DS creates systems that power the next generation of radio spectrum intelligence. We collect radio data from all over the world, train neural networks to decipher it, and run them on the smallest chips we can. We’re solving a new, technically hard problem where nothing from other fields works out of the box, and along the way, we’ve built our own stack from scratch, including entirely new embedding model architectures, custom GPU kernels, and much more.

This year we’ve done 8-figure revenue, tripled our headcount, and raised a $25M Series A led by Sarah Guo (Conviction), Akhil Iyer (Shield Capital), and Nat Friedman (NFDG). We’re using it to invest in new research and to grow our small, New York-based team across engineering, research, and product.

Joining DS means owning major parts of a fast-growing AI research organization, joining a collaborative, talent-dense team with decades of experience in probabilistic ML, accelerated computing, embedded systems, and signal theory, and growing your career in the areas that interest you. You’ll fit in if you want to come to work for the problem itself and don’t want to choose between technical rigor, business value, and real-world impact. We work with high ownership and trust, and we do it together in the office 5 days/week.

About the Role

We are looking for a dynamic and experienced Sr. Technical Recruiter and People Operations Lead to join our team. In this multi-faceted role, you will be the driving force behind our recruiting efforts while also managing essential HR operations. You'll partner directly with our COO and leadership team to attract exceptional talent and cultivate a high-performing culture. This is a unique opportunity to make a significant impact by building our team and refining the systems that support our people.

What You'll Do

This role is a blend of talent acquisition and hands-on people operations. You will be a one-person People + Talent team, and will wear many hats, while collaborating closely with our COO and other Ops team members.

Recruiting (80%)

• Own the Recruiting Lifecycle: Design and execute a seamless, high-touch recruiting experience from start to finish.

• Partner with Leadership: Collaborate closely with hiring managers to define roles, create compelling job descriptions, and build effective interview plans.

• Source & Engage Talent: Proactively source, screen, and engage top-tier candidates, with a focus on senior and specialized roles in Government Business Development and Engineering, Product and Design.

• Champion the Candidate Experience: Guide candidates through our process, ensuring every interaction is positive, professional, and reflects our company values, and we have a high close rate on candidates to whom we make an offer.

• Manage Offers: Support the COO and leadership team in benchmarking and extending competitive offers to secure the best talent.

People Operations (20%)

• Manage Day-to-Day HR: Serve as the primary point of contact for organizational HR needs, managing our processes through our PEO, TriNet.

• Employee Lifecycle Support: Handle all operational aspects of onboarding, offboarding, role changes, and leaves of absence (including parental leave and state-specific claims).

• Benefits Administration: Support annual benefits benchmarking and manage the open enrollment process to ensure our offerings remain competitive.

• Support Performance, Compensation, and Retention: Assist the COO with biannual performance review cycles, compensation benchmarking analysis, and programs focused on employee retention and engagement.

What You Bring:

• 5+ years of recruiting experience, with at least 2 years managing high-touch recruiting processes for senior and rare talent within the defense tech, hard tech, and/or software sectors.

• 2+ years of HR experience, with a solid understanding of HR compliance regulations in New York, leave management, payroll, and benefits administration.

• HR Tech-Savvy: Proficiency with modern HR and recruiting tools. We use TriNet (PEO), Ashby (ATS), Checkr, and LinkedIn Recruiter.

• AI Enthusiast: Comfort and excitement about leveraging AI to supercharge your workflow, build automations, and create more efficient processes.

• Collaborative Partner: A strong willingness to support a COO with clear convictions about culture and working norms, and the drive and organization to bring that vision to life.

• Love of IRL Work: You'll work onsite 5 days per week. You will help foster a vibrant in-person work culture in our New York Office.

Who Thrives at Distributed Spectrum

• Fast learners over specific backgrounds – We care more about how quickly you can pick up new skills than where you’ve worked before.

• Intellectual honesty – The right answer matters more than being right. You challenge assumptions, test ideas, and pivot when needed.

• Adaptability – We’re organized, but sometimes things change quickly. You find a way to make it work and balance short-term deliverables with long-term goals.

• Ownership of outcomes – You optimize your own time, focus on what matters to deliver quickly, and cut out inefficiencies.

• Not building in a vacuum – You stay connected to the rest of our teams and our customers to make sure all the pieces fit together.

What We Offer

• Above-market salary, equity, and benefits package. In accordance with NY regulations, the salary range for this position is $100,000-$300,000 to cover a broad range of candidate experience.

• Early Series A Equity

• Excellent health, dental, and vision coverage

• 401(k) match - up to 4% of your salary

• Unlimited PTO

• Daily office lunches in NYC