Senior Technical Recruiter - Humanoid Robotics Engineering

Job Title: Senior Technical Recruiter - Humanoid Robotics Engineering

Department: People Operations

Employment Type: Full Time

FLSA: Exempt

Location: Houston, TX - Onsite

Who We Are

Persona AI is developing and commercializing rugged, multi-purpose humanoid robots that perform real work. Persona AI founding team has a decades-long history in humanoid robotics, bionics, and product development delivering robust hardware that has touched the stars, worked miles below the surface of the ocean, and even roamed Disney Parks. Our mission is focused squarely on shipping beautiful, reliable products at massive scale, while building a customer-focused team to achieve these aims.

Why Join Persona AI?

• We offer competitive compensation, bonus, 99% employer covered medical benefits, early-stage equity, competitive PTO, and a company-wide paid winter break between December 24th and January 2nd.

• You’ll shape technology that’s redefining the possibilities of robotics and human interaction.

• Work alongside passionate teammates who value creativity, and continuous learning.

• Enjoy full access to best-in-class sourcing tools and a strong employer brand — everything you need to recruit effectively from day one.

About the Role

Persona AI is building humanoid robots that perform real work, and we’re growing fast. To do that, we need world-class technical talent - the kind that doesn’t apply to job postings and has to be found, engaged, and won over. The Senior Technical Recruiter is the person who makes that happen.

Reporting to the Head of Talent, you’ll work directly with hiring managers across engineering, robotics, and operations to source and close exceptional candidates for some of the most technically demanding roles in the industry. This isn’t a coordination role or a process role - it’s a pure recruiting role for someone who loves the hunt, thrives on building relationships with hard-to-reach talent, and knows how to close. You’ll carry a req load, run your own searches, and be the driving force behind filling critical positions that directly impact our ability to ship product.

What You'll Be Doing

• Own full-cycle recruiting for a portfolio of technical positions such as Machine Learning, Autonomy, Teleoperations, Reinforcement Learning, Grasping, Manipulation, Perception, and Robotics Software - from kickoff through signed offer and start date.

• Run intake meetings that actually pin things down: what the role really needs, what's negotiable, what a strong profile looks like, and how success will be measured in the first year.

• Build and execute a custom sourcing strategy for every search - Boolean, LinkedIn Recruiter, GitHub, research labs and academic networks, conference and publication mining, competitor mapping, and AI sourcing tools.

• Write outreach that gets replies from people who aren't looking, and follow through persistently enough to turn a cold contact into a real conversation.

• Screen for technical depth, motivation, and mission fit before candidates reach a hiring manager, so interview time is spent on people who can genuinely do the work.

• Drive interview loops end to end: scheduling in partnership with coordination support, prepping candidates, collecting debrief feedback quickly, and keeping momentum from slipping.

• Manage offers and closes - compensation and equity conversations, counteroffer strategy, and staying close to candidates between signature and day one.

• Sell Houston. Many of your best candidates will be out of market, and you'll be the one who moves them from hesitant to committed while a dedicated partner handles relocation logistics.

• Keep the ATS clean and report on pipeline health, funnel metrics, and search progress to the Head of Talent and hiring managers.

• Represent Persona AI in the market as a credible ambassador for the company, the technology, and the team.

What We Are Looking For

• 5+ years of full-cycle recruiting experience.

• Demonstrated track record of filling highly technical engineering or deep-tech roles across robotics, mechatronics, embedded systems, ML/AI, and related disciplines.

• Expert-level sourcing skills, including Boolean search, LinkedIn Recruiter, GitHub, academic networks, AI sourcing tools, and alternative channels beyond job boards.

• Strong hiring manager partnership skills: conducting effective intake meetings, translating ambiguous requirements into focused searches, and keeping stakeholders aligned.

• Proven ability to engage and close passive candidates through compelling outreach, strong follow-through, and eliciting responses from individuals not actively looking.

• Ability to successfully manage multiple open requisitions simultaneously without sacrificing quality or velocity on any search.

• Confident in handling offer conversations, managing counteroffers, and ensuring candidates progress through to their start date without issues.

• Proven track record of closing out-of-market candidates on relocation by overcoming hesitation, persuasively promoting Houston as a career and lifestyle destination, and supporting candidates’ emotional journey (with logistics handled by a dedicated partner; you handle the conviction).

Bonus Skills

• Prior recruiting experience in robotics, aerospace, defense, advanced manufacturing, or deep-tech hardware.

• Existing relationships within the Houston engineering, aerospace, or tech talent community.

• Familiarity with ATS platforms such as Ashby, Rippling, Greenhouse, Lever, or similar.

• Experience recruiting for organizations with 50–300 employees in a high-growth environment.

• Background recruiting for hardware or deep-tech companies where candidates are rare and every req requires a custom sourcing strategy.

Persona AI is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.