About Handshake

Handshake is the career network for the AI economy. 20 million knowledge workers, 1,600 educational institutions, 1 million employers (including 100% of the Fortune 50), and every foundational AI lab trust Handshake to power career discovery, hiring, and upskilling, from freelance AI training gigs to first internships to full-time careers and beyond. This unique value is leading to unparalleled growth; in 2025, we tripled our ARR at scale.

Why join Handshake now:

• Shape how every career evolves in the AI economy, at global scale, with impact your friends, family and peers can see and feel

• Work hand-in-hand with world-class AI labs, Fortune 500 partners and the world’s top educational institutions

• Join a team with leadership from Scale AI, Meta, xAI, Notion, Coinbase, and Palantir, among others

• Build a massive, fast-growing business with billions in revenue

About the Role

We're seeking a driven Contract Technical Sourcer to join our Handshake AI team, partnering closely with recruiting and engineering leadership to own top-of-funnel hiring for critical technical roles.

This is a high-impact, high-velocity role focused on sourcing and engaging candidates across Software Engineering, Machine Learning, and AI Research.

Based in our San Francisco office, you’ll identify and engage top technical talent, taking full ownership of your pipeline in a fast-paced, goal-oriented environment.

Your Role

Own top-of-funnel sourcing for technical roles across SWE, ML, and AI Research, partnering closely on role requirements, intake, and pipeline priorities

Source and engage passive technical talent through creative outreach, Boolean search, research, and talent mapping across platforms like LinkedIn, GitHub, and research communities

Provide market insights and strategic guidance, advising on talent availability, competitive landscape, and sourcing effectiveness

Collaborate closely with recruiters and hiring managers to refine candidate profiles and iterate on search strategies

Craft thoughtful, tailored outreach that effectively communicates Handshake’s mission and AI vision

Track and report sourcing activity and pipeline health, ensuring data integrity in Ashby and other tools, and using insights to improve outcomes

Desired Capabilities

Experience:

~3–5+ years of technical sourcing experience, ideally focused on Engineering, ML, or AI Research roles in fast-paced or high-growth environments

Sourcing Expertise:

Proven ability to find and engage niche, high-demand technical talent using advanced search techniques and research

Technical / Industry Knowledge:

Experience sourcing candidates across software engineering, machine learning, or AI research domains

Drive & Urgency:

You thrive in fast-moving environments with shifting priorities and aggressive hiring goals

Communication:

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage and build trust with technical candidates and stakeholders

Metrics-Minded:

You track your pipeline and outreach performance closely and use data to improve results

Tools:

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

Extra Credit

Experience sourcing for AI/ML research roles or candidates from top labs and universities

Familiarity with open-source communities, technical publications, or platforms like GitHub, Kaggle, or ar Xiv

Prior agency or contract sourcing experience in competitive technical markets

Comfort with ambiguity and a willingness to help shape sourcing strategy in a fast-moving environment

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