About the Company
This is a Series A, Y Combinator-backed robotics startup operating at the intersection of automation and renewable energy. The company builds robots that automate the most labor-intensive aspects of solar farm construction — directly addressing one of the biggest bottlenecks slowing the world's transition to clean energy. The team moves fast, thinks big, and is tackling a technically hard problem with real climate impact.
About the Role
As the Founding Lead Recruiter, you'll be the first dedicated recruiting hire and a founding member of the people function. You'll own talent acquisition from the ground up — building processes, pipelines, and candidate experiences that reflect the quality and ambition of the team. This is a high-ownership, high-impact role that will directly shape the company's growth trajectory.
What You'll Do
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Build the talent function and recruiting processes from scratch
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Own the full end-to-end recruitment lifecycle — sourcing, screening, interviews, offer negotiation, and closing
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Partner closely with hiring managers across engineering, product, and leadership to prioritize roles and calibrate on candidate profiles
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Source and attract top-tier candidates for technical roles including embedded systems, mechanical engineering, and software engineering
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Design and deliver a standout candidate experience throughout the interview and hiring process
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Lead and iterate on the employee onboarding process for new hires
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Track and report on recruiting metrics to continuously improve pipeline health and time-to-hire
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Build employer brand and candidate pipeline for a fast-scaling hardware/robotics startup
What We're Looking For
Required:
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5–10 years of recruiting experience, with a strong track record in hardware and/or robotics engineering roles (embedded systems, mechanical, software)
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Experience recruiting in fast-paced, early-stage startup environments (Series A or equivalent scale)
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Demonstrated ability to build and scale recruiting functions from an early stage
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Strong stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration skills — you can work effectively with engineers, product managers, and executives
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Experience designing and leading onboarding processes for new hires
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Metrics-driven mindset with the ability to track, analyze, and act on recruiting data
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Proficiency with ATS platforms and modern HR technologies
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Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship management skills
Nice to Have:
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Passion for climate tech, renewable energy, or deep tech
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Experience with employer branding initiatives at an early-stage company
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Background recruiting from the robotics, autonomous systems, or advanced manufacturing space
Location
This role is on-site in San Leandro, California. Remote work is not available for this position. Visa sponsorship is not available.
Why This Role
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Foundational impact — you'll shape the people function and culture of a technically ambitious company
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Work on a problem with direct, measurable climate impact
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Significant equity compensation reflecting your outsized contribution
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Fast-moving environment with constant opportunities for learning and growth
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