hire bonus, paid after the new hire completes 90 days of employment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level