SlipstreamJobs tracks this role from the company's public career site. Apply directly on the employer's site.
Physical Intelligence is building general-purpose AI for the physical world through foundation models and learning algorithms powering robots and physically-actuated devices. The company designs and manufactures its own robots, with engineering teams and factory operations in Fremont, CA.
As Hardware Recruiter, you will own full-cycle recruiting across the hardware organization, reporting to Blake Williams (Head of People) and partnering directly with Adnan Esmail (co-founder, hardware lead) and engineering, factory, and fleet leadership. This is a hybrid role based in San Francisco with regular time at the Fremont factory.
Key Responsibilities:
- Own end-to-end hardware recruiting searches across mechanical, electrical, firmware, controls engineering, manufacturing, NPI, test, supply chain, and technician roles
- Map and source the hardware market: identify where top engineers, manufacturing, and supply chain talent sit (including non-obvious titles like TPMs at Apple)
- Run dual motions: hand-pick senior engineers for subsystem ownership and build scalable funnels for technician and factory hiring
- Play the long game by tracking product cycles and staying close to candidates over years until hiring windows open
- Design interview processes with hiring managers that test real work (prototyping exercises, hands-on trials) and keep interviewers calibrated
- Provide strategic input on compensation, sign-on bonuses, and talent strategy; bring data and market intelligence to hiring decisions
- Partner as a peer with hardware leaders; push back on scope and urgency while keeping searches moving
- Design bespoke closing strategies, including bringing candidates to Fremont to see robots being built
- Build and share recruiting playbooks, pipelines, and tools across the recruiting team
- Treat every candidate with care and respect; manage candidate experience throughout the process
Requirements:
- 6+ years of full-cycle recruiting with substantial experience hiring hardware roles (mechanical, electrical, firmware, manufacturing, test, supply chain, technician) at companies shipping physical products
- Day-one network: able to name and reach out to first ten candidates for open roles
- Real hardware fluency: understand design vs. manufacturing engineering, EVT/DVT/PVT implications, PCBA supply chain dynamics
- Range across both design engineering and factory/fleet operations (most recruiters spike on one; show capability in both)
- Ability to articulate and maintain a high bar; examples of hires you're proud of and why they were difficult
- Resilience and adaptability; recognition that hardware markets are dynamic and unpredictable
- Sense of urgency; understanding that top hardware talent is rarely on market and windows are short
- Analytical rigor: comfort working with data on conversion by source, trial pass rates, offer win/loss analysis
- Genuine curiosity about robotics and willingness to spend time at the factory close to the work
Bonus:
- Experience building a hardware recruiting function from scratch or scaling through production ramp
- Track record hiring technicians or factory teams at volume with hands-on trials
- Senior hardware leadership searches (Director+)
- Background recruiting at robotics, autonomous vehicle, drone, aerospace, or consumer electronics companies
- Familiarity with AI-powered recruiting tools and automation workflows
