Technical Recruiter (Contract)

Zania•San Francisco, CA

4d•Onsite

About The Position

As Zania’s first recruiter you’ll build the team behind the company. You’ll own technical recruiting end-to-end, set the bar for speed and quality, and scale our hiring engine from 0→1. You move fast, think like a founder, and love closing great people. This is a hands-on “player-coach” role for someone who thrives in high-velocity environments and owns outcomes from sourcing to scaling. You’re not just filling roles — you’re designing how Zania hires and evaluates world-class talent. You’ll partner directly with the CEO and technical leadership to build the recruiting motion that powers our hypergrowth. You’ll design lightweight, high-impact processes, shape our employer brand, and operate with extreme ownership and urgency. This role is based in our Palo Alto, CA office. We use an in-person work model and offer relocation assistance.

Requirements

4–7+ years of technical recruiting experience in high-growth startups (ideally AI, infra, or enterprise SaaS)
Proven track record sourcing and closing top engineering and AI talent — fast
Bias for action: you move quickly, iterate constantly, and don’t wait for perfect information
Strong judgment and “bar-raiser” instincts when evaluating technical talent
Excellent communication — can pitch the mission, team, and opportunity with clarity and conviction
Highly organized and data-driven; strong prioritization and stakeholder management skills

Nice To Haves

experience hiring in compliance, security, or GTM functions

Responsibilities

Own Recruiting End-to-End
Run the full process — from kickoff and sourcing to interviews, offers, and closing.
Partner with the CEO and technical leadership to define roles, success criteria, and the bar.
Move fast: build creative outbound strategies, track funnel health, and close exceptional talent with precision.
Deliver a World-Class Candidate Experience
Run a transparent, high-touch process from first contact to close.
Pitch Zania’s mission, team, and vision with clarity and conviction.
Ensure every candidate interaction reflects Zania’s speed, excellence, and ambition.
Build the Talent Engine
Stand up our recruiting systems (ATS, dashboards, feedback loops).
Create scalable processes — interviewer training, score calibration, and playbooks.
Report metrics and insights directly to leadership to guide hiring strategy.
Shape Zania’s Brand
Help define how the world sees Zania — through outreach, events, and storytelling.
Position us as the destination for world-class engineers, AI researchers, and builders.