United States onlyFounding Recruiter
Location: Remote (Must work EST hours)
Compensation: $100,000 – $160,000 base salary
Additional Compensation: Equity
Work Authorization: Open to visa transfers on a case-by-case basis
The Opportunity
HireNow Staffing is acting as a direct placement partner for an early-stage technology startup seeking a Founding Recruiter to help build the company from the ground up.
This is a rare opportunity to work directly with the founding team at a critical inflection point. The Founding Recruiter will own hiring end to end—shaping the team, the recruiting infrastructure, and the talent philosophy from day one. The company is building AI-native technology for state and local governments, and early hires will have an outsized impact on product, culture, and long-term success.
This role is best suited for a recruiter who thrives in ambiguity, enjoys building systems from scratch, and wants real ownership rather than a narrow, transactional recruiting scope.
What You'll Do
Candidates will be considered for interview based on demonstrated ability to perform the following responsibilities:
Own full-cycle recruiting across product, engineering, and business roles—from sourcing through offer close
Partner closely with the founder to scale the team from approximately 5 to 15+ employees during the seed stage
Lead early hiring priorities, including forward-deployed Product and technical roles, not just engineering-only searches
Design, implement, and continuously refine recruiting processes and candidate experience from scratch
Leverage modern, AI-powered recruiting tools (e.g., Claude) to automate workflows, sourcing, and screening
Build strong pipelines of high-caliber candidates aligned with the company's mission and operating style
Advise founders on hiring strategy, role scoping, compensation, and market dynamics
Take on light people operations responsibilities as the company grows, including contractor coordination and hiring infrastructure support
Only candidates with true early-stage startup recruiting experience will be considered.
Required Qualifications (Non-Negotiable)
These qualifications are mandatory. Candidates who do not meet all requirements will not be considered for interview.
4+ years of full-cycle recruiting experience at early-stage tech startups (Seed–Series C)
Demonstrated experience hiring product roles, not solely engineering positions
Experience working in fast-paced, ambiguous environments with limited structure
Ability to work EST hours consistently
Bachelor's degree required
Strong ownership mindset with the ability to operate independently and drive outcomes
Comfort learning and adopting AI tools to improve recruiting efficiency and decision-making
Resume history focused on full-time, in-house recruiting (no temp-, contract-, or freelance-heavy backgrounds)
Preferred Qualifications (Strong Differentiators)
Candidates with the following background will be viewed as standout applicants:
Proven track record scaling teams from 5 to 15+ employees at seed-stage companies
Experience recruiting for AI-focused companies or government technology organizations
Prior experience building recruiting infrastructure from scratch (ATS selection, process design, scorecards)
Strong intuition for assessing early-stage talent beyond resumes and titles
Interest in expanding beyond recruiting into broader people operations over time
Who This Role Is Best Suited For
Recruiters who want founding-level ownership, not a narrow requisition desk
Operators who enjoy building systems where none exist
Professionals energized by mission-driven technology and public-sector impact
Individuals seeking long-term influence over team composition and company culture
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