Senior Executive Sourcer

Shieldai; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Shield AI is seeking a Senior Executive Sourcer to lead high-skill talent discovery across Engineering, AI, and advanced hardware programs. You will own top-of-funnel strategies, build market maps, and engage world-class candidates using diverse channels.

Ideal candidates bring 8+ years in technical sourcing, deep knowledge of sourcing tools, and experience with AI-enabled workflows. This role supports fast-paced, mission-driven hiring across multiple disciplines.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of technical sourcing in aerospace/defense or complex hardware/software.
• Market mapping, competitive intelligence, and candidate generation for specialized roles.
• Expertise with Boolean search and modern sourcing platforms.
• Experience with AI-powered sourcing workflows and tools.
• Partner with recruiters and engineering leaders to influence hiring strategy.
• Familiarity with export controls (ITAR/EAR) recruiting environments.

Responsibilities

• Own the top of funnel with data-informed sourcing strategies across multiple disciplines.
• Map the market by company, skillset, geography, and org structure.
• Generate and engage talent using LinkedIn, SeekOut, HireEZ, and niche networks.
• Build proactive pipelines with passive, cleared, and specialized engineers.
• Leverage AI to scale sourcing workflows and market intelligence.
• Create repeatable sourcing systems for the TA organization.
• Serve as sourcing SME to recruiters and hiring managers.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to optimize outbound messaging and processes.
• Track analytics and iterate sourcing strategies for better outcomes.

Skills

Market mapping

Boolean search

Sourcing platforms

AI-powered sourcing

Stakeholder mgmt

ITAR/Export controls

Tools

LinkedIn Recruiter

HireEZ

SeekOut

ClearanceJobs

GitHub

Job description

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BATaircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

We’re looking for a Senior Executive Sourcer who lives and breathes talent discovery - someone who can take a complex, highly specialized engineering need and translate it into a precision sourcing strategy. You’ll be the go-to expert for talent intelligence, market mapping, proactive candidate generation, and pipeline cultivation across our aerospace, autonomy, AI, and advanced hardware organizations.

This isn’t just a "find resumes" role - it’s about building intelligence, relationships, and repeatable systems that fuel our engineering hiring engine. As a Senior Executive Sourcer, you'll serve as a strategic partner to recruiters and hiring leaders while leveraging modern AI tools, market intelligence, and scalable sourcing practices to help us identify and hire world-class engineering talent.

Responsibilities

• Own the top of funnel: Partner closely with recruiters and hiring leaders to define target profiles and build deep, data-informed sourcing strategies across Engineering, Software, Embedded, AI/ML, Systems, Manufacturing, Operations, Product, Program Management, Corporate functions, and other critical disciplines.
• Map the market: Develop comprehensive talent landscapes by company, skillset, geography, and organizational structure; identify hidden talent pools, competitor insights, and emerging talent trends to inform recruiting strategy and workforce planning.
• Generate and engage: Use advanced Boolean search techniques, sourcing platforms, and creative sourcing channels (LinkedIn Recruiter, SeekOut, HireEZ, ClearanceJobs, GitHub, engineering communities, niche aerospace networks, conferences, referrals, and more) to identify, engage, and attract exceptional technical talent.
• Build pipelines proactively: Cultivate long-term relationships with passive, cleared, and highly specialized engineering talent to enable just-in-time hiring across strategic programs.
• Leverage AI to scale sourcing: Design, build, and continuously improve AI-powered sourcing workflows, research agents, and practical automations that increase recruiter productivity, accelerate candidate discovery, enhance market intelligence, and improve operational efficiency.
• Build repeatable sourcing systems: Use AI tools and workflow automation to create structured market maps, talent intelligence reports, outreach content, sourcing documentation, and scalable recruiting processes that can be leveraged across the Talent Acquisition organization.
• Be the sourcing SME: Serve as the subject matter expert on technical sourcing by coaching recruiters and hiring managers on market insights, sourcing strategy, talent availability, competitive intelligence, candidate engagement best practices, and emerging recruiting technologies.
• Partner for impact: Collaborate cross-functionally with Talent Acquisition Operations, Employer Brand, University Recruiting, and Engineering leaders to optimize recruiting strategies, outbound messaging, candidate experience, and operational excellence.
• Track and iterate: Use recruiting analytics, experimentation, and storytelling to measure sourcing effectiveness, optimize outreach strategies, improve conversion rates, and continuously evolve sourcing practices.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of technical sourcing experience, ideally in aerospace, defense, autonomy, or other complex hardware/software industries.
• Proven track record in market mapping, competitive intelligence, and candidate generation for highly specialized technical roles.
• Deep expertise in advanced Boolean search, LinkedIn Recruiter, HireEZ, SeekOut, ClearanceJobs, GitHub, and other modern sourcing platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to operate as a consultative partner to recruiters, hiring managers, and senior engineering leaders, influencing hiring strategy through market insights and talent intelligence.
• Hands-on experience building or leveraging AI-powered sourcing workflows, agentic AI tools, workflow automations, or practical AI solutions that improve recruiting or business processes.
• Direct experience using AI development environments or coding assistants (such as Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, Gemini, or similar tools) to create repeatable sourcing workflows, structured research outputs, market intelligence, process automation, or operational documentation.
• Experience building and maintaining long-term relationships with passive, cleared, or niche engineering talent.
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills with the ability to engage highly technical candidates and influence stakeholders.
• Strong judgment, curiosity, and a continuous improvement mindset with the ability to evaluate and adopt emerging AI technologies to improve recruiting outcomes.
• Highly organized, data-driven, and able to operate autonomously in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.
• Prior experience supporting aerospace, robotics, autonomy, AI/ML, or advanced vehicle engineering organizations.
• Experience navigating export control, ITAR, EAR, or security-cleared recruiting environments.
• Familiarity with Ashby and recruiting analytics, CRM, or talent intelligence platforms.
• Experience supporting high-growth, venture-backed technology organizations.
• Demonstrated passion for staying ahead of emerging recruiting technologies, sourcing methodologies, and AI advancements.