Talent Partner

Role overview

Our client is an AI/ML-led software startup focused on accelerating R&D innovation for major consumer product, semiconductor, and chemical organizations. The business is hiring a Talent Partner as a full-time direct employee reporting to the Director of People Operations.

Backed by more than $50M in funding from three of the largest venture capital firms in the United States, the company has doubled both revenue and headcount over the last three years. Its platform is already used by over 7,000 lab workers across more than 20 global companies valued between $20B and $70B, with annual recurring revenue exceeding $10M. The team is building agentic workflow and data-management products to help shape the next generation of physical-science and laboratory R&D automation.

This is the organization’s first in-house recruiting role, and it will own talent acquisition from end to end, with the greatest emphasis on technical, product, and product design hiring. The position will focus on strengthening candidate messaging and employer brand, building strong outbound sourcing efforts for difficult-to-find talent, and putting in place evaluation systems that quickly identify the right technical skills and experience.

Important note: prior experience creating technical recruiting structures in an early-stage startup is required for this position. A background in chemistry, chemical engineering, or materials science is not required, as the main hiring focus will be software engineering and closely related functions.

What you will do

• Manage the entire candidate experience and make sure each interaction reflects the company well.
• Work closely with Marketing and People teams to shape candidate communications and define the employer value proposition.
• Set up recruiting processes that can run reliably at scale, including ATS configuration, sourcing systems, and reporting that keeps performance transparent.
• Evaluate and implement AI-enabled and automation tools that reduce manual work while preserving human judgment where it matters most.
• Drive proactive sourcing for Engineering and Product positions such as AI engineers, software architects, product managers, and designers.
• Create and maintain structured interview systems, assessment criteria, and hiring standards that support fairness and consistency across roles and geographies.
• Advise hiring managers on job design and interview process design, while contributing strategic recommendations alongside day-to-day execution.
• Help build and coordinate talent acquisition practices across the US, Germany, India, and Japan, including collaboration with external agencies and internal recruiters to align policies and standards globally.

What we are looking for

• At least 5 years of full-cycle recruiting experience, especially in technical hiring areas such as AI engineering, software architecture, product management, and design.
• Proven experience creating or materially improving a recruiting function rather than only operating within an existing process.
• Practical experience using AI tools, ATS automation, or recruiting technology to solve hiring challenges.
• Experience in startup or high-growth environments, with comfort building systems from the ground up.
• Exposure to global hiring, along with strong understanding of the US talent market.
• Ability to work effectively with senior executives in a fast-paced setting.
• Excellent communication skills for interacting with candidates, hiring managers, and leadership teams.
• Demonstrated ability to close candidates successfully, not just source them.

Additional information

This position is a full-time, onsite role in the United States.

The company is not seeking subject-matter expertise in chemistry, chemical engineering, or materials science for this role. The core requirement is recruiting experience for technical and related product functions within an early-stage or high-growth environment.