Senior Technical Recruiter

About the role

Space Kinetic is actively seeking a Senior Technical Recruiter to manage the complete end to end hiring lifecycle for critical spacecraft and defense programs. The selected individual will act as a strategic partner to engineering leaders, securing specialists capable of performing under strict export control and regulatory environments. This role is pivotal in enabling the company's strategic evolution from focusing on single payload designs to architecting and delivering multi-payload platform solutions. The hire will exercise significant ownership over the full recruitment lifecycle, ensuring that sourcing strategies are robust and aligned with the unique technical demands of the aerospace sector. Success in this position will directly support the scalability and operational readiness of next generation space systems. The work demands a high degree of discretion, integrity, and the ability to communicate complex requirements clearly to diverse stakeholders. Ultimately, this position will build and maintain the talent pipeline necessary to execute on ambitious mission timelines and technical objectives.

Key facts

What you'll do

Pipeline creation targets critical engineering, operations, and leadership roles across distributed teams to ensure coverage for all mission critical functions. Close collaboration with hiring managers defines role requirements and establishes candidate evaluation criteria for specialized technical work, ensuring alignment on success metrics. Structured interview processes and recruiting metrics are maintained to track progress, identify bottlenecks, and inform data driven decisions. Ambassadorship communicates the mission, culture, and technology to both active candidates and internal stakeholders to build a compelling value proposition. Sourcing initiates a proactive search utilizing LinkedIn Recruiter, referrals, networking, and direct outreach to identify passive candidates in a competitive market. Screening evaluates technical fit and cultural alignment through rigorous assessment of skills, experience, and motivation for space technology. Engagement involves nurturing relationships with candidates and closing offers in competitive environments where top talent is heavily sought after. Partnership works cross functionally with engineering, legal, and operations to ensure a smooth and compliant hiring journey from requisition to offer acceptance. Process management ensures adherence to structured interview methodologies, maintains data integrity, and supports continuous improvement of the recruitment workflow. Representation upholds the employer brand by articulating the company's vision, technical challenges, and growth opportunities to diverse audiences.

Requirements

A Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience is required to ensure foundational knowledge and professionalism in the role. At least 5 years of full cycle technical recruiting experience in relevant settings is mandatory to demonstrate proven ability in complex hiring scenarios. Hands on experience hiring engineers and other specialized technical professionals is necessary to navigate the intricacies of technical interviews and assessments. Prior recruiting within aerospace, defense, space, robotics, autonomous systems, or deep technology is required to understand the specific regulatory and technical landscape. Strong sourcing using LinkedIn Recruiter, referrals, networking, and direct outreach must be demonstrated to build a diverse and qualified candidate pool. A track record of engaging and closing candidates in competitive markets is essential to secure talent against competing opportunities. Robust communication and relationship building skills support cross functional partnership with technical and business stakeholders. Commitment to compliance and discretion is non negotiable given the sensitive nature of export controlled technologies and national security work. The ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast paced environment is critical to maintaining hiring velocity.

Nice to have

Experience scaling an early stage aerospace or defense technology startup strengthens readiness for ownership of evolving challenges. An established network within commercial or national security space accelerates sourcing efforts and builds trust with passive candidates quickly. Background recruiting spacecraft, propulsion, GNC, software, manufacturing, or systems engineering aligns with the specific technical needs of the current openings. Comfort operating autonomously in a fast paced startup environment sustains execution when direct supervision is limited and problems arise unexpectedly.

Skills & tools

General familiarity with aerospace and defense hiring ecosystems supports effective sourcing and understanding of candidate backgrounds. Understanding of ITAR and export control implications guides compliant hiring practices and ensures legal adherence. Exposure to technical interview methods for engineering roles improves selection quality and reduces time to hire.

Practical notes

citizenship, permanent residency, or qualifying refugee or asylee status is required for ITAR compliance and cannot be sponsored. Typical interview steps

People team interviews usually include a case scenario, a policy question, and behavioral rounds to assess judgment and fit. Candidates may be asked to design an interview process or handle a sensitive employee situation to test operational thinking. Confidentiality and judgment are tested throughout the interview journey to ensure trustworthiness. Structured answers with empathy land best, demonstrating both competence and emotional intelligence. Interviewers often test how you handle sensitive information and disagreement to observe professionalism under pressure. Framing answers around policy, fairness, and company values works well to align with organizational culture.

Career growth

People careers grow from coordinator to generalist, manager, and director levels, offering a clear trajectory for professional development. Recruiters can move into talent leadership roles, influencing strategy and team development across the organization. HR partners can transition into people operations leadership, managing broader scope and responsibility. Business acumen becomes more important at each level, requiring an understanding of financial, operational, and strategic drivers. People careers reward breadth across recruitment, development, and operations, creating a multifaceted professional experience. Experience with tools such as HRIS and ATS systems helps at every level, improving efficiency and accuracy in managing workflows. Mastery of these systems allows for better reporting, forecasting, and candidate relationship management.

Questions to ask

Worth asking in any interview: how the team measures success, who the role works with daily, what the onboarding looks like, and what the company is trying to achieve this year. Asking what past hires did well is a strong final question that provides insight into team dynamics and expectations. Keep the list short and pick the questions that matter most to you to make the conversation meaningful and efficient.