We are an early-stage, maritime defense technology startup backed by top tier investors. Our team is designing and building autonomous and highly producible ships that can serve multiple missions on the open ocean. BWA is a collective of over achievers, passionate about our Mission to strengthen maritime security, revitalizing American shipbuilding through advanced technology.

Role Summary

As the second hire of our People team, you will be a key partner to the BWA team. Your work will be hands-on and involved, collaborating with leaders and individual contributors to define the hiring needs. You will own the end-to-end recruitment lifecycle for all roles including senior, critical, and hard-to-hire roles. To achieve this, you will be given the autonomy and tools to execute on our talent strategy to build BWA’s world class team. Your scope of recruits will range across skills in Hardware, Software, Marine Engineering, Operations, GTM and G&A.

We are looking for someone who can handle high levels of ownership while tackling every aspect of recruiting and is excited to be part of small team where no task is too big or too small. It is critical that you balance placing talent with speed but without sacrificing on the high bar BWA has set as we rebuild the future fleet.

Responsibilities

Establish deep trust and partnership with business leaders to help influence talent strategy while executing on hiring deliverables
Source and screen highly qualified candidates often with niche skill sets tracking pass through rates and refining as needed
Conduct interviews of potential candidates, demonstrating ability to anticipate hiring manager preferences through high interview-to-offer ratios
Engage passive candidates using Linkedin Recruiter, Boolean strings, referrals and campaigns
Provide a consistent and positive candidate experience throughout the entire recruiting process with proactive communication and engagement
Build recruiting strategies that contribute to the long-range growth of BWA, implementing best practices around referrals and process improvements where needed
Manage the interview process, debrief with hiring teams during the selection process, and negotiate offers.
Own the recruitment module and data accuracy in Rippling (ATS)

Qualifications

6+ years of proven experience as a strategic talent acquisition partner driving full cycle hiring for engineering in high-growth start-up tech environments (maritime, defence, or robotics desirable).
Experience hiring candidates within facets of robotics (computer vision, perception, motion planning, localization, mapping, etc.)
4+ years of client interaction experience, including working with Hiring Managers and Directors, taking new requirements, reviewing profiles and updating pipeline progress.
Experience acting in a consultative manner where your guidance has led to improved outcomes, and a positive candidate experience, while earning the respect of your peers and clients
Strong understanding of the technical skills and experience required for Software and Hardware Engineering positions within the business
Clear and effective communication with candidates to understand motivation, drivers, and fit within the organization
Experience managing various funnels of candidates and keeping track of their progress throughout the recruitment process
Working knowledge of applicant tracking and HRIS systems
Working knowledge of interview techniques and applicant screening methods
Familiar with a wide variety of sourcing avenues
Demonstrated success supporting new market entries and scaling teams at pace
Deep understanding of talent dynamics, sourcing strategies, and competitive intelligence.
Highly consultative, commercially minded, and comfortable operating with ambiguity.
Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution.

What We Offer

Incredibly high-caliber teammates. You’ll work directly with our co-founders Rylan, Scott, and Austin.
A fast-paced, creative working environment that offers a lot of room for ownership and growth.
Opportunity to join a meaningful mission that protects national security and advances American shipbuilding through advanced technologies.
Generous PTO, medical, dental, and vision coverage.
Salary Range: $145,000 - $165,000 annual base salary (final compensation will depend on experience and skill level
Early-stage startup equity options

This position is open only to US citizens due to application federal requirements. By applying, you confirm that you are a U.S. citizen and can provide acceptable documentation verifying your status if selected.

Blue Water Autonomy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. All employment decisions—including recruitment, hiring, promotion, compensation, benefits, and termination—are made based on qualifications, merit, and business need.

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