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Staff Hardware Recruiter

Boston, MA
Full Time On-site

Summary

Job Description

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:

    • 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

    • Partner directly with engineering leadership and hiring managers to define hiring strategy, interview processes, and prioritization plans aligned to business objectives

    • Build and execute proactive sourcing strategies for difficult-to-find technical talent across aerospace, defense, automotive, robotics, energy, and adjacent industries

    • Act as a strategic advisor to leadership on market trends, talent availability, compensation competitiveness, and hiring risks

    • Drive strong operational rigor across pipeline management, funnel health, data accuracy, and stakeholder communication

    • Help influence workforce planning and ensure hiring activity remains aligned to approved business priorities

    • Improve recruiting scalability through process improvements, documentation, interview calibration, and tooling optimization

    • Deliver an exceptional candidate experience while maintaining urgency and high hiring quality standards

    • 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
  • Proven success recruiting Electrical Engineers, Power Electronics Engineers, Embedded Hardware Engineers, Avionics Engineers, or similar technical talent

  • Strong understanding of technical hardware concepts and engineering organizational structures

  • Experience partnering with senior engineering leadership in fast-paced or high-growth environments

  • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex searches simultaneously while maintaining strong hiring outcomes

  • Strong sourcing and market-mapping capabilities across highly competitive technical domains

  • Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and operational execution skills

  • Experience using ATS systems, sourcing platforms, and recruiting analytics to drive decisions and pipeline visibility

  • Ability to operate strategically while remaining highly execution-oriented

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

    • Experience recruiting within aerospace, defense, robotics, autonomous systems, automotive, energy, or other highly technical industries

    • Familiarity with hardware development lifecycle concepts, embedded systems, power systems, avionics, or electromechanical integration

    • Experience supporting hiring at scale during periods of rapid organizational growth

    • Experience influencing workforce planning, prioritization, or recruiting operations initiatives

Full-time regular employee offer package:
Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity
Temporary employee offer package:
Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)
Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.
Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know. 

About Shield AI

Shield AI

Shield AI is a defense technology company building autonomous AI systems for aircraft, drones, and intelligent mission software used in complex military environments. Founded in 2015, the company is best known for developing Hivemind, an AI pilot system that enables aircraft and drones to operate autonomously in contested and GPS-denied environments, supporting U.S. and allied defense missions.

For job seekers, Shield AI offers opportunities across advanced fields including artificial intelligence, robotics, software engineering, autonomy systems, aerospace engineering, embedded systems, and mission operations. The company is especially attractive to engineers, AI researchers, and defense professionals who want to work on real-world autonomous systems that are actively being deployed in operational military scenarios.

Unlike traditional defense contractors, Shield AI operates with a startup-style engineering culture focused on rapid experimentation, real-world testing, and fast deployment of autonomous capabilities. Employees work on tightly integrated AI and robotics systems that combine perception, decision-making, and control, enabling platforms to operate without direct human input in highly complex environments.

As modern warfare increasingly shifts toward autonomous systems, distributed sensing, and AI-enabled decision-making, Shield AI continues to grow as one of the most prominent companies in next-generation defense technology. For professionals seeking to build cutting-edge autonomy systems with direct mission impact, Shield AI stands out as a leading employer in the defense innovation ecosystem.

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