Associate Headhunter

The AI Boom; Remote; ZAR 655 000 - 984 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading talent acquisition firm is seeking a Talent Researcher / Associate Headhunter. This role allows for 100% remote work and offers unlimited vacation. Responsibilities include sourcing top-tier AI and product talent across the US market, managing candidates through the recruitment process, and building long-term relationships. Candidates should have 1 to 4+ years of recruitment experience, strong communication skills, and the ability to work independently. Attractive perks include performance bonuses and flexible hours.

Benefits

Unlimited paid vacation

Flight contributions

MacBooks

Trips abroad

Qualifications

• 1 to 4+ years in recruitment or talent research.
• Experience sourcing candidates in technical or AI markets.
• Detail-driven with a focus on outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Research and identify top tier AI, product, and engineering talent.
• Build long lists and shortlists for specific searches.
• Proactively source candidates through various channels.

Skills

Recruitment

Talent sourcing

Communication

Detail-oriented

Tools

LinkedIn

GitHub

Airtable

Job description

Talent Researcher / Associate Headhunter (AI & Product)

Location: Remote

Level: Junior - Mid

Type: Permanent

Company: The AI Boom (part of The Talent Boom Group)

Comp: Base + performance bonus

Why this role slaps:

100% Remote

Unlimited paid vacation (yes, actually unlimited)

Perks that aren’t boring:

• flight contributions
• giveaways
• MacBooks
• trips abroad

The vibe:

We’re not your dusty corporate recruiter shop.

We’re a global boutique headhunting firm founded in Cape Town in 2013, now operating across the US, UK, and Europe. We place top tier AI, product, design, and GTM talent into some of the most exciting startups and scale ups in the world.

Clients include Adidas, Semrush, Audible, Vimeo, high growth VC backed startups like Sequoia Captial and serious operators.

We’ve just launched The AI Boom and it’s growing fast. That means we need hunters. Not admin. Not CV shufflers. Real talent operators who can find, engage, and deliver exceptional people.

The role (aka your daily side quest):

You are the engine room of delivery. Your job is to find exceptional people and get them over the line.

• Research, identify, and map top tier AI, product, and engineering talent across the US market
• Build long lists and shortlists for highly specific, high bar searches
• Proactively source candidates via LinkedIn, GitHub, X, communities, referrals, and off market channels
• Write sharp, human outreach that actually gets replies
• Qualify candidates properly (not “looks good on paper”)
• Run first stage screens and deeply understand candidate motivation, trajectory, and red flags
• Partner with headhunters to refine search strategy, market mapping, and candidate positioning
• Manage candidates through process: scheduling, prep, feedback, and offer stages
• Keep the ATS clean, structured, and useful (not a graveyard of CVs)
• Build and nurture long term talent pipelines in AI and product
• Develop genuine relationships with high performers, not just transact placements

This is a delivery and sourcing role, not an admin role.

Who you are:

• 1 to 4+ years in recruitment, talent research, or sourcing (agency or in house)
• You know how to find people who are not actively applying
• You are comfortable in technical, product, or AI led markets (or obsessed with learning them fast)
• You are detail driven but outcome obsessed
• You can spot quality from a mile away
• You are organised, fast, and don’t need hand holding
• You communicate like a normal, intelligent human (not a recruiter bot)
• You are resilient. You don’t crumble when candidates ghost or searches get hard
• Must have worked US markets or global searches
• Bonus if you’ve used tools like Ashby, Loxo, Coda, Notion, Airtable, etc.

What this is not:

• It is not an HR role
• It is not an admin role
• It is not posting jobs and praying
• This is active headhunting and delivery.

Why you’ll love it:

• Base + performance bonus
• Unlimited PTO
• Real incentives: MacBooks, trips, experiences, not pizza parties
• Flexible hours, remote first, adult environment
• You will learn how elite search actually works
• You will work on genuinely interesting roles, not bulk hiring sludge

How to apply:

No soulless blank CV emails. Show us you’re human.

Check us out:

thetalentboom.com

theaiboom.ai