Your impact

Handshake is building the future of human data for AI.

We partner directly with top AI labs to power large language model (LLM) training and evaluation with high-quality, expert-generated data. As AI models become more sophisticated, the demand for specialized human input continues to grow—and Handshake is uniquely positioned to meet it. We power career platforms at 92% of the top U.S. universities, giving us direct access to verified expert talent across a wide range of domains.

Our AI team is rapidly building a new generation of human data products—from expert annotation platforms to AI interviewers and seamless payout infrastructure—all designed to accelerate research and improve model performance.

We’ve assembled a world-class team from YC, Notion, Scale, Coinbase, Palantir, and more, and we’re working directly with many of the world’s leading AI research labs. This is a unique opportunity to join a fast-growing team shaping the future of AI through better data, better tools, and better systems—for experts, by experts.

Handshake is hiring a Senior Business Recruiter to lead hiring efforts for strategic business and operational roles. Reporting to the Sr. Director of Talent Acquisition, you’ll partner closely with senior management to shape and scale critical functions that power Handshake AI’s next phase of growth.

This role requires a background in hiring strategy and business operations professionals, as well as the ability to translate evolving company needs into effective hiring strategies. You’ll be a trusted advisor to stakeholders across the business and a key contributor to building high-performing, mission-aligned teams.

This role requires five days in-office at our San Francisco location located right off the Montgomery BART exit.

Your Role

• Strategic Talent Partner: Partner with executives and hiring managers to understand org design needs, influence headcount planning, and advise on the best hiring strategies for operations and G&A roles.
• Full-Cycle Ownership: Lead the end-to-end recruitment process—from sourcing and screening through interviews, offer negotiation, and close.
• Pipeline Development: Build candidate pools for hard-to-fill key roles. Search for possible hires in different locations. Connect with those not currently job hunting and keep in touch with them regularly.
• Market Intelligence: Provide insights on talent trends, compensation benchmarks, and competitive dynamics to inform hiring decisions and set expectations.
• Operational Excellence: Drive continuous improvement in recruiting processes, leveraging data to optimize performance and deliver against key metrics.
• Extraordinary Candidate Experience: Ensure every candidate has a high-quality, values-aligned experience that reflects our brand and culture.

Your Experience

• Recruiting Expertise: 5+ years of full-cycle recruiting experience, with a solid track record hiring for strategic business and operations functions (e.g., BizOps, Corporate Strategy, Finance, Legal, Marketing).
• Strategic Acumen: Deep knowledge of business operations and organizational strategy; able to contextualize roles within the broader business and influence how they’re scoped.
• Executive Partnership: Skilled at building trust and credibility with senior leaders; capable of pushing back thoughtfully and guiding decisions with data and insights.
• Sourcing Mastery: Experience sourcing for niche and high-impact roles using tools like LinkedIn Recruiter, Boolean search, CRM, and industry networks.
• Process-Oriented: Comfortable working in structured recruiting environments and optimizing processes in an ATS (e.g., Ashby, Greenhouse).
• Analytical Approach: Data-driven mindset with the ability to track, report, and iterate on recruiting performance and hiring funnel metrics.
• Great Communicator: Robust written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling outreach and articulate value propositions.

Compensation Range:

$140K - $165K