Talent Acquisition Partner

Overview

We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Talent Acquisition Partner to join ORNL's Talent Acquisition Division. In this strategic role, you will have a unique opportunity to shape the future of scientific discovery by attracting and securing top-tier scientific and technical talent. As a trusted advisor to hiring managers and business leaders, you will partner closely with stakeholders to develop innovative recruitment strategies, build robust talent pipelines, and deliver an exceptional candidate experience that reflects ORNL's commitment to excellence.

• Partner with hiring managers and business leaders to understand current and future staffing needs, develop comprehensive recruitment strategies, and align talent acquisition efforts with organizational objectives.
• Design and implement innovative sourcing strategies to identify and attract high-caliber scientific and technical talent in competitive markets.
• Build and maintain strong talent pipelines for critical roles in materials science, energy technologies, engineering, national security research, nuclear science, and cleared positions requiring security clearances.
• Manage end-to-end recruitment processes, including editing job descriptions, candidate sourcing, screening, interviewing, assessment, and offer negotiation.
• Conduct comprehensive candidate evaluations leveraging technical knowledge and market intelligence to identify the most qualified individuals.
• Create personalized, candidate-centric recruitment experiences that showcase ORNL's mission, culture, values and opportunities for professional growth.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to technical hiring teams, providing market insights, talent trends, and recruitment best practices.
• Ensure all recruitment activities align with company policy, EEO, and ADA guidelines.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with talent acquisition partners, HR business partners, compensation analysts, and leadership to optimize recruitment processes and drive continuous improvement.
• Represent ORNL at recruiting events, career fairs, conferences, and professional organizations to strengthen employer brand and expand talent networks.
• Leverage diverse sourcing channels including social media, professional networks, academic partnerships, and industry associations to reach passive and active candidates.
• Deliver ORNL's mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service.

• BS / BA degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Communications, Engineering, Sciences, or related field.
• Two or more years of proven full-cycle recruiting experience, with significant focus on technical, scientific, or engineering candidates.
• Demonstrated expertise in recruitment best practices, advanced sourcing methodologies, and talent acquisition technologies.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build strong, collaborative relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Proficiency in applicant tracking systems (ATS), recruitment platforms, and data analytics tools.
• Comprehensive knowledge of employment laws, regulations, and compliance requirements including EEO and ADA.

• A minimum of five years of recruiting high-level engineering and scientific talent in a research laboratory environment.
• Prior experience recruiting for research institutions, national laboratories, or organizations within scientific, engineering, or technology sectors.
• Proven ability to understand and articulate complex technical position requirements to candidates.
• Self-motivated professional with demonstrated ability to recruit and attract highly specialized technical talent in competitive, complex environments.
• Experience utilizing artificial intelligence tools and emerging technologies for candidate sourcing and engagement.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and modern collaboration platforms.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills across multiple channels including telephone, email, video conferencing, and in-person interactions.
• Strong relationship-building capabilities with demonstrated success in stakeholder management and proactive networking.
• Strategic thinking and creative problem-solving skills combined with excellent active listening abilities.
• Current knowledge of external recruiting trends, market dynamics, and innovative talent acquisition strategies.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced research environment, effectively prioritize competing demands, manage a high-volume requisition load, and adapt to evolving organizational needs.
• Professional demeanor with the ability to maintain composure, positivity, and exceptional customer service under pressure.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

• This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain an HSPD-12 PIV…