Senior Technical Sourcer (Contract)

Handshake; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Handshake is looking for a Senior Technical Sourcer to join their Technical Recruiting team in San Francisco. This role requires 4-6+ years of experience in technical sourcing, focusing on hiring across multiple disciplines including Software Engineering and Machine Learning.

The successful candidate will own sourcing efforts for priority roles, partner with recruiters and hiring managers, and develop strategies to engage top talent through personalized outreach. This is a full-time contract position with potential for extension based on performance.

Qualifications

• 4-6+ years of technical sourcing experience in high-growth tech companies.
• Proven ability to engage and build relationships with technical talent.
• Experience sourcing across multiple technical disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Own sourcing for priority searches in software engineering, machine learning, and other technical roles.
• Collaborate with recruiters and hiring managers to understand needs.
• Build and engage high-quality passive candidate pipelines.

Skills

Technical sourcing experience

Strong written/verbal communication

Advanced sourcing techniques

Metrics-minded

Tools

ATS platforms (Ashby a plus)

LinkedIn Recruiter

GitHub

Job description

About the Role

We're seeking a Senior Technical Sourcer (Contract) to join our Technical Recruiting team, partnering closely with recruiters, hiring managers, and leadership to build strong technical talent pipelines across the organization.

This is a high-impact, high-velocity role focused on sourcing exceptional talent across Software Engineering, Machine Learning, AI Research, Product Management, Product Design, Infrastructure, and other technical functions as hiring priorities evolve. You'll own sourcing for priority searches, using market research, talent mapping, and creative sourcing strategies to identify and engage hard-to-reach candidates.

Based in our San Francisco office, you'll take ownership of your sourcing pipeline while partnering closely with the Technical Recruiting team to help scale one of the fastest-growing AI businesses.

Your Role

• Own sourcing across technical hiring, including Software Engineering, Machine Learning, AI Research, Product Management, Product Design, Infrastructure, and other technical functions as business needs evolve
• Partner closely with recruiters and hiring managers to understand hiring needs, calibrate candidate profiles, and develop effective sourcing strategies
• Build and engage high-quality passive candidate pipelines through personalized outreach, Boolean search, talent mapping, referrals, and research across LinkedIn, GitHub, research publications, conferences, and technical communities
• Craft thoughtful outreach that effectively communicates Handshake's mission and AI vision while creating a great candidate experience
• Provide market insights on talent availability, competitive landscape, and sourcing effectiveness to help inform hiring decisions
• Track sourcing activity and pipeline health, maintaining accurate data in Ashby and using metrics to improve results
• Identify opportunities to improve sourcing strategies, tools, and workflows as we continue to scale

Desired Capabilities

Experience: 4–6+ years of technical sourcing experience, with a strong track record supporting Engineering, Machine Learning, AI Research, Product Management, Product Design, or Infrastructure hiring in high-growth technology companies

Technical Sourcing Expertise: Proven ability to identify, engage, and build relationships with highly sought-after technical talent using advanced sourcing techniques and research

Technical Market Knowledge: Experience sourcing across multiple technical disciplines, including software engineering, machine learning, AI research, product management, product design, or infrastructure

Research Mindset: Naturally curious with the ability to identify niche talent pools and uncover hard-to-find candidates

Drive & Urgency: You thrive in fast-moving environments with shifting priorities and ambitious hiring goals

Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build trust and engage technical candidates through thoughtful, personalized outreach

Metrics-Minded: You use sourcing metrics and pipeline data to continuously improve outreach effectiveness and hiring outcomes

Tools: Proficiency with ATS platforms (Ashby a plus), LinkedIn Recruiter, GitHub, and modern sourcing tools, with the ability to quickly learn new systems

Contract Details

• Type: Contract role
• Duration: Initial 3-month term with strong potential for extension based on business needs and performance
• Location: San Francisco (5 days)
• Scope: Full-time focus on technical sourcing for priority roles