Recruiting Team Lead, Engineering

Hermeus is a high-speed aircraft manufacturer focused on the rapid design, build, and test of high-Mach and hypersonic aircraft for the national interest. Working directly with the Department of Defense, Hermeus delivers capabilities that will ensure that our nation, and our allies, maintain an asymmetric advantage over any and all potential adversaries.

The Recruiting Team Lead will play a critical role in scaling Hermeus’ most important technical teams. This is a high-impact, full-time leadership role responsible for delivering against aggressive hiring goals while building and leading a high-performing recruiting function.

This role operates as a strategic partner to Engineering leadership and functions as a player/coach, personally owning critical searches while developing the recruiting team and driving consistent execution.

Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Ownership Lead, develop, and mentor a team of engineering recruiters Drive accountability, performance, and consistency across all searches Partner with Recruiting Leadership on headcount planning, prioritization, and resource allocation Act as the escalation point for complex, high-stakes, or at-risk searches Operate as a recruiting leader across the entire organization, not just Engineering, driving a one-team mindset, partnering across all functions, and prioritizing overall company hiring success over individual pod performance Full Lifecycle Recruiting (Player/Coach) Personally own and execute high-priority and complex engineering searches Lead kickoff meetings with Hiring Managers to align on role requirements and hiring strategy Drive structured, efficient interview processes that balance speed and quality Maintain ownership through offer stage and close to ensure successful outcomes Strategic Talent Partnering Serve as a trusted advisor to Engineering leadership using data and market insights Influence hiring decisions by calibrating talent and setting clear expectations Build long-term hiring strategies aligned to technical roadmap and business needs Sourcing & Pipeline Development Develop and execute proactive sourcing strategies across engineering disciplines Engage highly passive candidates using creative and differentiated outreach Leverage referrals, events, partnerships, and non-traditional channels to build durable pipelines Candidate Experience & Process Excellence Ensure a high-quality, consistent candidate experience from initial outreach through close Drive strong communication, preparation, and process discipline across all stages Maintain accurate and reliable data within the ATS to support reporting and decision-making

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience 8+ years of experience recruiting for highly technical roles 2+ years of leadership, mentorship, or team ownership experience Prior experience recruiting within aerospace, defense, or complex hardware environments

Preferred Qualifications

Experience operating in a startup or high-growth environment Advanced sourcing capability beyond LinkedIn (events, niche platforms, referrals, etc.) Experience with Lever or similar ATS platforms

What Success Looks Like Engineering roles are filled with high-quality candidates at speed Hiring managers view recruiting as a strategic partner The recruiting team operates with consistency, urgency, and high standards Pipelines are proactive, predictable, and aligned to future hiring needs