SlipstreamJobs tracks this role from the company's public career site. Apply directly on the employer's site.
Swarm Aero is building the world's largest swarming UAV fleet and Command & Control software for autonomous aircraft networks. The company is in Series A, with a team that has exited multiple startups, negotiated multi-billion-dollar defense deals, and designed 30+ novel aircraft, drawing talent from Scaled Composites, Airbus, Archer Aviation, Blue Origin, and Boom Supersonic.
You will own full-cycle recruiting for manufacturing across two sites: Swarm Aero's Oxnard headquarters and a new facility in Northwest Arkansas. Early on, you'll recruit the foundational team members who set the standard. As the company scales, you'll build hiring velocity without compromising quality. When manufacturing hiring is lighter, you'll support aircraft, supply chain, operations, and other teams—manufacturing always comes first.
Key responsibilities include:
- Own full-cycle hiring for manufacturing, industrial, quality, tooling, and production roles, from floor technicians to factory leaders
- Develop deep manufacturing knowledge (composites, tooling, process development, factory ramp) to evaluate candidates and hiring managers effectively
- Source talent from automotive, EV, consumer hardware, and high-rate industrial manufacturing rather than relying solely on legacy aerospace pipelines
- Build the Northwest Arkansas talent pipeline from scratch: schools, trade programs, local manufacturers, veteran networks, and community partners
- Hire ahead of scale-up, building relationships with candidates you may not hire for two years
- Flex to support other teams when manufacturing volume allows
The recruiting philosophy is high-touch and domain-expert-driven: study the work deeply, deliver candidates an exceptional recruiting experience, play the long game, and prioritize mission and quality over comfort. Speed is a competitive weapon.
RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT: Applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State (ITAR compliance).
QUALIFICATIONS:
- 4+ years of full-cycle recruiting experience with meaningful time recruiting for manufacturing, production, or hardware teams
- Deep knowledge of manufacturing roles (e.g., can distinguish a manufacturing engineer from an industrial engineer without reference)
- Proven experience hiring through a factory launch, production ramp, or high-growth hardware environment
- Ability to run hiring in two different markets simultaneously without either feeling neglected
- Proactive sourcing mindset (e.g., willing to source a composites technician from a boat builder rather than waiting for applicants)
BONUS QUALIFICATIONS:
- Recruiting experience at an EV, automotive, aerospace, or hardware company during a plant launch or ramp
- Experience hiring hourly and skilled trades at volume alongside engineering roles
- Familiarity with Northwest Arkansas or Midwest manufacturing talent markets
- Supply chain or operations recruiting experience
