Technical sourcer (contract, hyrbrid)

Job Mobz•Palo Alto, CA

16h•Hybrid

About The Position

Our client is an AI lab headquartered in Palo Alto, CA. The team is approximately 160 employees as of 2026—lean, high-output, and scaling. This sourcer will sit at the core of their technical hiring engine. The work directly impacts product capability and the company's long-term AI research moat.

Requirements

3+ years of experience in technical sourcing, recruiting, or talent acquisition, with demonstrated success in passive sourcing and market mapping
Proven expertise sourcing for infrastructure, platform, SRE, and senior/staff-level engineering roles
Experience building and maintaining quality-focused technical pipelines in startup or scaling environments
Strong proficiency with Boolean search techniques and advanced sourcing tools (LinkedIn Recruiter, GitHub, Stack Overflow, etc.)
Ability to work independently while managing multiple concurrent engineering requisitions
Demonstrated ability to quickly calibrate with hiring managers and adjust sourcing strategies based on feedback

Nice To Haves

Experience with talent mapping and competitive market intelligence analysis
Track record of successfully sourcing passive candidates and building long-term talent relationships
Familiarity with technical competency assessment and ability to evaluate candidates on both technical skills and cultural alignment
Experience with recruiting metrics, pipeline analytics, and data-driven sourcing optimization
Background in high-growth tech environments or AI/ML-focused organizations
Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to provide detailed candidate assessments and recommendations
Comfort with ambiguity and ability to thrive in fast-paced, evolving team environments

Responsibilities

Build and maintain quality pipelines for hard-to-fill engineering roles, including SRE, Infrastructure, and Staff-level Software Engineers
Execute passive sourcing strategies through market mapping, talent mapping, and direct outreach to passive candidates
Develop deep market intelligence on competitive talent landscapes and emerging technical talent pools
Utilize advanced sourcing tools and Boolean search techniques to identify qualified candidates across multiple channels
Screen and qualify candidates based on technical competencies and cultural fit aligned with hiring manager expectations
Calibrate quickly with hiring managers to understand role requirements and adjust sourcing strategy accordingly
Maintain high standards for candidate quality over volume, ensuring well-vetted pipelines
Provide detailed candidate assessments and recommendations to support hiring decisions
Manage multiple concurrent engineering requisitions independently and efficiently
Track pipeline metrics and provide regular updates on sourcing progress and candidate status
Communicate proactively with hiring managers on pipeline health, candidate availability, and market conditions
Respond to feedback promptly and adjust sourcing approaches to continuously improve candidate quality
Partner closely with the recruiting team to ensure seamless handoff of qualified candidates
Build and maintain relationships with passive candidates for future opportunities
Collaborate with hiring managers to refine job descriptions and candidate profiles
Support the broader recruiting function with market insights and talent trend analysis