Talent Sourcing Specialist (Contract)

HandshakeSan Francisco, CAMarketing

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Opens the official Handshake careers page

Salary

$45 USD per hour

Job type

Full-time

Work mode

Remote

Posted

28 Sept 2026

Status

Open · checked 7d ago

About this role

Handshake is hiring a Talent Sourcing Specialist (Contract) to manage top-of-funnel recruiting for the Handshake AI team in San Francisco, California, or remotely on PST hours. This full-time contract role suits a metrics-driven sourcing professional with two to four years of recruiting experience who thrives in a fast-paced environment.

Role Overview

Handshake seeks a motivated Talent Sourcing Specialist on a contract basis to collaborate with the Growth team and drive high-volume, high-velocity recruitment. Operating out of the San Francisco office or remotely while working PST hours, the professional in this position will identify, attract, and screen top-tier candidates specifically for the Handshake AI Fellowship. The role demands complete ownership of the candidate pipeline, requiring active market mapping and creative outreach to connect with specialized professionals.

Key Responsibilities

Take charge of top-of-funnel sourcing operations for the Growth team, collaborating directly on role requirements, intake sessions, and priority pipeline development.

Engage passive prospects through advanced boolean search, research, market mapping, and innovative outreach methods, emphasizing technical and STEM profiles.

Deliver valuable market insights and strategic advice to internal partners regarding recruitment trends, successes, and operational challenges.

Perform initial candidate screenings and facilitate smooth handoffs to relevant project teams.

Maintain precise data integrity within Ashby and other tracking platforms, monitoring metrics to continuously refine sourcing tactics.

Embrace ambiguity and contribute to shaping new recruitment processes rather than solely following established ones.

Requirements

Approximately two to four years of professional recruiting or sourcing experience, welcoming both agency and in-house backgrounds.

Proven capability to successfully locate and engage hard-to-find, niche talent pools.

Demonstrated background in sourcing candidates from technical, data, or specialized STEM fields.

High drive and urgency to succeed in a rapid, goal-oriented setting with shifting priorities.

Exceptional written and verbal communication abilities to quickly establish rapport with hiring managers and prospective candidates.

Strong commitment to tracking metrics and utilizing data to elevate sourcing performance.

Willingness and ability to work consistent Pacific Standard Time (PST) hours.

Nice to Have

Background in executive search or agency recruiting, particularly within high-volume or hard-to-fill sectors.

Prior experience handling recruitment for go-to-market, sales, or growth-oriented business units.

Local residency in San Francisco with a willingness to work on-site in the office.

Skills and Tools

Applicant Tracking Systems, specifically Ashby

LinkedIn Recruiter and alternative sourcing technologies

Boolean search and advanced market research

Metrics tracking, source analysis, and conversion optimization

Written and verbal communication

Salary and Benefits

The compensation for this position is fixed at 45 USD per hour.

About the Company

Handshake was established with the vision that every individual deserves a clear pathway to a rewarding career, regardless of educational background or personal network. Today, the organization supports over 25 million job seekers, more than one million employers, and 1,600 educational institutions. In 2025, the company launched Handshake AI, creating an extensive AI data enterprise that collaborates directly with frontier AI lab researchers to publish benchmarks and develop evaluations.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should visit the official Handshake careers page at joinhandshake.com/careers to submit an application for this opportunity.

Questions candidates ask

Is this position remote?

Yes, this role is remote, but candidates must be comfortable working PST hours.

What is the hourly rate for this role?

The compensation is 45 USD per hour.

How many years of experience are required?

Candidates should have approximately 2 to 4 years of recruiting or sourcing experience.

What department is this role associated with?

This position is part of the Marketing department, specifically supporting the Handshake AI and Growth teams.

Where should I apply for this job?

You can apply directly on the official company careers page at joinhandshake.com/careers.

Ready to apply?

The application is on the official Handshake careers page.

Apply on company site