a16z Staff Hardware Recruiter
We are looking for a highly strategic and execution-focused Staff Hardware Recruiter to help scale some of the most critical engineering organizations within the company. This person will own full-cycle recruiting for complex hardware engineering functions with a particular emphasis on Electrical Engineering, Power Systems, Avionics, and other highly specialized technical domains supporting next-generation aerospace and autonomous systems development.
This is not a traditional recruiting role. We are looking for someone who can operate as a true talent partner to engineering leadership — helping shape hiring strategy, influence workforce planning, drive prioritization discipline, and build scalable pipelines for some of the hardest-to-hire technical talent in the industry.
The ideal candidate thrives in high-growth, high-ambiguity environments and brings a strong track record of closing senior and niche hardware engineering talent while balancing speed, quality, and stakeholder partnership.
WHAT YOU’LL DO:
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Own full-cycle recruiting for highly specialized hardware engineering roles across Electrical Engineering, Power Electronics, Embedded Systems, Avionics, PCB Design, Power Distribution, RF, Systems Integration, and related technical domains
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Partner directly with engineering leadership and hiring managers to define hiring strategy, interview processes, and prioritization plans aligned to business objectives
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Build and execute proactive sourcing strategies for difficult-to-find technical talent across aerospace, defense, automotive, robotics, energy, and adjacent industries
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Act as a strategic advisor to leadership on market trends, talent availability, compensation competitiveness, and hiring risks
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Drive strong operational rigor across pipeline management, funnel health, data accuracy, and stakeholder communication
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Help influence workforce planning and ensure hiring activity remains aligned to approved business priorities
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Improve recruiting scalability through process improvements, documentation, interview calibration, and tooling optimization
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Deliver an exceptional candidate experience while maintaining urgency and high hiring quality standards
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Mentor junior recruiters and sourcers while helping elevate recruiting best practices across the organization
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- 7+ years of full-cycle technical recruiting experience, including significant ownership of complex hardware engineering searches
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Proven success recruiting Electrical Engineers, Power Electronics Engineers, Embedded Hardware Engineers, Avionics Engineers, or similar technical talent
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Strong understanding of technical hardware concepts and engineering organizational structures
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Experience partnering with senior engineering leadership in fast-paced or high-growth environments
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Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex searches simultaneously while maintaining strong hiring outcomes
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Strong sourcing and market-mapping capabilities across highly competitive technical domains
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Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and operational execution skills
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Experience using ATS systems, sourcing platforms, and recruiting analytics to drive decisions and pipeline visibility
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Ability to operate strategically while remaining highly execution-oriented
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
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Experience recruiting within aerospace, defense, robotics, autonomous systems, automotive, energy, or other highly technical industries
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Familiarity with hardware development lifecycle concepts, embedded systems, power systems, avionics, or electromechanical integration
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Experience supporting hiring at scale during periods of rapid organizational growth
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Experience influencing workforce planning, prioritization, or recruiting operations initiatives
Skills
As published by lever · 19 questions · 9 written answers
Basics
Which location are you applying for?, Resume/CV, Full name, Email, Phone, Current location, Current company, LinkedIn URL, Twitter URL, GitHub URL, Portfolio URL, Other website
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