About this role

ABOUT THE COMPANY This is a Series A robotics startup operating at the intersection of advanced robotics and renewable energy. The company builds and deploys robotic systems that automate the most labor-intensive aspects of solar farm construction — directly addressing a critical bottleneck slowing the world's transition to clean energy. Backed by top-tier generalist and climate tech investors, the team is small, fast-moving, and deeply mission-driven.

ABOUT THE ROLE As the Founding Lead Recruiter, you'll be the first dedicated recruiting hire and a founding member of the people function. You'll own talent acquisition end-to-end — building processes from the ground up, partnering closely with engineering and leadership, and delivering an outstanding candidate and new-hire experience. Your work will have a direct and measurable impact on the company's ability to scale its team and, ultimately, accelerate the adoption of solar energy.

WHAT YOU'LL DO - Build the talent function and recruiting infrastructure from scratch, including processes, tools, and frameworks - Own the full recruitment lifecycle: sourcing, screening, interviewing, offer negotiation, and closing - Partner with hiring managers across engineering, product, and leadership to understand needs and deliver timely, high-quality hires - Source and engage candidates for highly technical roles — including embedded systems, mechanical, and software engineering - Design and lead a standout onboarding experience for new hires - Build and maintain a strong employer brand to attract mission-aligned talent - Develop recruiting metrics and reporting to drive continuous improvement - Manage and optimize ATS and other HR technologies WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR Required: - 5–10 years of recruiting experience, ideally in a startup environment (Series A or equivalent) - Proven track record recruiting for hardware and/or robotics engineering roles (embedded systems, mechanical engineering, software engineering) - Experience building or scaling a recruiting function from an early stage - Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to collaborate cross-functionally with engineering, product, and leadership - Experience designing and leading onboarding processes for new hires - Metrics-driven mindset with comfort using data to guide decisions - Proficiency with ATS platforms and modern HR technologies - Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship management skills - Detail-oriented and highly organized, with an ability to manage multiple open roles simultaneously in a fast-paced environment Nice to Have: - Passion for climate tech, renewable energy, or robotics - Experience recruiting candidates from robotics, aerospace, or advanced manufacturing backgrounds - Prior experience at a company that scaled from seed/Series A to later stages LOCATION & WORK ARRANGEMENT This role is on-site in San Leandro, California.

The team works together in person and values close collaboration. Visa sponsorship is not available for this role. COMPENSATION & BENEFITS - Competitive salary commensurate with experience - Significant equity compensation reflecting the founding nature of the role - Opportunity to shape company culture and people operations from the ground up - Direct climate impact through your work every day

Source listing: ashby_clera