Principal Talent Acquisition Sourcer

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Principal Talent Acquisition Sourcer based in the United States.

Overview

Join a forward-thinking organization where talent acquisition plays a critical role in advancing innovative technologies and supporting complex engineering programs. As a Principal Talent Acquisition Sourcer, you will lead strategic sourcing initiatives to identify, attract, and engage highly qualified talent across a range of engineering disciplines. You will partner closely with recruiters, hiring managers, and business leaders to develop targeted sourcing strategies aligned with evolving workforce needs. By combining market intelligence, advanced sourcing techniques, and data-driven insights, you will help build strong candidate pipelines and improve recruitment outcomes. This role offers the opportunity to influence talent acquisition strategies in a dynamic, mission-driven environment. You will work remotely from anywhere in the United States, with occasional travel required to strengthen collaboration and stakeholder relationships.

• Strategic Talent Sourcing: Develop and execute targeted sourcing strategies to identify, attract, and engage qualified candidates for specialized engineering positions, including passive talent in competitive markets.
• Candidate Relationship Management: Build and maintain strong relationships with prospective candidates throughout the recruitment process, ensuring a positive candidate experience and effective collaboration with recruiters.
• Recruitment Partnership: Work closely with recruiters, hiring managers, and talent acquisition leadership to understand workforce requirements, anticipate hiring challenges, and deliver tailored sourcing solutions.
• Market Intelligence and Analytics: Leverage sourcing data, labor market insights, and industry trends to inform staffing strategies, identify talent availability, and support data-driven recruitment decisions.
• Advanced Sourcing Techniques: Apply Boolean search methodologies, professional networking platforms, and other sourcing tools to identify hard-to-find talent and develop sustainable candidate pipelines.
• Candidate Assessment and Selection: Evaluate candidates through phone or in-person conversations, assessing their technical capabilities, competencies, cultural alignment, and suitability for specific roles. Consolidate feedback and support informed selection decisions.
• Recruitment Process Optimization: Anticipate hiring needs, manage competing priorities, and adapt sourcing strategies in response to changing business requirements while maintaining high service standards.
• Stakeholder Consultation: Develop a strong understanding of business objectives, engineering programs, technological challenges, and organizational culture to align talent acquisition activities with broader strategic goals.
• Hiring Success and Candidate Conversion: Engage candidates early in the recruitment process, address potential concerns, and help improve offer acceptance rates through proactive communication and relationship management.
• Professional Excellence: Demonstrate integrity, sound judgment, emotional intelligence, and openness to feedback while contributing to continuous improvement across talent acquisition practices.

Requirements

• Education and Experience: A bachelor's degree with at least five years of recruiting, sourcing, or related customer-facing experience; a master's degree with at least three years of relevant experience; or a high school diploma or GED with at least nine years of relevant experience.
• Talent Sourcing Expertise: Demonstrated experience in advanced talent sourcing, candidate engagement, and recruitment strategy development, ideally supporting specialized or hard-to-fill positions.
• Technical Sourcing Skills: Proficiency with professional networking platforms, particularly LinkedIn, and familiarity with Boolean search techniques and other methods for identifying qualified passive candidates.
• Strategic and Analytical Thinking: Ability to interpret sourcing metrics, evaluate labor market trends, synthesize complex information, and translate findings into actionable recruitment strategies.
• Stakeholder Management: Strong interpersonal and consulting skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships, influence hiring decisions, and collaborate effectively with recruiters, hiring managers, and senior stakeholders.
• Candidate Evaluation: Ability to assess technical skills, competencies, motivation, and role suitability while managing candidate and hiring manager feedback efficiently.
• Adaptability and Organization: Excellent prioritization, time management, and problem-solving skills, with the flexibility to manage multiple searches and shifting recruitment needs in a fast-paced environment.
• Communication and Professionalism: Strong verbal communication, customer service, and relationship-building abilities, supported by integrity, discretion, emotional intelligence, and a commitment to ethical recruitment practices.
• Preferred Industry Experience: Previous talent acquisition or sourcing experience within the aerospace and defense industry is highly desirable.
• Additional Eligibility: Ability to travel up to 25% of the time. The role may also require the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Department of Defense Secret clearance and Special Program Access within a reasonable timeframe, depending on business requirements.

Benefits

• Competitive Compensation: Annual base salary ranging from $85,600 to $128,400, depending on experience, qualifications, skills, responsibilities, and market conditions.
• Potential Additional Compensation: Eligibility for discretionary bonuses and, where applicable, overtime or shift differentials, subject to role and compensation policies.
• Healthcare Coverage: Access to health insurance benefits.
• Life and Disability Insurance: Coverage designed to provide additional financial protection.
• Retirement Savings: Access to an employee savings plan to support long-term financial goals.
• Paid Time Off: Paid holidays and paid time off for vacation and personal needs.
• Remote Work: A fully remote position for candidates residing in the United States, with travel requirements of up to 25%.
• Career Impact: The opportunity to contribute to strategic talent acquisition initiatives supporting complex engineering programs and advanced technologies.
• Collaborative Environment: Opportunities to work with recruiters, hiring managers, and business leaders across multiple functions.
• Professional Development: Exposure to evolving sourcing practices, market intelligence, and strategic recruitment methodologies.