About Cognition

Cognition is one of the fastest-growing and most disruptive artificial intelligence companies in the world. We are the team behind Devin, the world's first autonomous AI software engineer, a groundbreaking platform that is fundamentally transforming how software is built, deployed, and maintained. Our mission is to push the boundaries of what AI can accomplish in software engineering, and we are assembling a world-class team of researchers, engineers, and technical visionaries to make that mission a reality. Backed by significant funding and driven by a culture of relentless innovation, Cognition operates at the intersection of cutting-edge AI research and practical software development. We are not just building products — we are defining the future of how humans and AI collaborate to create technology. As we enter our next phase of aggressive growth, the quality of our talent acquisition function becomes paramount. Every hire we make has a multiplier effect on our ability to deliver on our ambitious roadmap. That is why we are investing heavily in our recruiting capabilities and seeking an exceptional Technical Recruiter who can operate at the highest level in one of the most competitive talent markets in the world.

The Role

We are seeking a highly skilled Technical Recruiter to join Cognition on a contract basis with an immediate start. This is a critical role responsible for identifying, engaging, and closing world-class software engineers, AI researchers, machine learning engineers, and other technical talent from highly competitive environments including top-tier technology companies, leading AI labs, and elite startups. You will work closely with hiring managers, engineering leads, and the executive team to understand our technical requirements, develop sophisticated sourcing strategies, and manage the full recruitment lifecycle from initial outreach through offer negotiation. This role demands someone who thrives in fast-paced, high-stakes environments and who has a proven ability to attract passive candidates who are not actively looking for new opportunities but are open to transformative career moves. The ideal candidate brings deep knowledge of the AI and machine learning talent landscape, understands the nuances of evaluating technical candidates in software engineering and research roles, and has established networks within the global AI community. You will be expected to bring both strategic thinking and hands-on execution to this role, operating with autonomy while aligning closely with our growth objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Own the full-cycle recruitment process for senior and staff-level software engineering, AI/ML engineering, and research scientist positions, from intake meetings through offer acceptance and handoff to onboarding.
Develop and execute multi-channel sourcing strategies leveraging platforms such as LinkedIn Recruiter, GitHub, Stack Overflow, Kaggle, arXiv, and specialized AI talent communities to identify passive candidates with niche skill sets.
Build and maintain a robust pipeline of world-class technical talent, maintaining detailed tracking in our ATS (Greenhouse or equivalent) and providing weekly pipeline reports to hiring managers and leadership.
Partner with senior engineers and technical leads to deeply understand role requirements, team culture, and technical stack nuances in order to create accurate and compelling candidate profiles and job descriptions.
Design and implement structured interview processes and technical screening frameworks that ensure consistent, unbiased, and rigorous evaluation of candidates across all technical roles.
Conduct thorough pre-screening interviews assessing both technical competency and cultural alignment, providing detailed written feedback and recommendations to hiring panels.
Manage candidate experience at every stage, ensuring timely communication, transparency, and a process that reflects Cognition's values and employer brand even when candidates are not selected.
Negotiate offers collaboratively with hiring managers, leveraging market compensation data from levels.fyi, Glassdoor, Radford, and Radford equivalent surveys to present competitive packages that attract top talent away from major tech companies.
Track and analyze key recruiting metrics including time-to-fill, source effectiveness, offer acceptance rates, and candidate satisfaction scores, presenting monthly insights and improvement recommendations to leadership.
Stay current on trends in AI talent markets, emerging skill sets, competitor hiring activity, and compensation benchmarks to ensure Cognition remains a destination employer for the world's best technical minds.
Contribute to employer branding initiatives by representing Cognition at industry events, meetups, and conferences, and by creating content that showcases our technical culture and mission.

Work Environment and Culture

Cognition operates with the intensity and intellectual rigor of a top-tier AI research lab combined with the speed and ambition of a high-growth startup. Our team is composed of individuals who are deeply passionate about artificial intelligence and who hold themselves and each other to exceptionally high standards. We value intellectual honesty, rapid iteration, and a bias toward action. This contract role offers flexibility in work location. While we prefer someone based in London who can occasionally work from our office for team meetings, collaborative sessions, and company events, we are open to remote arrangements within the UK for candidates who demonstrate the ability to operate effectively in a distributed environment. You will be expected to be available during UK business hours and to overlap with our core collaboration windows. We use modern tools to stay connected and productive, including Slack for communication, Notion for documentation, Greenhouse for applicant tracking, and Zoom for video collaboration. You will have direct access to senior leadership and the autonomy to shape our recruiting processes as we scale.

Requirements

Minimum of 4 years of dedicated technical recruiting experience, with a strong preference for candidates who have recruited software engineers, ML engineers, AI researchers, or data scientists at senior and staff levels.
Demonstrated track record of successfully placing candidates at competitive technology companies, AI labs, or high-growth startups operating in deep tech, machine learning, or related fields.
Deep understanding of software engineering roles, technical stacks (Python, C++, CUDA, PyTorch, TensorFlow, distributed systems), and the ability to evaluate technical resumes and portfolios with confidence.
Established network within the AI/ML talent community, including relationships with candidates, hiring managers, and thought leaders in the field.
Experience using LinkedIn Recruiter, Greenhouse, Lever, or similar ATS platforms, as well as sourcing tools such as HireEZ, SeekOut, or AmazingHiring.
Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret recruiting data, identify bottlenecks, and propose data-driven improvements to the hiring process.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills in English, with the ability to craft compelling outreach messages and represent Cognition's brand to senior technical candidates.
Ability to manage multiple open requisitions simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail and candidate quality.
Self-directed work style with the ability to operate independently in a fast-moving environment with minimal hand-holding.

Technical Skills and Tools

LinkedIn Recruiter and LinkedIn Recruiter Lite
Greenhouse, Lever, or similar applicant tracking systems
HireEZ (formerly Hiretual), SeekOut, or AmazingHiring for AI-powered sourcing
GitHub and Stack Overflow for technical candidate identification
Notion, Confluence, or similar documentation and collaboration tools
Slack, Microsoft Teams, or equivalent communication platforms
Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 for email, calendar, and document management
Basic understanding of technical assessment platforms such as HackerRank, Codility, or CoderPad
Familiarity with compensation benchmarking tools including levels.fyi, Glassdoor, and Radford surveys

Contract Details and Benefits

This is a contract position with an immediate start date. The contract duration will be discussed during the interview process and is expected to be between 3 and 6 months with the possibility of extension based on performance and business needs. Compensation will be competitive and commensurate with experience, reflecting the seniority and specialization required for this role. Working with Cognition offers the opportunity to be at the forefront of one of the most exciting developments in AI today. You will gain exposure to cutting-edge technology, work alongside some of the brightest minds in artificial intelligence, and play a direct role in shaping the team that is building the future of software engineering. For recruiters passionate about the AI space, this is an unparalleled professional development opportunity.

Career Growth

While this is initially a contract engagement, high-performing recruiters will have the opportunity to transition into permanent positions as Cognition continues to scale its people operations function. Exceptional contractors may be considered for senior recruiting roles, recruiting lead positions, or broader talent strategy roles as the company grows. We believe in rewarding impact and creating career paths for those who demonstrate excellence.

How to Apply

If you are a Technical Recruiter with experience hiring world-class software engineers and AI talent, we want to hear from you. Please submit your application through the link below, including your CV and a brief note highlighting your most notable placement in the AI or deep tech space. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and we aim to schedule initial conversations with qualified candidates within 48 hours of application. The hiring process consists of an initial screening call with the hiring manager, a practical sourcing exercise, and a final conversation with senior leadership. We are ready to move quickly for the right candidate.