Founding Technical Recruiter
NavigateAI· startup· Internet· Mar 31, 2026 · 7mo agoPosted 210 days ago
San Francisco
In office
Full-time
Senior
$130K–$175K est.
6+ years exp
Before you apply
Ghost Signal:
Open since March 31, 2026 — 210 days, and still accepting applications.
Job description
SENIOR TECHNICAL RECRUITER — NAVIGATE AI
WHY NAVIGATE
At Navigate, we’re building the AI copilot for the physical world—bringing AI, AR, and computer vision to the frontline workforce. We’re starting with construction, a ~$2T industry that still runs on fragmented, outdated workflows.
We’ve partnered with some of the largest construction companies in the U.S. and have access to cutting-edge AI platforms—but the real challenge (and opportunity) is turning that into products people actually use every day in the field.
This is a chance to help build a generational company from the ground up. We’re early, moving quickly, and making foundational decisions about the product, the team, and the company itself. The problems are real, the feedback loops are tight, and the impact is immediate.
Our team is small, highly driven, and deeply product-oriented. We work closely with users, move fast, and take ownership across everything we do. If you’re excited about building teams from first principles, partnering closely with our exec team, and helping shape how AI shows up in the real world—we’d love to work with you.
ROLE OVERVIEW
As the founding recruiter, you’ll play a foundational role in building Navigate’s engineering and operations teams. This is a full-cycle role with high ownership—you’ll partner directly with hiring managers to define roles, build pipelines, and close exceptional talent.
This isn’t a plug-and-play recruiting role. You’ll help shape how we hire, what great looks like, and how we attract builders who want to work at the edge of AI and real-world applications.
WHAT YOU’LL DO
- Partner closely with hiring managers and technical leaders to deeply understand hiring needs and shape role definitions
- Build and manage pipelines of high-quality technical talent across engineering, AI/ML, and product-facing roles
- Lead full-cycle recruiting efforts—from sourcing and outreach through closing and offer negotiation
- Craft compelling narratives that resonate with top-tier candidates, especially passive talent
- Act as a strategic partner to hiring managers, advising on market trends, compensation, and hiring strategy
- Continuously improve recruiting processes, tooling, and candidate experience as we scale
- Maintain strong data hygiene and leverage tools like Ashby to track and optimize funnel performance
- Help define and raise the bar for talent across the company
- Contribute to building Navigate’s brand as a place where top engineers and operators want to work
WHAT YOU BRING
We’re looking for someone who thrives in early-stage environments and enjoys building from scratch.
You might be a strong fit if you:
- Have 6+ years of experience in full-cycle technical recruiting, ideally in fast-moving or early-stage companies
- Have a track record of hiring strong engineers or technical talent in competitive markets
- Build trust quickly with both candidates and hiring partners, and operate as a true advisor
- Are highly proactive and comfortable owning ambiguous problems end-to-end
- Have strong judgment on talent and know how to identify high-signal candidates
- Communicate clearly and thoughtfully, especially with senior or hard-to-reach candidates
- Are detail-oriented and care about both candidate experience and operational rigor
- Stay close to the market—understanding where top talent is and what motivates them
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NICE TO HAVE
- Experience recruiting for AI/ML, AR/VR, or product-focused engineering roles
- Experience working closely with founders or executive teams
- Familiarity with Ashby or similar ATS tools
- Experience helping define recruiting strategy at an early-stage company
WHY JOIN US
- Be a foundational part of building the team and culture from the ground up
- Work directly with leadership on some of the most important decisions in the company
- Help shape a product that brings cutting-edge AI into real-world workflows
- Join a small, high-ownership team where your impact is immediate and visible
- Competitive compensation and meaningful equity
Application prep
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Keywords to mirror
aiml
- Platform
- ashby
- Effort
- quick
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