Recruiter (Contract)

Recruiter (Contract)

San Francisco || Oakland, CA

Formic is on a mission to reshape American manufacturing by making automation accessible to every factory. As labor constraints rise, costs increase, and global competition intensifies, automation is no longer optional for manufacturers that want to stay competitive.

We deliver automation through a Robotics-as-a-Service model that combines industrial robotics, proprietary software, and full-service support into a single, integrated solution. By removing the traditional barriers of cost, complexity, and risk, we enable manufacturers to deploy automation quickly and realize measurable gains in throughput, safety, and operational efficiency without large upfront capital investment.

Backed by leading investors including Lux Capital, Initialized Capital, Blackhorn Ventures, and Mitsubishi HC Capital North America, Formic is scaling rapidly and building the foundation for a new era of high-performance, Made in America production.

Formic is seeking a strategic and driven Contract Recruiter to manage full-cycle talent acquisition of both technical and non-technical positions for a period of five months (approximately September 2026 - February 2027). A successful candidate will be a natural at building relationships, removing obstacles, and closing for both technical and non-technical talent. They will perform well in a fast-paced and highly ambiguous environment and be dedicated to providing an impeccable candidate experience.

As a Contract Recruiter, you will:

• Perform full-cycle recruitment of candidates for positions including technical roles (such as those related to robotics, automation, hardware engineering, and software engineering) as well as operational roles (e.g. Finance or Sales)
• Manage searches for prioritized roles as well as proactively connecting with talent who may be an asset to Formic
• Strategically source and follow-up with passive candidates via LinkedIn Recruiter and other preferred platforms/sourcing strategies
• Ensure hiring teams are informed and equipped to interview successfully, including working with hiring managers to develop structured interview processes, leading panel prep and debrief meetings, driving calibration, and removing obstacles
• Be a consultative partner to hiring managers and department leaders, using your expertise to advise, influence, and drive best practices
• Communicate necessary role and panel information, schedule and confirm interviews, and perform any other necessary preparatory tasks with high attention to detail
• Conduct thoughtful candidate interviews with a spirit of curiosity - listening closely, thinking critically, asking probing follow-up questions, removing all obstacles, assessing core competencies, and verifying alignment with Formic's mission and culture
• Maintain excellent data hygiene and integrity by documenting every contact point with candidates and logging pertinent information in our ATS (Greenhouse)
• Ensure that everyone who interacts with our team has a positive experience and gets an authentic feel for what it's like to work at Formic
• Uphold process with a team player attitude; scheduling and rescheduling are part of the job as well as ad hoc projects and initiatives that uplevel yourself and our team

What makes you a great fit:

• BA/BS/CS or other undergraduate degree, or equivalent experience
• 5+ years of experience in full-cycle recruitment within in-house environments, 3+ of which include recruitment of technical roles
• Expertise with LinkedIn Recruiter and Greenhouse (required)
• Experience recruiting in robotics, IoT, industrial automation, or related industries (e.g. logistics and supply chain, manufacturing)
• Ability to connect to, communicate with, and strategically assess candidates of all levels, from junior to leadership positions
• Creative sourcing abilities - within LinkedIn Recruiter and beyond - as well as thoughtful messaging and impeccable follow-up skills
• Strategic thinking and innovation: When a search or a sourcing approach is not working you're able to step back, come up with a new approach based on what you've learned, and move forward
• Ability to work independently with minimal oversight; using sound judgment to surface questions or engage others as needed
• Ability and willingness to receive - and give others - quality feedback, as well as incorporate feedback quickly when it's given
• Ability to build effective relationships with hiring teams and stakeholders through trust
• Attention to detail in everything you do from your communication, to adherence to processes, to identifying and overcoming obstacles in a search
• Strong customer focus and empathy: You're committed to delivering a high caliber experience to your customers - external candidates and internal stakeholders. You proactively think about what information needs to be communicated or action needs to be taken next and you work toward that
• Team orientation: We work independently but support and back each other up when needed
• Ability to shift priorities quickly with a bias toward action

Compensation: Compensation for short-term or temporary roles is tailored based on scope, experience, geographic considerations, and market context. As a short-term and/or temporary position this role is not eligible for Formic's full-time benefits package. Benefits will be provided in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local law.

Compensation Range:

$65 - $80 USD

What we look for:

• Fearless Optimism: You make bold bets and default optimistic. You believe in the mission, aren't paralyzed by risk, and fear inaction more than failure. You see ambiguity as opportunity and bring energy to building what doesn't yet exist.
• Create the Magic: You absorb complexity so customers don't have to. Whether your customer is external or internal, you focus on delivering experiences that are clear, fast, value-added, and outcome-driven. You don't say "not my job." You make things work.
• Today, Not Tomorrow: You have a bias to action. You close the loop. You take extreme ownership. You understand that speed compounds, and you don't confuse activity with results.
• Seek Truth: You think from first principles. You value data over ego and strong opinions loosely held. You're willing to challenge assumptions, including your own, in pursuit of the best answer.
• Made of Rubber: You are resolute and adaptable. When things break or priorities shift, you rebound stronger. You treat setbacks as learning moments and move forward with grit.
• One Formic: You operate without silos. You practice radical helpfulness, document clearly, and make clean handoffs. You assume positive intent and prioritize team success over individual credit.

Equal Opportunity Employment:

Formic is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or religious creed, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, marital status, family or parental status, disability, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. All employment decisions are based on a person's merit, business needs, and role requirements. If you require further accommodations or have questions regarding accessibility of our roles, please reach out to View email address on click.appcast.io.

AI Use:

At Formic, fairness and transparency are at the heart of our hiring process. We use AI-powered tools in some interviews to help our teams evaluate candidate responses, but all final hiring decisions are made by humans. You can learn more about how AI is used in our recruitment process by reviewing our AI Hiring Disclosure linked here.