AI recruitment services for senior to C-level hires
Retained search, contingent recruitment and application shortlisting for AI and frontier-tech companies, with fee models that fit your funding stage.
What does CritAIcal Hires offer? Retained search, contingent recruitment and application shortlisting for senior to C-level roles in AI and frontier technology, covering engineering, research, product, go-to-market, operations, finance and leadership, for permanent and temporary positions worldwide.
Which recruitment model is right for you?
Different models, different fee structures, matched to your stage and what you need.
Retained search
For critical, senior and executive hires where getting it right matters most. A dedicated, director-led search drawing on our full network, with structured assessment and close management.
- C-suite, founding team and heads of function
- Confidential and replacement searches
- Market mapping and talent intelligence
Contingent recruitment
For senior individual contributors and leaders where you want flexibility. You pay only on a successful hire, with the same network-first approach and quality bar.
- Senior and staff-level AI/ML and engineering roles
- Product, GTM and operations leaders
- Permanent and temporary staffing
Application shortlisting
For teams with too many applications, too little time, and no in-house recruiter yet. We review and shortlist your inbound pipeline while you build.
- Expert screening of inbound applicants
- Calibrated shortlists against your bar
- Ideal for just-funded teams
What roles do we recruit in AI and frontier tech?
We specialise in senior to C-level hires across all functions. For more junior roles, we’re happy to recommend trusted partners.
AI & ML Engineering
Research & Data
Product & Design
Go-to-Market
Leadership & Founding Teams
Operations, Finance & Legal
What do you get beyond the hire?
We guarantee value from the first call, even when that means an introduction rather than an immediate hire.
- Free three-month replacement if a placed candidate doesn’t pass their first three months. Rarely used.
- Candidates before contracts: new clients see relevant candidates before any commercial agreement.
- Investor introductions: Tier 1–3 VCs, accelerators and incubators, where appropriate.
- Partnership introductions for business development and revenue.
- Real-time global salary information to benchmark offers.
- Up to 30% off employer-of-record (EOR) solutions through our partners.
- Referral rewards: introduce companies from your network and earn introducer fees.
Services FAQ
What roles does CritAIcal Hires recruit for?
Senior to C-level roles across the whole company: founding team members, CEO/CTO/CPO and other C-suite, AI/ML and software engineering leadership, research, data and infrastructure, product, sales and business development, marketing, partnerships, finance, legal and operations. We are happy to recommend trusted partners for more junior roles.
Do you recruit AI and machine-learning engineers?
Yes. We recruit senior and lead AI/ML engineers, applied-AI and LLM engineers, ML-infrastructure and MLOps engineers, research scientists and heads of AI, alongside the product and commercial leaders who take AI products to market.
Which recruitment services do you offer?
Retained search for critical and executive hires, contingent recruitment, and application shortlisting for teams with too many applicants and no in-house recruiter yet. We support both permanent and temporary staffing, with fee structures that fit your funding stage.
Do you work with venture capital firms and their portfolio companies?
Yes. We are trusted by VC firms to support portfolio talent. Funds use us to help newly funded companies scale their teams, and we can provide introductions back into our investor, accelerator and partner network where appropriate.
Where do you recruit? Do you hire globally?
We work worldwide, across all regions and time zones, for remote, hybrid and on-site roles. Wherever you or your candidates are based, we can help.
Have a critical AI hire to make?
Book a call directly with a director. No screeners, no CV spam. If we can help, we will show you value on the first call.