Technical Talent Acquisition Partner

<div class="content-intro"><p>ABOUT DEFCON AI</p>

<p>RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF DISRUPTION. DEFCON AI is an insights company that leverages artificial intelligence, mathematical optimization, data analytics, and software engineering for resilient optimization of complex systems.<br>In today’s dynamically changing world, DEFCON AI’s technology aligns outcomes with operational goals, better decision making, and empowers customers to anticipate assess, and mitigate the impacts of disruptions.</p></div><p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal" data-sourcepos="3:1-3:280;30-309"><strong>About the Role</strong></p>

<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal" data-sourcepos="3:1-3:280;30-309">Defcon AI is hiring a <strong>Talent Acquisition Partner</strong> to play a critical role in our next phase of growth. This is a position for a builder – someone who thrives on high-impact technical recruiting but also finds genuine satisfaction in owning and scaling People Operations processes.</p>

<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal" data-sourcepos="5:1-5:503;311-813">Reporting directly to the Head of HR, this role is primarily focused on technical recruiting (80%+), spanning both technical hiring (Senior Software Engineers, DevSecOps Engineers, AI/ML Engineers, Data Engineers, and other specialized engineering roles) and non-technical hiring across the business. This is a true right-hand role: you will take full ownership of talent acquisition/recruiting and the onboarding program, freeing the Head of HR to focus on broader People strategy as Defcon AI scales.</p>

<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal" data-sourcepos="7:1-7:316;815-1130"><strong>A critical part of this role is deep fluency in Department of Defense (DoD) and government contracting talent acquisition</strong> – understanding the unique scope, timelines, and candidate pool involved in hiring technical talent for DoD contracts, including candidates who hold or are eligible for security clearances.</p>

<p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">What You’ll Do</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>

<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal" data-sourcepos="11:1-11:49;1151-1199"><strong>Technical & Non-Technical Talent Acquisition</strong></p>

<ul class="[li_&]:mb-0 [li_&]:mt-1 [li_&]:gap-1 [&:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3 print:block print:space-y-1" data-sourcepos="13:1-17:160;1201-2256">

<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" data-sourcepos="13:1-13:254;1201-1454"><strong>Full-Cycle Ownership:</strong> Lead and execute the end-to-end hiring process for specialized technical roles including Senior Software Engineers, DevSecOps Engineers, AI/ML Engineers, and Data Engineers, as well as non-technical roles across the business.</li>

<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" data-sourcepos="14:1-14:270;1455-1724"><strong>DoD & Cleared Talent Strategy:</strong> Bring established fluency in recruiting for Department of Defense programs and government contracts – including security clearance requirements, timelines, and the specific talent landscape of the defense and intelligence community.</li>

<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" data-sourcepos="15:1-15:177;1725-1901"><strong>Hiring Manager Partnership:</strong> Collaborate closely with hiring managers and the Head of HR to scope roles, align on candidate profiles, and drive efficient hiring decisions.</li>

<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" data-sourcepos="16:1-16:195;1902-2096"><strong>Strategic Sourcing:</strong> Proactively build a pipeline of elite passive talent within the AI and Defense sectors, with a focused lens on candidates holding (or eligible for) security clearances.</li>

<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" data-sourcepos="17:1-17:160;2097-2256"><strong>Elevate Candidate Experience:</strong> Continuously refine the interview process and feedback mechanisms to ensure a top-notch experience that reflects our brand.</li>

</ul>

<p class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal" data-sourcepos="19:1-19:35;2258-2292"><strong>People Operations & Onboarding</strong></p>

<ul class="[li_&]:mb-0 [li_&]:mt-1 [li_&]:gap-1 [&:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3 print:block print:space-y-1" data-sourcepos="21:1-23:153;2294-2844">

<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" data-sourcepos="21:1-21:237;2294-2530"><strong>Full Ownership of Onboarding:</strong> Take the lead in evolving our onboarding program from a manual process into a scalable, "day-one ready" experience that integrates new hires quickly – with full ownership of the program going forward.</li>

<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" data-sourcepos="22:1-22:161;2531-2691"><strong>Process Optimization:</strong> Identify and resolve friction points across the employee lifecycle – from offboarding workflows to documentation and data integrity.</li>

<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" data-sourcepos="23:1-23:153;2692-2844"><strong>People Ops Partnership:</strong> Serve as a true thought partner to the Head of HR on People program design and process improvement as the function scales.</li>

</ul>

<p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">What we're looking for:</span></strong></p>

<ul>

<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" data-sourcepos="27:1-27:150;2873-3022"><strong>5+ years of technical recruiting experience</strong>, ideally within a high-growth startup, government contractor, or fast-paced technology environment.</li>

<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" data-sourcepos="28:1-28:260;3023-3282"><strong>Demonstrated experience recruiting technical talent for Department of Defense programs or government contracts</strong>, including direct familiarity with security clearance processes (Secret, Top Secret, TS/SCI) – this is a core requirement, not a nice-to-have.</li>

<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" data-sourcepos="29:1-29:104;3283-3386">Proven ability to manage the entire talent funnel, from initial intake to complex offer negotiations.</li>

<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" data-sourcepos="30:1-30:77;3387-3463">A strong interest in People Operations; you don't just want to fill seats.</li>

<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" data-sourcepos="31:1-31:195;3464-3658">Demonstrated maturity and executive presence – comfortable operating as a strategic partner to senior leadership and engineering stakeholders, and confident navigating ambiguity independently.</li>

<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" data-sourcepos="32:1-32:52;3659-3710">Highly organized with strong attention to detail.</li>

<li class="font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2" data-sourcepos="33:1-33:92;3711-3802">You are comfortable with ambiguity and are excited to build processes from the ground up.</li>

</ul>

<p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Nice to Have: </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></strong></p>

<ul>

<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="4" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Experience designing or improving onboarding and employee lifecycle programs</span></li>

<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="4" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Experience working with Greenhouse (ATS and Onboarding)</li>

</ul>

<p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Why this role: </span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>

<ul>

<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="5" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Outsized Impact:</span></strong><span data-contrast="auto"> You are a critical component of our team’s growth, enabling leadership to make informed hiring decisions.</span></li>

<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="5" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><strong><span data-contrast="auto">True Ownership:</span></strong><span data-contrast="auto"> Meaningful ownership over recruiting execution and a seat at the table for People Ops improvement and program design.</span></li>

<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="5" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><strong><span data-contrast="auto">The Mission:</span></strong><span data-contrast="auto"> We are building meaningful AI technology that addresses some of the most complex challenges in national security.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li>

</ul>

<p><strong>What We Offer: </strong></p>

<ul>

<li>A fully remote environment</li>

<li>Competitive salary, bonus, and equity package</li>

<li>100% employer paid, comprehensive health insurance including medical, dental, and vision for you and your family</li>

<li>Unlimited PTO, with your manager’s approval</li>

<li>Flexible work environment where you manage your work day</li>

<li>14 weeks of fully-paid parental leave</li>

</ul>

<p><strong>Salary Range:</strong> $100,000-$125,000. This represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience, skills, and other factors.</p>

<p> </p>

<p> </p><div class="content-conclusion"><div>We’re an Equal Opportunity Employer: You’ll receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or on the basis of disability. </div>

<hr>

<div><strong><em>Applicant Data Disclosure</em>   </strong></div>

<div><em>By submitting an application, you acknowledge that Defcon AI uses third-party service providers to facilitate its recruitment and hiring processes. These providers include applicant tracking systems, candidate verification platforms, and fraud detection tools (collectively, "Hiring Platforms"). Your application materials, including your résumé, cover letter, work samples, responses to application questions, and any other information you submit, may be transmitted to and processed by these Hiring Platforms for the following purposes:</em>  </div>

<ul>

<li><em>Managing and administering your application throughout the hiring process;</em> </li>

<li><em>Verifying the accuracy and authenticity of application materials, including by cross-referencing information you provide against publicly available sources and proprietary databases;</em> </li>

<li><em>Identifying indicators of potentially fraudulent, fabricated, or materially misleading application content, including but not limited to discrepancies between submitted materials and publicly available professional profiles, geographic anomalies, and fabricated work histories.</em> </li>

</ul>

<div class="elementToProof"><em>Applications that are flagged through this process as containing indicators of fraud or material misrepresentation may be declined from further consideration. If you have questions about the status of your application or the evaluation process, please contact<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:"></a>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></em> </div>