Airbase builds the software platform for radio frequency spectrum licensing, coordination, and intelligence. Backed by a16z, we are a fast-moving, dual-use startup transforming wireless communication from a static, analog bottleneck into a dynamic, software-defined advantage.

Today, the world’s most advanced hardware—from satellite mega-constellations to Army UAS swarms and Electronic Warfare systems—is grounded by 20th-century paperwork. Spectrum coordination relies on fragmented databases, missing systems of record, and decades of static PDFs. Airbase is fixing this. We’ve built novel AI pipelines to digitize this analog bureaucracy and translate it into a software-defined, machine-readable data layer. We are transforming the spectrum from a static bottleneck into a dynamic advantage, delivering machine-speed tactical deconfliction for the military and automated licensing for commercial innovators.

You will be our first recruiting hire. You will build our hiring engine from scratch: the systems, the process, and the pipeline. You'll also take on relevant work across the company as we scale. This is a core role with real ownership and equity, based onsite at our NYC HQ.

What you will do

The primary focus of the role is recruiting, while also providing support to the broader people and operations functions through a period of significant growth.

Build the recruiting function

• Set up our recruiting systems from the ground up: ATS, sourcing tools, interview scorecards, offer templates, and reporting.

• Design a repeatable interview process with the hiring managers, including kickoff and calibration docs, question banks, and rubrics.

• Track and report hiring metrics to leadership, like pipeline health, time-to-hire, and conversion rates, and use them to keep improving the process.

Run full-cycle searches

• Own a full requisition load, partnering with leadership and hiring managers to determine priorities and adjust to changes needs in the business.

• Manage full-cycle recruiting from intake through offer, across engineering, spectrum and domain experts, and go-to-market.

• Source proactively and reach passive candidates in hard-to-find talent pools, including software engineers, veterans, and federal spectrum professionals.

• Give candidates a fast, high-touch experience that reflects who we are.

• Manage offers and assist with closing candidates, partnering with the founders on compensation and equity conversations.

Wear other hats

• People ops: Own onboarding and offboarding, and help in keeping our people processes and compliance in order.

• Company brand: Build our careers page, LinkedIn presence, and employer brand.

• Recruiting events: Represent Airbase at conferences, meetups, career days, and other events.

Required qualifications

• 5+ years of technical recruiting experience, at a startup, a high-growth company, or an agency.

• Experience hiring technical roles, especially software engineers.

• Hands-on experience with ATS management.

• Extensive experience with LinkedIn Recruiter and other sourcing tools.

• A track record of successful running a full requisition load.

• Excellent communication skills and the ability to build strong relationships with candidates and hiring managers.

Nice to have

• You've built or improved a recruiting process at an early-stage company.

• Experience recruiting in defense, government, or aerospace, or recruiting cleared candidates.

• Proven track record of successfully managing recruitment for complex, technical roles with niche skill sets.

• Knowledge of advanced sourcing tools and techniques (Gem, Juicebox, Pin, Google X-Ray search, etc.)

• Preference for candidates proficient with Ashby, Greenhouse, and Lever.

You thrive on

• Hustle and ownership. You move fast, unblock yourself, and figure things out without a playbook.

• Learning new things. You don't need to have done every part of this job before, but you're eager to pick it up and figure it out.

• Being a great partner to hiring managers and a trusted advocate for candidates.

Benefits & Perks

• Competitive salary, with opportunities for growth, and equity in an early stage startup.

• Comprehensive health insurance plans & 401k.

• Regular team-building events and company retreats.