Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist

Ripple Effect; Rockville (MD); Hybrid; USD 86,000 - 99,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consulting firm in Rockville, MD, seeks a Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist to oversee the recruitment process for key roles in science and healthcare. Ideal candidates will have 6+ years of experience, proficiency with applicant tracking systems, and a commitment to connecting talent with meaningful work. This full-time position offers competitive compensation.

Benefits

Competitive pay

Exceptional benefits

Work/life balance programs

Qualifications

• 6+ years of relevant experience in recruitment.
• At least 3 years of experience with ATS management.
• Experience in Government Contracting Industry recruitment.

Responsibilities

• Manage the full recruiting lifecycle.
• Build talent pipelines through various sourcing channels.
• Advise hiring managers on candidate profiles and strategies.

Skills

Sourcing passive candidates

Behavior-based interviewing

Compliance with government regulations

Attention to detail

Clear communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

LinkedIn Recruiter

Workable ATS

Job description

General Information

• Job Code: PRO-RC-04T
• Location: Ripple Effect Headquarters – Rockville, MD
• Employee Type: Exempt, Full-Time Regular
• Telework: Partial – in office at HQ 1-2 days/week
• Salary Range: $86,045 to $98,952 (how we pay and promote)

Position Overview

As a Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist on our Human Resources (HR) team, you will play a pivotal role in shaping our success. Your work will directly impact Ripple Effect’s ability to deliver on critical client missions by owning the end‑to‑end talent acquisition process for key roles in our science, healthcare, project management, and technology practices. You will spearhead sourcing for top talent, both for our internal teams and in direct support of our clients.

Are you passionate about connecting great people with meaningful work?

Primary Responsibilities

While not an exhaustive list, the key duties for the position include:

• Serve as primary point of contact for the sourcing and engagement of applicants from a variety of channels (social media networks, professional organizations, specialty job boards, etc.) to build pipelines based on experience and networks.
• Partner strategically with hiring managers to understand position requirements and ideal candidate profiles for a variety of technical and non‑technical roles, advising of strategies that maximize talent pools.
• Provide expert oversight and support for the full recruiting life cycle including corresponding with candidates, screening for qualifications, conducting phone screens, scheduling interviews, and providing thoughtful candidate evaluations.
• Ensure compliance with government regulations and security clearance requirements in the talent acquisition process.
• Observe trends in the labor market and advise hiring managers on how to access the best talent.
• Actively promote Ripple Effect externally through professional networks (including in‑person events), professional social media channels, and identification of new talent acquisition outreach activities, especially in science and healthcare markets.

Minimum Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree
• 6+ years’ relevant experience (additional education substitutes for experience)
• At least 3 years experience with applicant tracking systems (ATS) and full recruiting lifecycle management
• At least 2 years experience sourcing passive candidates
• At least 2 years experience with recruiting in Government Contracting Industry, including extensive recruitment networks

Basic Requirements

• Experience with applicant vetting, especially science and healthcare markets, in areas including behavior‑based interviewing, administering skills assessments, and competency‑based hiring.
• Experience with employment law and regulations in areas including EEO, ADA, and FLSA.
• Intermediate experience with candidate sourcing platforms such as LinkedIn Recruiter, Indeed, Glassdoor, and Handshake.
• Intermediate experience with Microsoft Office productivity software and collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams and SharePoint.
• Demonstration of competencies essential for the role, including attention to detail, clear communication, independent work, and a drive to learn, along with strong skills with Microsoft tools for collaboration and productivity.

Skills That Set You Apart

• Certification in recruiting, talent acquisition or HR such as CIR, CDR, SHRM‑CP, or TAS.
• Experience with candidate sourcing in areas including leveraging social media for marketing and outreach.
• Experience with compensation programs in areas including job benchmarking, pay structures, compensation guidelines, and compensation ratios.
• Intermediate experience with AI tools, including their limitations and risks, and how they can be legally applied to support recruiting tasks.
• Strong understanding of and proficiency in the Workable Applicant Tracking System (ATS).

About Ripple Effect

Ripple Effect is an award‑winning women‑owned, 200‑person company of communicators, scientists, researchers, and analysts. Established in 2003, and named as one of the “Best and Brightest Companies to Work For” since 2020, Ripple Effect has earned acclaim for delivering unparalleled consulting services and top‑tier talent across federal, private, and non‑profit sectors.

At Ripple Effect, we reward our employees for their contributions to our mission. Our comprehensive total rewards package includes competitive pay, exceptional benefits, and a range of programs that support your work/life balance and personalized preferences.

Learn more about our benefits and culture.