Strategic Talent Leader — Hardware & Silicon

Astera Labs; San Jose, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 167,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

Astera Labs in San Jose is seeking a Principal Technical Recruiter to own full-cycle recruiting for hardware and semiconductor roles, partnering with engineering leaders to build critical teams for AI infrastructure.

You will lead strategy, sourcing, and process improvements with data-driven decisions, ensure a premier candidate experience, and champion inclusive hiring as the company scales.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 10+ years of full-cycle recruiting experience, with a strong track record of closing technical roles.
• Direct recruiting experience within hardware or silicon industries.
• Proven ability to source and close passive candidates in a competitive market.
• Strong partnership and consultative skills with senior leaders.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end recruiting for hardware, silicon, and semiconductor roles across engineering functions.
• Source, engage, and close hard-to-find passive candidates in a highly competitive talent market.
• Manage the candidate pipeline with rigor, ensuring speed, quality, and an exceptional candidate experience at every stage.
• Partner with hiring managers and engineering leaders to define role requirements, calibrate talent, and build tailored search strategies.
• Serve as a trusted talent advisor, bringing market insights on semiconductor and hardware hiring trends, compensation, and competitive intelligence.
• Influence hiring decisions with data, structured interviewing best practices, and a consultative approach.
• Develop proactive sourcing strategies to build talent pipelines for critical silicon roles.
• Lead workforce and hiring planning in partnership with leadership to align recruiting with business goals.
• Drive process improvement, leveraging tools and analytics to increase efficiency and outcomes.
• Author and maintain clear documentation, playbooks, interview guides, and process standards.
• Champion inclusive hiring practices to attract diverse, high-caliber technical talent.

Skills

Full-cycle recruiting

Hardware recruiting

Stakeholder management

Passive candidate sourcing

Strategic advisory

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

ATS software

Job description

Astera Labs in San Jose is seeking a Principal Technical Recruiter to own full-cycle recruiting for hardware and semiconductor roles, partnering with engineering leaders to build critical teams for AI infrastructure.

You will lead strategy, sourcing, and process improvements with data-driven decisions, ensure a premier candidate experience, and champion inclusive hiring as the company scales.