Job Title: Senior Technical Recruiter - Humanoid Robotics Engineering
Department: People Operations
Employment Type: Full Time
FLSA: Exempt
Location: Houston, TX - Onsite
About the RolePersona AI is building humanoid robots that perform real work, and we're growing fast. To do that, we need world-class technical talent - the kind that doesn't apply to job postings and has to be found, engaged, and won over. The Senior Technical Recruiter is the person who makes that happen.
Reporting to the Head of Talent, you'll work directly with hiring managers across engineering, robotics, and operations to source and close exceptional candidates for some of the most technically demanding roles in the industry. This isn't a coordination role or a process role - it's a pure recruiting role for someone who loves the hunt, thrives on building relationships with hard-to-reach talent, and knows how to close. You'll carry a req load, run your own searches, and be the driving force behind filling critical positions that directly impact our ability to ship product.
What You'll Be Doing- Own full-cycle recruiting for a portfolio of technical positions such as Machine Learning, Autonomy, Teleoperations, Reinforcement Learning, Grasping, Manipulation, Perception, and Robotics Software - from kickoff through signed offer and start date.
- Run intake meetings that actually pin things down: what the role really needs, what's negotiable, what a strong profile looks like, and how success will be measured in the first year.
- Build and execute a custom sourcing strategy for every search - Boolean, LinkedIn Recruiter, GitHub, research labs and academic networks, conference and publication mining, competitor mapping, and AI sourcing tools.
- Write outreach that gets replies from people who aren't looking, and follow through persistently enough to turn a cold contact into a real conversation.
- Screen for technical depth, motivation, and mission fit before candidates reach a hiring manager, so interview time is spent on people who can genuinely do the work.
- Drive interview loops end to end: scheduling in partnership with coordination support, prepping candidates, collecting debrief feedback quickly, and keeping momentum from slipping.
- Manage offers and closes - compensation and equity conversations, counteroffer strategy, and staying close to candidates between signature and day one.
- Sell Houston. Many of your best candidates will be out of market, and you'll be the one who moves them from hesitant to committed while a dedicated partner handles relocation logistics.
- Keep the ATS clean and report on pipeline health, funnel metrics, and search progress to the Head of Talent and hiring managers.
- Represent Persona AI in the market as a credible ambassador for the company, the technology, and the team.
What We Are Looking For- 5+ years of full-cycle recruiting experience.
- Demonstrated track record of filling highly technical engineering or deep-tech roles across robotics, mechatronics, embedded systems, ML/AI, and related disciplines.
- Expert-level sourcing skills, including Boolean search, LinkedIn Recruiter, GitHub, academic networks, AI sourcing tools, and alternative channels beyond job boards.
- Strong hiring manager partnership skills: conducting effective intake meetings, translating ambiguous requirements into focused searches, and keeping stakeholders aligned.
- Proven ability to engage and close passive candidates through compelling outreach, strong follow-through, and eliciting responses from individuals not actively looking.
- Ability to successfully manage multiple open requisitions simultaneously without sacrificing quality or velocity on any search.
- Confident in handling offer conversations, managing counteroffers, and ensuring candidates progress through to their start date without issues.
- Proven track record of closing out-of-market candidates on relocation by overcoming hesitation, persuasively promoting Houston as a career and lifestyle destination, and supporting candidates' emotional journey (with logistics handled by a dedicated partner; you handle the conviction).
Bonus Skills- Prior recruiting experience in robotics, aerospace, defense, advanced manufacturing, or deep-tech hardware.
- Existing relationships within the Houston engineering, aerospace, or tech talent community.
- Familiarity with ATS platforms such as Ashby, Rippling, Greenhouse, Lever, or similar.
- Experience recruiting for organizations with 50-300 employees in a high-growth environment.
- Background recruiting for hardware or deep-tech companies where candidates are rare and every req requires a custom sourcing strategy.
