About Wardstone
Wardstone builds defense systems for the U.S. and its allies. We are a small team of engineers and builders moving fast from design to flight hardware.
About the role
Wardstone is growing quickly over the next year, and you will be the person who makes that happen. As our first dedicated recruiter, you will own hiring end to end for engineers, technicians and operations roles. You will work directly with founders and engineering leads, and you will shape how Wardstone finds, interviews and closes talent.
This is a hands-on role for someone early in their recruiting career who wants real ownership. You will learn the technical side of aerospace and defense hiring quickly, and you will have a direct impact on who builds the company.
What you'll do
• Run full-cycle recruiting for 15+ open roles, from intake meeting to signed offer
• Source engineers and technicians in RF, mechanical, GNC, avionics, aerodynamics and propulsion through LinkedIn, referrals, university programs and industry events
• Partner with hiring managers to write job descriptions, define must-haves and calibrate on candidates
• Screen candidates by phone, manage scheduling and keep every candidate informed at each stage
• Coordinate onsite interviews, gather feedback and drive fast hiring decisions
• Prepare offers, help close candidates and hand off smoothly to onboarding
• Verify U.S. person status and support clearance-related steps where roles require it
• Set up and maintain the applicant tracking system (ATS) and report weekly on pipeline and time-to-hire
• Build Wardstone's recruiting brand through careers page updates, job board posts and campus outreach
What you bring
• 1+ years of recruiting experience, ideally for technical or engineering roles (agency, in-house or startup)
• Hands-on sourcing skills: LinkedIn Recruiter, boolean search and building referral networks
• Experience managing several open roles at once without dropping candidates
• Clear, confident communication with engineers, executives and candidates
• Strong organization and follow-through, with comfort using an ATS and spreadsheets
• Curiosity to learn the technical side of aerospace and defense roles
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
Nice to have
• Recruiting experience in aerospace, defense, hardware or deep-tech startups
• Familiarity with ITAR and U.S. person hiring requirements
• Experience hiring technicians or manufacturing roles
• Experience with Greenhouse, Ashby, Lever, Gem or a similar ATS
• Active security clearance or eligibility to obtain one