Recruiter, Mission & Business Operations

Accountabilities:: Own full-cycle recruiting across Mission, defense business development, business operations, finance and accounting, real estate, and marketing. Recruit specialized defense talent across business development, capture, program management, and mission roles. Identify and engage candidates from defense primes, defense technology companies, government organizations, military and operational communities, and other relevant talent pools. Lead senior and first-of-function searches with an executive-search approach, including market mapping, early calibration, candidate engagement, negotiation, and closing. Partner closely with hiring managers to define roles, establish realistic expectations, and identify the capabilities required for success. Act as a trusted talent advisor by providing candid market insights and challenging hiring assumptions when necessary. Build long-term relationships with prospective leaders and maintain warm talent pipelines for future searches. Develop compelling narratives that engage exceptional candidates, including professionals who may not have previously considered careers in defense. Maintain a high-touch, personalized candidate experience throughout the recruiting process. Continuously improve recruiting practices, balancing strong fundamentals with new approaches to sourcing, assessment, and engagement. Requirements: 5+ years of full-cycle recruiting experience, including senior or executive-level searches. Experience recruiting within or around defense, government, or national security environments. Strong understanding of defense business development, capture, and program management functions and the distinctions between them. Demonstrated ability to close senior-level candidates who have competing opportunities. Strong executive search, market-mapping, sourcing, candidate engagement, negotiation, and closing skills. Ability to build trusted relationships with hiring managers and provide direct, thoughtful advice, including when market conditions or role expectations require adjustment. Comfortable managing a broad range of searches across functions, from finance and accounting leadership to marketing, real estate, defense business development, and mission roles. Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage credibly with executives, technical professionals, operators, and specialized defense talent. Strategic, proactive approach to recruiting, with an emphasis on long-term talent relationships rather than purely short-term hiring needs. Executive search or agency experience combined with in-house startup experience is a plus. Established network within defense business development, capture, military, or related communities is preferred. Experience hiring finance, real estate, or marketing leaders at a scaling organization is a plus. Military service or experience recruiting veterans and transitioning service members is beneficial. Must meet applicable U.S. export-control requirements, including U.S. citizenship, lawful permanent residency, protected-individual status, or eligibility to obtain required U.S. Department of State authorizations. Benefits: $130,000–$180,000 competitive base salary, commensurate with experience. Meaningful equity opportunity. Medical, dental, and vision benefits. 401(k). Paid time off and paid sick leave. Paid parental leave. Monthly wellness stipend. Daily catered lunch for office-based work. Opportunity to make a direct impact on a critical national security mission. Collaboration with an experienced team of engineers and operators working on complex aerospace and defense challenges. High-growth environment with the opportunity to shape recruiting practices and build critical teams.