Staff Technical Recruiter - AI/ML

Kodiak Robotics, Inc. was founded in 2018 and has become a leader in autonomous ground transportation committed to a safer and more efficient future for all. The company has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) powered technology stack purpose-built for commercial trucking and the public sector. The company delivers freight daily for its customers across the southern United States using its autonomous technology. In 2024, Kodiak became the first known company to publicly announce delivering a driverless semi-truck to a customer. Kodiak is also leveraging its commercial self-driving software to develop, test and deploy autonomous capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defense. We’re looking for a Staff Technical Recruiter to lead hiring for our AI/ML and Perception software teams. This is a high-impact role focused on attracting and closing senior to leadership-level engineering talent in a competitive market. You’ll partner deeply with technical leaders, shape hiring strategy, and build the pipelines that power our next phase of growth. This role is ideal for a recruiter who combines strong technical credibility, ownership mindset, and operational rigor — someone who can influence hiring decisions while also executing at a high level. What you’ll do: Own full-cycle recruiting for AI/ML and Perception software roles, from intake through close. Build and engage senior and leadership-level candidate pipelines, with a strong focus on passive talent. Partner closely with hiring managers and engineering leaders to define hiring strategy, role calibration, and talent profiles. Deliver a high-quality, responsive candidate experience that reflects Kodiak’s values and technical bar. Develop a strong understanding of Kodiak’s autonomy technology and articulate our mission, roadmap, and technical challenges to candidates. Maintain accurate recruiting data and pipeline hygiene in Lever to support hiring visibility and decision-making. Identify and drive process improvements that increase hiring efficiency, quality of signal, and close rates. Contribute to broader recruiting initiatives including market mapping, employer branding, and interview process design. What you’ll bring: 10+ years of full-cycle technical recruiting experience with at least 5 years in AI, robotics, autonomy, or related advanced engineering environments. Strong network and demonstrated understanding of the robotics, AI/ML, and autonomy talent market, particularly in highly competitive hubs such as the San Francisco Bay Area. Track record of hiring senior, staff, principal, and engineering management talent within AI/ML, perception, or distributed systems teams. Strong ability to source, engage, and close passive candidates using diverse recruiting channels and targeted outreach strategies. Comfort operating in startup to mid-size company environments with shifting priorities and evolving hiring plans. Demonstrated ability to build technical credibility with engineering stakeholders and influence hiring decisions. Experience using Greenhouse or similar ATS platforms to manage pipelines and reporting. Excellent communication skills, strong ownership mindset, and a high sense of urgency in competitive talent markets. What we offer: Competitive compensation package including equity and annual bonuses Excellent Medical, Dental, and Vision plans through Kaiser Permanente, Cigna, and MetLife (including a medical plan with infertility benefits) MetLife Legal Services, Identity & Fraud Protection, Hospital Indemnity Insurance, Accident Insurance, & Critical Illness Insurance Flexible PTO, 10 paid holidays, and generous parental leave policies Our office is centrally located in Mountain View, CA Office perks: dog-friendly, free catered lunch, a fully stocked kitchen, and free EV charging Long Term Disability, Short Term Disability, Life Insurance Wellbeing Benefits - Headspace through Cigna, Calm through Kaiser, One Medical, Gympass, Spring Health through Cigna, Rula (mental health navigation) Fidelity 401(k) Commuter, FSA, Dependent Care FSA, HSA Various incentive programs (referral bonuses, patent bonuses, etc.) The pay range listed below reflects the base salary in our SF/Silicon Valley location, across several internal levels. Actual starting pay will be based on job-related factors including: work location, experience, relevant training, education, skill level and performance during interview. Total compensation at Kodiak includes base pay, equity, bonus and a competitive benefits package California Pay Range $150,000—$175,000 USD At Kodiak, we strive to build a diverse community working towards our common company goals in a safe and collaborative environment where harassment of any kind is strictly prohibited. Kodiak is committed to equal opportunity employment regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable law. In alignment with its business operations, Kodiak adheres to all relevant statutes, regulations, and administrative prerequisites. Accordingly, roles that carry more sensitive requirements may be limited to candidates that can satisfy additional scrutiny and eligibility for such positions may hinge on verification of a candidate’s residence, U.S. person status, and/or citizenship status. Should the position require, and Kodiak determines that a candidate’s residence, U.S. person status, and/or citizenship status necessitate an export license, bar the candidate from the position, or otherwise fall under national security-related restrictions, Kodiak will consider the candidate for alternative positions unaffected by such restrictions, under terms and conditions set forth at Kodiak’s sole discretion, or, as an alternative, opt not to proceed with the candidate’s application. If applicable, Kodiak may provide visa sponsorship for eligible candidates. We use a third-party AI tool (Endorsed) to assist in the initial screening of applications. As part of the evaluation process, we provide Endorsed with job requirements and candidate-submitted applications. Final hiring decisions are made by our human recruitment team, and no automated system makes the ultimate decision regarding hiring. Certain features of the platform may qualify it as an Automated Employment Decision Tool (AEDT) under applicable regulations. We began using Endorsed on January 1, 2026. You can review the independent bias audit report covering our use of Endorsed [here](https://endorsed.com/local-law-144). By submitting your application, you acknowledge that your application may be processed by AI systems as part of the screening and selection process. If you have any questions or would like to request a separate review of your application, please contact careers@kodiak.ai with "Separate Review Request" in the email subject line.