Staff Technical Recruiter - AI/ML

Kodiak•Mountain View, CA

17h•$150,000 - $175,000•Onsite

About The Position

Kodiak Robotics, Inc. was founded in 2018 and has become a leader in autonomous ground transportation committed to a safer and more efficient future for all. The company has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) powered technology stack purpose-built for commercial trucking and the public sector. The company delivers freight daily for its customers across the southern United States using its autonomous technology. In 2024, Kodiak became the first known company to publicly announce delivering a driverless semi-truck to a customer. Kodiak is also leveraging its commercial self-driving software to develop, test and deploy autonomous capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defense. We’re looking for a Staff Technical Recruiter to lead hiring for our AI/ML and Perception software teams. This is a high-impact role focused on attracting and closing senior to leadership-level engineering talent in a competitive market. You’ll partner deeply with technical leaders, shape hiring strategy, and build the pipelines that power our next phase of growth. This role is ideal for a recruiter who combines strong technical credibility, ownership mindset, and operational rigor — someone who can influence hiring decisions while also executing at a high level.

Requirements

10+ years of full-cycle technical recruiting experience with at least 5 years in AI, robotics, autonomy, or related advanced engineering environments.
Strong network and demonstrated understanding of the robotics, AI/ML, and autonomy talent market, particularly in highly competitive hubs such as the San Francisco Bay Area.
Track record of hiring senior, staff, principal, and engineering management talent within AI/ML, perception, or distributed systems teams.
Strong ability to source, engage, and close passive candidates using diverse recruiting channels and targeted outreach strategies.
Comfort operating in startup to mid-size company environments with shifting priorities and evolving hiring plans.
Demonstrated ability to build technical credibility with engineering stakeholders and influence hiring decisions.
Experience using Greenhouse or similar ATS platforms to manage pipelines and reporting.
Excellent communication skills, strong ownership mindset, and a high sense of urgency in competitive talent markets.

Responsibilities

Own full-cycle recruiting for AI/ML and Perception software roles, from intake through close.
Build and engage senior and leadership-level candidate pipelines, with a strong focus on passive talent.
Partner closely with hiring managers and engineering leaders to define hiring strategy, role calibration, and talent profiles.
Deliver a high-quality, responsive candidate experience that reflects Kodiak’s values and technical bar.
Develop a strong understanding of Kodiak’s autonomy technology and articulate our mission, roadmap, and technical challenges to candidates.
Maintain accurate recruiting data and pipeline hygiene in Lever to support hiring visibility and decision-making.
Identify and drive process improvements that increase hiring efficiency, quality of signal, and close rates.
Contribute to broader recruiting initiatives including market mapping, employer branding, and interview process design.

Benefits

Competitive compensation package including equity and annual bonuses
Excellent Medical, Dental, and Vision plans through Kaiser Permanente, Cigna, and MetLife (including a medical plan with infertility benefits)
MetLife Legal Services, Identity & Fraud Protection, Hospital Indemnity Insurance, Accident Insurance, & Critical Illness Insurance
Flexible PTO, 10 paid holidays, and generous parental leave policies
Our office is centrally located in Mountain View, CA
Office perks: dog-friendly, free catered lunch, a fully stocked kitchen, and free EV charging
Long Term Disability, Short Term Disability, Life Insurance
Wellbeing Benefits - Headspace through Cigna, Calm through Kaiser, One Medical, Gympass, Spring Health through Cigna, Rula (mental health navigation)
Fidelity 401(k)
Commuter, FSA, Dependent Care FSA, HSA
Various incentive programs (referral bonuses, patent bonuses, etc.)