Talent Acquisition Manager

Job descriptionAbout PAVE SpaceAt PAVE Space, we're building the future of industry in orbit. Our mission: enable true in-space mobility, access to any orbit within 24 hours.To get there, we're designing, building, and testing a new kind of space vehicle from the ground up, one that redefines what's possible in space logistics and orbital access. We move fast. We think across disciplines. We act with precision.We're not here to sugarcoat it: joining PAVE means stepping into a fast-paced, high-stakes environment where every contribution truly matters. We're a small team tackling big challenges, driven by sharp minds, strong work ethic, and the will to make things happen.If you're looking for comfort, this isn't it. But if you want to help build a major space project from the ground up, it might be the ride of your life.About the RoleAs Talent Acquisition Manager, you'll own PAVE's hiring engine. You're not just filling roles, you're identifying and attracting the technical talent that will define our trajectory. This means finding aerospace engineers who've built combustion chambers, test engineers who live in the data, systems thinkers who can bridge disciplines, and operators who thrive in ambiguity.You'll be the architect of our recruitment strategy, the face of PAVE to exceptional candidates, and a trusted partner to our founders and technical leads. You'll need to move fast, think strategically, and execute flawlessl, because every hire shapes the future of what we're building.What You'll DoOwn end-to-end recruitment for technical and operational roles:Source, screen, and close candidates for specialized aerospace position, propulsion engineers, test engineers, avionics specialists, manufacturing leads, and beyondBuild talent pipelines for hard-to-fill roles before we need themManage the full candidate experience from first contact to signed offerPartner directly with founders and technical leads:Translate technical requirements into compelling role definitions and recruitment strategiesAdvise hiring managers on market realities, compensation benchmarks, and candidate expectationsAct as a strategic thought partner on team building and organizational designBuild PAVE's talent brand:Craft compelling narratives about our mission, culture, and the opportunity we representRepresent PAVE at industry events, universities, and technical communitiesDevelop creative sourcing strategies to reach passive candidates in aerospace and deep techEstablish recruitment infrastructure:Implement and optimize ATS and recruitment toolsDefine interview processes that are rigorous, efficient, and candidate-friendlyCreate scorecards and frameworks that help us make better, faster hiring decisionsTrack metrics that matter — time to hire, pipeline health, offer acceptance rates, source qualityMove with urgency:This is a startup. We need people yesterday. You'll need to balance speed with precision, knowing when to push and when to dig deeperWho You'll Work WithYou'll collaborate closely with:Julie Böhning — Co-Founder & CEOJérémy Marciacq — Co-Founder & CTOWhat We're Looking ForExperience that matters:Extensive experience years in technical recruitment, ideally in aerospace, defense, deep tech, or hardware startupsProven track record hiring engineering talent in competitive marketsExperience building recruitment function from scratch or in early-stage environments — you've done this before when there was no playbookThe right mindset:You understand technical roles deeply enough to have credible conversations with senior engineersYou're comfortable with ambiguity and can build structure where none existsYou move fast without cutting corners, speed and quality aren't trade-offs for youYou're a closer. You know how to sell the mission when candidates have multiple offersSkills that matter:Expert sourcing skills, LinkedIn is your playground, but you go deeperStrong judgment on talent, you can spot exceptional people and red flags quicklyExcellent communication, you can translate technical jargon into compelling stories and vice versaData-driven approach, you track what works and iterate constantlyBonus points:European aerospace or space industry networkExperience hiring for propulsion, test, or hardware development rolesFamiliarity with European work visa processes and talent marketsMultilingual capabilities (English required, French/German a plus)On-siteLausanne, Vaud, SwitzerlandAll doneWe've received your application and look forward to reviewing it. In the meantime, please feel free to sign up for the Atlantic Labs & FoodLabs Talent Labs where you can easily browse & be recommended to relevant future opportunities. Sign-Up Here