Recruiter Lead (Full Time)

X is Alphabet’s moonshot factory with a mission of inventing and launching “moonshot” technologies that could someday make the world a radically better place. We are a diverse group of inventors and entrepreneurs who build and launch technologies that aim to improve the lives of millions, even billions, of people. We approach projects that have the aspiration and riskiness of research with the speed and ambition of a startup. As an innovation engine, X focuses on repeatedly turning breakthrough-technology ideas into the foundations for large, sustainable businesses.

As the X People Operations team (POps), it’s our mission to Attract, Accelerate, and Launch these moonshots into the real world. The X POps team not only executes programs and operations that accelerate the business, but we also are trusted thought partners to help make business-critical decisions.

We are looking for a Co-Lead to partner with our leadership to define and execute the future of our talent strategy. You will co-own the organization’s recruiting roadmap, directly managing a small team of recruiters while serving as a strategic talent architect. You will translate X’s ambitious moonshot goals into actionable talent acquisition systems, ensuring our hiring engine is as innovative as our technology. This role requires a balance of high-level strategic planning, hands‑on team leadership, and tactical execution in hyper-competitive markets.

Strategic Talent Architecture : Own the end-to-end talent strategy, partnering with executives to forecast needs, map niche talent ecosystems, and define long-term hiring roadmaps for zero-to-one prototyping.

Team Leadership & Vision : Co-lead the POps recruiting function, providing vision, mentorship, and clear direction to a team of recruiters. Foster a high-performance culture by removing barriers and empowering the team to tackle “impossible” problems.

Architect and optimize the recruiting infrastructure. Drive efficiency in systems, analytics, and data-driven decision-making to scale in both structured and unstructured environments.

Direct and participate in the sourcing and closing of critical technical and non-technical talent, navigating complex negotiations and high-stakes pipelines.

10x Talent Acquisition : Architect and execute recruitment strategies to secure world-class talent in hyper-competitive markets, aligning every hire with our most audacious moonshot goals.

Radical Sourcing & Outreach : Design unconventional outreach strategies to engage mission-driven, passive talent who are capable of solving the world’s “impossible” problems.

Strategic Partnership with X Founders : Act as a talent thought partner to X’s leadership team to define specialized roles and build pipelines for projects that don’t yet have a blueprint.

Manage the end-to-end candidate journey with high-touch precision—from initial signal detection to rigorous skill evaluation and final offer.

10+ years of recruiting or talent operations experience , with a proven track record of leading and scaling teams of high-performing individuals.

Deep history of sourcing and closing specialized talent in AI/ML, Software Engineering, and non-technical domains.

Advanced proficiency in Greenhouse ATS management , including custom data reporting and funnel analytics.

Experience as an autonomous problem-solver who identifies operational gaps and implements creative systems to bridge them.

Experience working with recruitment agencies and vendor partners.

Understanding of the AI Lifecycle from model training to enterprise deployment and the specific talent bottlenecks involved.

Experience partnering with cross-functional talent teams to standardize technical assessment rubrics and share specialized AI market intelligence.

Proven ability to dive deep into complex technical fields and build the fluency required to vet specialized talent effectively.

The US base salary range for this full-time position is $165,000 - $238,000 plus bonus, equity, and benefits. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. At X, we don’t just accept difference – we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our products and our community. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.

#