Carnegie Mellon University

Senior Talent Acquisition Partner

Carnegie Mellon University$80K — $110K *
Staffing
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.
  • 5+ years of progressive recruiting experience, particularly in technical talent acquisition.
  • Proven ability to understand and evaluate complex technical roles and candidates.
  • Experience with Workday or similar applicant tracking systems.
  • Proven track record of managing multiple priorities effectively.

Responsibilities

  • Serve as a strategic recruiter for SEI’s leadership and technical teams.
  • Manage the entire recruitment lifecycle from job posting to pre-boarding.
  • Develop recruiting strategies and hiring plans in collaboration with hiring leaders.
  • Design targeted sourcing strategies using various professional networks.
  • Ensure a positive candidate experience through proactive communication.
  • Collaborate with teammates to develop solutions and improve processes.
  • Champion innovation and efficiency through testing and optimizing recruiting tools.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health insurance options.
  • Opportunities for professional development and training.
  • Collaborative and purpose-driven work environment.
  • Impactful work contributing to national security.
  • Team-based culture with an emphasis on transparency and trust.
Full Job Description

This Opportunity

We are looking for a Senior Talent Acquisition Partner to join our team. In this role, you'll serve as a strategic talent advisor, helping the SEI attract and hire exceptional engineers, researchers, and technologists who are committed to solving some of software's most complex challenges. You'll partner closely with leaders across technical and programmatic teams, helping them identify people who are intellectually curious, mission driven, and capable of solving difficult problems. Your work will shape the future of the SEI by connecting exceptional talent with meaningful work that advances our national mission.

This role reports to the Director of Human Resources.

Key Responsibilities

  • Serve as a strategic recruiter and talent advisor to SEI’s leadership and technical teams, ensuring alignment between hiring needs and our mission-driven culture.
  • Manage the full recruitment lifecycle from requisition intake and job posting through candidate selection, offer negotiation, and successful pre-boarding, with a focus on quality, integrity, and timeliness.
  • Partner with hiring leaders to develop recruiting strategies, hiring plans, and realistic timelines for critical technical positions.
  • Design and deploy targeted sourcing strategies using professional networks, academic partnerships, and innovative sourcing approaches.
  • Deliver an exceptional candidate experience by maintaining proactive communication, professionalism, and transparency throughout the recruitment process.
  • Work collaboratively with teammates to challenge assumptions, learn from one another, and develop thoughtful solutions that strengthen our work and ensure nothing is overlooked.
  • Champion process improvement and innovation by helping test recruiting tools, identifying opportunities for automation, and optimizing workflows to increase efficiency while preserving the high-touch, personalized candidate experience that defines the SEI.

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.
  • 5+ years of progressive recruiting experience, including demonstrated success in technical talent acquisition, particularly for roles in software engineering, cybersecurity, AI/ML, systems engineering, data science, or related technical domains.
  • Proven ability to quickly grasp complex technical roles, speak credibly with engineers and researchers, and evaluate candidate fit even without deep technical expertise.
  • Experience using Workday or other applicant tracking systems (ATS). 
  • Demonstrated experience balancing multiple priorities with discipline, precision, and adaptability.
  • Strong problem-solving skills when solutions are not obvious.
  • History of thriving in cross-functional, team-based settings—listening first, asking clarifying questions, and building trust through transparency and follow-through.

Additional Traits We Seek

  • Mission Driven: You’re energized by purpose-driven work and see recruitment as a direct contribution to national security and public good.
  • Collaborative Partner: You build trusted relationships through listening, thoughtful questions, transparency, and follow-through.
  • Strategic & Curious: You approach talent strategy like an engineering problem: measure, diagnose, hypothesize, test, and iterate. You’re drawn to processes, metrics, and continuous improvement.
  • Integrity & Judgment: You exercise sound judgment, protect confidential information, and earn trust through ethical decision making.

Other considerations

  • Occasional travel up to 10% travel domestically for recruitment events and meetings.
  • This position is fully onsite 5 days per week at the SEI in Pittsburgh, PA.
  • You will be subject to a background investigation. 

At the SEI, your work helps strengthen the people and technology that underpin national security. If you’re driven by purpose, grounded in practice, and ready to make a meaningful impact, we’d love to hear from you.

Location

Pittsburgh, PA

Job Function

Talent Acquisition

Position Type

Staff – Regular

Full time/Part time

Full time

Pay Basis

More Information: 
  • Please visit “” to learn more about becoming part of an institution inspiring innovations that change the world. 

  • Click to view a listing of employee benefits

About Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university that was founded in 1900. The university is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and is known for its programs in computer science, engineering, and the arts. Carnegie Mellon has a diverse student body and offers undergraduate and graduate programs in a variety of fields. The university has a strong focus on research and has partnerships with a number of companies and organizations. Carnegie Mellon is consistently ranked among the top universities in the United States.
Learn more about Carnegie Mellon University
Size
14,000 employees
Industry

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