Founding Lead Recruiter

About the Role

This is a rare opportunity to join a fast-moving, mission-driven robotics company at the ground floor of its people function. As the Founding Lead Recruiter
, you'll build the talent and recruiting operation entirely from scratch, own the full candidate lifecycle, and play a direct role in shaping a passionate team working to accelerate the global transition to renewable energy. You'll have meaningful equity and a high-impact seat at the table from day one.

The company develops large-scale robotic systems that automate the most labor-intensive tasks in solar farm construction — a sector experiencing explosive growth and a critical need for the kind of speed and scale only automation can deliver.

• Build the talent function and recruiting processes from the ground up, including workflows, tooling, and metrics

• Own the end-to-end recruitment lifecycle — sourcing, screening, interviewing, offer negotiation, and closing

• Partner closely with hiring managers and cross-functional stakeholders to define roles, hiring strategies, and timelines

• Deliver a standout candidate experience from first touch through offer acceptance

• Lead and continuously improve the new-hire onboarding experience

• Own employer branding initiatives to attract and close top-tier engineering and technical talent

• Scale the recruiting function over time, including hiring, mentoring, and developing additional recruiters

• Track and report on recruiting metrics to drive data-informed decisions

Required:

• Proven experience building an end-to-end recruiting function from scratch at an early-stage startup (Series A or similar), including defining processes and metrics

• Experience leading new-hire onboarding programs and owning the initial employee experience

• Strong track record partnering with hiring managers and cross-functional teams

• Experience scaling a recruiting function or managing a small recruiting team

• Ownership of employer branding and candidate experience initiatives, particularly for engineering roles

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, juggle competing priorities, and iterate quickly

• Detail-oriented with strong relationship-management and communication skills

• ATS proficiency and familiarity with modern HR/recruiting technologies

• Authorization to work in the United States without visa sponsorship (sponsorship is not available)

• Willingness to work fully on-site in San Leandro, CA (remote work is not available for this role)

Nice to Have:

• Recruiting experience or domain knowledge in robotics, hardware engineering, renewable energy, or the climate/solar industry

• Background hiring from companies in the robotics or automation space

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience

• Significant equity compensation reflecting your foundational impact on the company

• Opportunity for outsized learning, growth, and ownership in a high-velocity environment

This role is fully on-site in San Leandro, California
. Remote and hybrid arrangements are not available. Visa sponsorship is not offered.