Talent Acquisition & Retention Specialist

Ayoroa Simmons LLC • Washington, DC

11d • Remote

About The Position

The Talent Acquisition & Retention Specialist owns the employee lifecycle at Ayoroa Simmons, LLC (A|S), from sourcing and hiring through onboarding, development, and retention. Reporting to the CEO, the role supports a team of more than 30 licensed surveyors, geomatics technologists, BIM and architectural technicians, UAV operators, and project managers across Lexington, Nashville, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico. As the firm grows through new offices, federal contract awards, and teaming partnerships, this position builds the workforce capacity needed 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 translates growth plans and project needs into staffing forecasts; develops local candidate pipelines; supports staffing plans and proposal pursuits; and maintains current team resumes for marketing and proposals. The role manages ongoing recruiting, applicant tracking, candidate screening, interviews, offers, reference checks, and pre-employment requirements. It also runs onboarding, administers the Employee Development Plan (EDP), coordinates performance reviews, conducts retention and engagement activities, and supports training and certification planning.

The position maintains personnel records, organizational charts, and the employee handbook; coordinates benefits enrollment and renewals; supports employment-law and federal-contractor compliance; and tracks and reports recruiting, turnover, and engagement metrics. Success includes filling technical roles on schedule, maintaining an engaged candidate pipeline, delivering documented onboarding, supporting retention and career progression, and enabling growth through reliable workforce planning.

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, IT, or similar 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.
• Professionalism when representing the firm to candidates, universities, and industry partners; confidentiality regarding compensation, performance, and personal information; and effective collaboration across the organization.

Nice To Haves

• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification.
• Recruiting experience in 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 needs and develop hiring timelines and headcount plans.
• Translate growth plans, 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 ahead of entry into new markets.
• Develop staffing plans for RFQs and RFPs, including key personnel, contingent hires, and letters of commitment.
• Maintain a current, organized 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 principals on workforce cost and availability.
• Scale onboarding, EDP, and HR processes 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 principals and division leads.
• Draft and maintain job descriptions aligned with the EDP career ladder.
• Run year-round sourcing through job boards, LinkedIn Recruiter, university programs, professional societies, and employee referrals; track and meet weekly recruiting activity metrics.
• Maintain active, screened candidate pipelines by recurring role and location in the applicant tracking system.
• Screen applicants, coordinate technical interviews, 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 the performance review cycle, 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 with the Business Manager.
• Coordinate benefits enrollment and renewals and answer employee benefits questions.
• Support compliance with EEO, FLSA, ADA, FMLA, applicable state employment laws, and federal contractor reporting.
• 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.
• Maintain confidentiality, apply hiring and promotion standards consistently across offices, and collaborate with principals, the Business Manager, division leads, and staff.

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.
• Per-hire bonus tiered by the position filled and paid after the new hire completes 90 days of employment.

What This Job Offers

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