Sr Recruiter (on-site)

Astra•Alameda, CA

2d•$99,498 - $165,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Opportunity We are looking for a strategic, hands-on Recruiter within aerospace, launch systems, or adjacent deep-tech industries. This individual must have a strong understanding of the specialized roles within the rocket ecosystem and a proven ability to source high-impact talent from leading rocket and space organizations. This role requires someone who is both technically fluent and creatively resourceful — leveraging AI-driven sourcing tools, advanced research strategies, and industry connections to identify and engage top-tier candidates. Why Join Us? Work at the forefront of rocket innovation. Help build a team that will redefine access to space. High-impact role with visibility across executive leadership. Competitive compensation, equity, and benefits. If you are passionate about aerospace, fluent in the rocket talent landscape, and excited about using AI and strategic sourcing to build world-class teams, we want to hear from you.

Requirements

Minimum 5 years of recruiting experience, with substantial focus on aerospace, space, defense, or rocket companies.
Demonstrated experience recruiting for highly specialized rocket-industry roles.
Deep understanding of rocket-related disciplines such as:
Propulsion systems
GNC
Avionics
Structures & composites
Launch operations
Test engineering
Manufacturing & integration
Experience leveraging AI sourcing tools, automation platforms, and advanced search techniques.
Strong ability to identify connections, referrals, and industry crossovers to generate new leads.
Experience using ATS platforms; Rippling Talent experience preferred.
Experience in AI tools: ChatGPT, Claude, CoPilot, Gemini, Perplexity
Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills.
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, startup environment.

Nice To Haves

Proven track record sourcing passive candidates from top aerospace and launch organizations.
Experience recruiting for aerospace startups.
Existing network within the commercial space or launch industry.
Experience scaling engineering teams from early-stage to growth-stage.
Familiarity with export control considerations (e.g., ITAR environments).

Responsibilities

Lead full-cycle recruiting for highly specialized aerospace and rocket roles including propulsion, avionics, GNC (Guidance, Navigation & Control), structures, systems engineering, launch operations, test engineering, and manufacturing.
Partner with leadership and technical hiring managers to deeply understand role requirements and future workforce planning.
Manage internship program.
Develop proactive hiring strategies for hard-to-fill and confidential roles.
Utilize AI-powered sourcing tools and automation platforms to identify, qualify, and engage passive candidates.
Build and refine Boolean search strategies across multiple databases and talent platforms.
Analyze talent market data to guide compensation and hiring strategies.
Continuously experiment with emerging AI recruiting tools to improve sourcing efficiency and candidate quality.
Identify and build pipelines from leading rocket and aerospace organizations (e.g., commercial launch providers, satellite companies, propulsion startups, defense contractors).
Map organizational structures of competing rocket companies to identify high-potential talent and succession targets.
Leverage industry networks, conferences, and referrals to generate strong leads.
Build strategic relationships with engineers and technical leaders across the aerospace ecosystem.
Serve as a trusted partner to candidates throughout the recruitment lifecycle.
Assess both technical capability and startup mindset (speed, adaptability, ownership).
Promote the company’s mission and value proposition to attract top-tier rocket talent.
Maintain and optimize recruiting workflows within Rippling Talent (preferred experience).
Track and report recruiting metrics (time-to-fill, source effectiveness, pipeline conversion rates).
Continuously improve recruiting processes to scale alongside company growth.