Intelligence Security Laboratories is a new and fast-growing non-profit working at the intersection of AI and security. We're a small, ambitious team scaling quickly, and we're looking for a Technical Recruiter to build on the foundation that supports our growth.
In this role, you'll lead recruitment at ISL. We expect to more than double our team over the next year, and much of what we need is quite scarce, with some roles drawing on a talent pool small enough to count. The core of the job is understanding what our technical and research teams need, working out what capacity has to exist and by when, and recruiting to fill it. Our hiring spans infrastructure engineering, technical programme management, research leadership, and the specialist work we contract for, including formal methods, hardware, electrical, and mechanical engineering. That means going deep enough into the work to understand needs, and it means designing the assessments that tell us whether a candidate will succeed.
We're looking for someone with the judgement to see what a team is missing before anyone has articulated it, and the technical grounding to know who would fix it. That may not come from a career in recruitment. You might have built or grown a technical team or organisation, scoped the roles you then had to fill, or learned to predict which hires would work out.
Key ResponsibilitiesUnderstand what our technical and research teams need and will need, and work out what capacity has to exist and by when
Turn those needs into job descriptions including scope, seniority, and requirements
Headhunt for scarce skill sets, including internationally
Design the work tests and scoring rubrics used to assess technical candidates. Revise them as we learn what predicts a good hire
Lead and develop the recruitment function of ISL
Own our applicant tracking system and hiring infrastructure
Decide what we assess, how we assess it, and whether it is working
Experience assessing what a technical team needs and planning capacity against it, rather than responding to vacancies as they arise
Experience building or growing a technical team, function, or organization
Enough technical depth to design work tests that discriminate between strong and mediocre candidates across our technical disciplines
Experience acting as hiring manager for technical roles
A track record of getting the best out of people, both in the work you get from those you manage and in what you draw out of candidates during assessment
Familiarity with developments in AI safety and security
Excellent written and verbal communication, with the ability to write clearly for candidates and for internal decision records
Comfort operating with ambiguity in a small, fast-moving organization
Authorization to work in the United States
A degree in engineering, computer science, or a related technical field
Recruitment experience, in any context
Familiarity with AI safety, national security, systems engineering, and the organizations working in these spaces
Experience headhunting where the qualified population is small
Competence with an applicant tracking system, ideally Ashby
Experience in a small or early-stage organization
A background in assessment design, or in industrial and organizational psychology
Current or past U.S. government security clearance
Salary range: $145k - $225k/annum set according to title and role family
In addition to salary:
Additional $25k salary if you choose to relocate to Washington, DC
Relocation support of $5k - $10k, depending on whether you're moving domestically or internationally
Full medical, dental and vision cover, effective from your first day
HSA available
Unlimited paid time off. We ask everyone to take at least 20 days a year, and would encourage more
Stipends for training, wellness and home-office set-up
Up to three company retreats a year
Retirement contributions
ISL is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
AccommodationsIf you need an accommodation at any stage of the application or interview process, please let us know and we will work with you to provide one.
QuestionsIf you have any additional questions about this position or would like to get in touch with us please reach out to [email protected]
Skills Required
- Experience assessing technical team needs and planning capacity proactively
- Experience building or growing a technical team, function, or organization
- Technical depth sufficient to design assessments across technical disciplines
- Experience acting as hiring manager for technical roles
- Track record of getting the best out of managers and candidates during assessment
- Familiarity with AI safety and security developments
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Comfort operating with ambiguity in a small, fast-moving organization
- Authorization to work in the United States
- Degree in engineering, computer science, or related technical field
- Recruitment experience in any context
- Familiarity with AI safety, national security, systems engineering, and related organizations
- Experience headhunting for scarce qualified populations
- Competence with an applicant tracking system, ideally Ashby
- Experience in a small or early-stage organization
- Background in assessment design or industrial and organizational psychology
- Current or past U.S. government security clearance
What We Do
Intelligence Security Laboratories (ISL) is a philanthropically funded 501(c)(3) nonprofit research lab focused on implementation-driven R&D for high-security AI systems. It develops and demonstrates secure infrastructure for critical, transformative AI deployments, bridging theoretical security requirements and practical implementation. ISL applies systems engineering, formal methods, and high-assurance approaches to uncover and prevent attack vectors before secure AI systems are widely deployed.
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