Head of Talent

Head of Talent At Wafer, we are building AI systems that automatically optimize inference workloads across silicon. The quality of our team determines how fast we can build. We're looking for a Head of Talent to find and close exceptional people, and build the recruiting function that lets Wafer scale without lowering the bar. You'll work directly with the founders, Chief of Staff and hiring managers, and personally own our most important searches. What you'll do Find and recruit exceptional engineers and operators through direct sourcing, referrals and relationships. Own searches from the first conversation through an accepted offer. You know the candidates, what matters to them and what it will take to close them. Work with hiring managers to define what great looks like, design useful interviews and make decisions quickly. Help candidates understand Wafer's technical work, ambition and the impact they can have here. Keep the recruiting process fast and organized: clear ownership, timely feedback, reliable scheduling and accurate data in Ashby. Manage recruiting partners, understand which channels produce strong hires and spend accordingly. Build the talent team and recruiting systems as the company grows. What we look for You have several years of experience in talent or recruiting, preferably at a high-growth startup. You've seen what breaks as hiring accelerates and have built the systems to keep up. You have personally sourced and closed exceptional technical hires. You can explain how you found them, earned their trust and helped them make the decision. You understand technical hiring. Experience recruiting for infrastructure, systems, AI or similarly demanding engineering roles is especially valuable. You have strong judgment and high standards. You can help a hiring manager distinguish a great candidate from someone who interviews well. You build trust with candidates and move quickly without losing the details. You are willing to do the sourcing, follow-ups and coordination yourself. You work without a spec. You can turn an ambitious hiring goal into a clear plan and execute it. How we evaluate We score every candidate on seven values: Infinitely Resourceful Exceptionalism Unreasonable Standards Company Over Self High EQ Learns Quickly First Principles Thinker Benefits Fully covered medical, dental, and vision insurance. Daily lunch and dinner, unlimited PTO, and parental leave. $1K/month housing stipend (post-tax) if you live within walking distance (0.5 miles) from the office. Relocation allowance and benefits. Covered Uber/Waymo from/to office. Visa sponsorship available. How we work On-site in San Francisco, five days a week. Small team with massive surface area and ownership. You operate with complete autonomy of how to solve problems. You will build the talent function while doing the work yourself. Your success is measured by the exceptional people who join Wafer and what they help us build. Offers Equity Fully covered medical, dental and vision. Daily lunch and dinner. Unlimited PTO and parental leave. $1K/month housing stipend if you live within half a mile of the office. Visa sponsorship available. #J-18808-Ljbffr