HHMI is focused on supporting and moving science forward in a variety of different ways ranging from conducting basic biomedical research, empowering educators, inspiring students, developing the next generation of scientists – even stretching into film and media production. Our Headquarters is in the greater Washington, DC metro area and is home to over 300 employees with expertise in investments, communications, digital production, biomedical sciences, and everything in between. The work housed here supports and augments the groundbreaking research conducted in HHMI labs across the nation. As HHMI scientists continue to push boundaries in laboratories and classrooms, you can be sure that your contributions while working here are making a difference.
Position Summary
HHMI funds science at the frontier — and the researchers and staff who make that work possible are not always easy to find. For the next three months, we’re looking for a sourcer who can build and activate candidate pipelines across a genuinely varied portfolio: corporate and administrative roles at our Chevy Chase headquarters, highly specialized scientific and operational roles at Janelia Research Campus, and scientific hiring across HHMI’s distributed Host Site network.
A Note on Your Application
Please include a cover letter with your application. Tell us about one or two of the most complex or demanding sourcing searches you’ve conducted: what made them hard, how you approached them, what channels you used, and what the outcome was. Scientific or research-adjacent searches are of particular interest, but any search that required genuine ingenuity is worth sharing.
Engagement Scope
Contract duration: 3 months
This is a temporary position with a defined end date. Extension is possible but not guaranteed.
Work location: Hybrid, Chevy Chase, MD
Three days per week on-site; two days remote.
Key Responsibilities
Sourcing & Pipeline Development
Build active pipelines across corporate, scientific, and operational roles simultaneously, adapting sourcing methods to each talent segment.
Deploy a multi-channel toolkit beyond LinkedIn: academic repositories, preprint servers, professional society networks, alumni networks, GitHub, niche job boards, and direct outreach.
Source scientific talent through research-specific channels including society directories, lab alumni networks, conference outreach, and university research programs.
Engage passive candidates and build pipeline interest before needs are formally open.
Conduct initial screening to assess interest, qualifications, and alignment with HHMI’s mission before introducing candidates to the recruiting team.
Track sourcing activity, channel performance, and pipeline quality; use data to focus effort on highest-yield strategies.
Partnership & Collaboration
Work closely with recruiters and hiring managers to understand role requirements, target profiles, and competitive landscape.
Provide real-time market intelligence and sourcing insights that inform search strategy.
Manage multiple simultaneous searches with discipline and clear communication.
Qualifications
Required
5+ years of sourcing and/or full-cycle recruiting experience with demonstrated success across more than one talent segment — corporate/professional, scientific/research, or technical.
Expert-level sourcing capability across channels and methods that go beyond standard LinkedIn Recruiter usage.
Experience sourcing scientific or research talent, including lab-based and academic-adjacent roles.
Strong written communication skills; ability to craft outreach that earns a response from passive candidates.
Comfort with ambiguity and a varied, fast-changing portfolio; able to self-manage priorities without close supervision.
Proficiency with ATS systems (Workday preferred) and sourcing tools.
Preferred
Experience within mission-driven, nonprofit, academic, or research institutions.
Familiarity with scientific communities including ABRCMS, SACNAS, Society for Neuroscience, or similar organizations.
Experience using preprint databases, publication networks, or academic repositories for sourcing.
Existing relationships with career services offices or scientific professional communities.
Physical Requirements
Remaining in a normal seated or standing position for extended periods of time; reaching and grasping by extending hand(s) or arm(s); dexterity to manipulate objects with fingers, for example using a keyboard; communication skills using the spoken word; ability to see and hear within normal parameters; ability to move about workspace. The position requires mobility, including the ability to move materials weighing up to several pounds (such as a laptop computer or tablet).
Persons with disabilities may be able to perform the essential duties of this position with reasonable accommodation. Requests for reasonable accommodation will be evaluated on an individual basis.#LI-KS1
Please Note
This job description sets forth the position’s principal duties, responsibilities, and requirements; it should not be construed as an exhaustive statement, however. Unless they begin with the word “may,” the Key Responsibilities described above are “essential functions” of the job, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Compensation Range
$40.00 (minimum) - $50.00 (maximum)
Pay Type:
Hourly
HHMI’s salary structure is developed based on relevant job market data. HHMI considers a candidate's education, previous experiences, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal consistency when making job offers. Typically, a new hire for this position in this location is compensated between the minimum and the midpoint of the salary range.
Compensation and Benefits
Our employees are compensated from a total rewards perspective in many ways for their contributions to our mission, including competitive pay, exceptional health benefits, retirement plans, time off, and a range of recognition and wellness programs. Visit our Benefits at HHMI site to learn more.
HHMI is an Equal Opportunity Employer
We use E-Verify to confirm the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires.
Skills Required
- 5+ years of sourcing and/or full-cycle recruiting experience
- Expert-level sourcing capability across channels beyond LinkedIn
- Experience sourcing scientific or research talent
- Strong written communication skills
- Proficiency with ATS systems (Workday preferred)
What We Do
For 60 years, HHMI has been moving science forward. We’re an independent, ever-evolving philanthropy that supports basic biomedical scientists and science educators with the potential for transformative impact. We invest in people, not projects. We encourage collaborative and results-driven working styles and offer an adaptable environment where employees can function at their highest level. As HHMI scientists continue to push boundaries in laboratories and classrooms, you can be sure that your contributions while working at HHMI are making a difference. To move science forward, we need experts in areas such as communications, finance, human resources, information technology, investments, and law as well as scientists. Visit our website at http://www.hhmi.org
