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Wafer is building AI systems that automatically optimize inference workloads across silicon. As Head of Talent, you will lead the recruiting function and personally own the company's most critical hiring initiatives.
You will report directly to the founders and Chief of Staff, working closely with hiring managers across the organization. Your core responsibilities include:
- Direct sourcing and recruitment of exceptional engineers and operators through multiple channels (direct outreach, referrals, relationships). You will own the full lifecycle from initial conversation through offer acceptance, building deep knowledge of candidates and what motivates them.
- Partnering with hiring managers to define role requirements, design effective interview processes, and make hiring decisions quickly without compromising standards.
- Helping candidates understand Wafer's technical vision, ambition, and the impact they can have, serving as an ambassador for the company.
- Maintaining a fast, organized recruiting process with clear ownership, timely feedback, reliable scheduling, and accurate data management in Ashby.
- Managing recruiting partners and external channels, analyzing which sources produce the strongest hires and optimizing spend accordingly.
- Building out the talent team and recruiting systems as Wafer scales, establishing processes that maintain hiring quality during rapid growth.
You will work on-site in San Francisco five days per week in a small, high-ownership environment. Success is measured by the exceptional people who join Wafer and their contributions to the company's mission.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Several years of experience in talent acquisition or recruiting, preferably at a high-growth startup. You understand what breaks as hiring accelerates and have built systems to manage scale.
- Demonstrated track record of personally sourcing and closing exceptional technical hires. You can articulate your sourcing strategy, how you built candidate trust, and your closing approach.
- Strong understanding of technical hiring, with experience recruiting for infrastructure, systems, AI, or similarly demanding engineering roles preferred.
- Strong judgment and high standards. You can help hiring managers distinguish truly exceptional candidates from those who simply interview well.
- Ability to build trust with candidates while moving quickly without losing attention to detail. You are comfortable doing sourcing, follow-ups, and coordination work yourself.
- Ability to work autonomously. You can translate ambitious hiring goals into clear plans and execute them without a detailed specification.
