Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist (req-304)

Team CATHEXIS elevates the government contracting experience through rapid response, deep skill, and thoughtful problem-solving and communication. Our core capabilities are our top-tier program and project management, data analytics, and audit services, the backbone of which is our integrated approach to operational excellence. 

You worked hard to get to where you are. You strive to make every day better than the day before. So do we. Team CATHEXIS operates with an all-in mindset. We are working together to create a company that supports our shared values and individual goals. Our values are centered around leading with integrity, owning the outcome, growing together, and moving with purpose in everything we do for our employees, customers, partners, and communities. We believe success is best when we listen and lead with empathy; model high standards of ethics to provide a rewarding candidate experience; work hard, have fun, and appreciate the strengths we all bring to the team; and empower our employees to create innovative and trusted results.

We are seeking an exceptional Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist to join our growing Talent Acquisition team. This is a senior, strategic role — not a transactional recruiting seat. You will own full-lifecycle recruiting for cleared technical positions across our federal client portfolio, with immediate ownership of surge requisitions for AI/ML Engineers and Data Scientists.

The ideal candidate is a top performer who operates with a high degree of autonomy, hunts passive cleared talent rather than waiting for applicants, closes offers quickly in a market where every strong candidate has alternatives, and brings a data-driven mindset to every conversation — presenting pipeline insights, market intelligence, and strategic recommendations.

This will be a hybrid role with 2 days a week onsite in Tysons, VA.

Responsibilities

The responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Talent Acquisition & Full-Lifecycle Recruiting

• Own full-lifecycle delivery for assigned cleared technical requisitions — structured intake, market mapping and sourcing strategy, outreach, technical screening, interview coordination and velocity management, and offers and negotiations.
• Hunt passive cleared talent — AI/ML Engineers, Data Scientists, and adjacent domains (software engineering, cloud/DevOps, data engineering, etc.) through ClearanceJobs, LinkedIn Recruiter, Boolean search, professional networks, etc.
• Recruit across clearance levels (Secret through TS/SCI), with a solid understanding of clearance eligibility.
• Screen with technical credibility — assess ML frameworks, data pipelines, model deployment, and cloud architecture experience well enough to earn the respect of hiring managers and candidates alike.
• Run offers like a closer: cleared-market compensation intelligence, expectation-setting from first contact, pre-closing before the offer stage, and structured counteroffer negotiations.

AI/ML & Data Science Recruiting Strategy

• Build and maintain a talent pipeline of cleared AI/ML and data science talent — and deliver reporting metrics.
• Architect durable, always-on talent pipelines — tiered engagement of prior contacts, networks, referral cultivation, and employer-brand touchpoints — so surge demand is met from warm pipeline rather than cold-start sourcing.

Strategic Business Partnership

• Partner with hiring managers — structured intake meetings, weekly data-backed pipeline reviews, market feedback, and proposed resolutions.
• Provide consultative guidance to hiring managers on interview best practices, offer strategy, talent/req activity, candidate experience, etc.
• Influence and advise when necessary — advocating for competitive offers, realistic timelines, and process improvements that protect candidate quality and business outcomes.
• Represent CATHEXIS credibly to every candidate.

Metrics, Reporting & Talent Advisory

• Own your numbers — time-to-fill, source-of-hire, submittal-to-interview and interview-to-offer ratios, and offer acceptance.
• Present market intelligence, pipeline insights, and recruitment performance summaries to stakeholders and the Director, Talent Acquisition with clear, actionable recommendations.

Process & Collaboration

• Operate established Talent Acquisition standards from day one — same-day documentation of candidate outreach and responses in the Applicant Tracking System (ATS), published engagement cadence and release standards, and defined pipeline ownership lanes.
• Partner collaboratively with fellow TA team members, agency partners, and HR to ensure a seamless candidate and hiring manager experience.

Requirements

• 8+ years of full-lifecycle IT/technical recruiting experience with a documented record of excellence,
• 5+ years of experience recruiting in a government contracting (GovCon) environment.
• Proven AI/ML recruiting depth: successful placements of machine learning engineers, data scientists, or AI researchers/engineers, with the technical fluency to screen credibly for ML frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow), data pipelines, MLOps, and model deployment.
• Demonstrated cleared-talent recruiting experience (Secret/TS/TS-SCI): command of clearance types and timelines, crossover and reciprocity dynamics, and cleared-market compensation.
• Elite direct-sourcing craft — advanced Boolean/x-ray search, talent mapping, competitor intelligence, and outreach that converts passive, in-demand candidates.
• Breadth across technical domains — software engineering, cloud/DevOps, data engineering, and/or cybersecurity — sufficient to carry a mixed requisition load.
• Offer-stage excellence: a track record of constructing competitive offers, pre-closing candidates, and defending against counteroffers in high-demand markets.
• Operational discipline: ATS fluency (Workable or similar) and sourcing tools (LinkedIn Recruiter, ClearanceJobs, etc.), with rigorous, same-day documentation habits.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the confidence to present market intelligence and pipeline strategy to hiring managers, stakeholders, and senior leadership.

Desired Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, a technical field, or a related field (or equivalent work experience).
• Professional recruiting certifications — AIRS Certified Internet Recruiter (CIR) or Advanced CIR, AIRS Professional Recruiter Certification (PRC), LinkedIn Certified Professional–Recruiter, ASA Certified Staffing Professional (CSP), or NAPS Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC).
• HR credentials such as SHRM-CP/SCP or HRCI PHR/aPHR, with working familiarity of OFCCP-compliant recruiting and documentation practices in a federal contractor environment.
• Experience delivering surge or high-volume technical campaigns under compressed timelines.
• Experience recruiting for AI/data programs specifically (e.g., ML platforms, analytics modernization, mission AI applications).

Benefits

CATHEXIS offers competitive compensation packages to all eligible employees. Our goal is to provide a compensation package that reflects the value you bring to our team, is competitive with national average market rates, and promotes your financial security and personal well-being. The annual salary range for this role is $115,000 - $125,000. Please note that the salary information provided is a general guideline. CATHEXIS considers various factors in its final offer, including location, qualifications, experience, and skills. 

• Performance Bonuses
• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• 401(k) Plan (Traditional and ROTH)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Paid Time Off
• 11 Federal Holidays
• Parental Leave
• Commuter Benefits
• Short Term & Long Term Disability
• Training & Development
• Wellness Program
• Community Outreach Initiatives

CATHEXIS is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability EEO IS THE LAW. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation as part of the employment selection process, please contact the Recruiting Department RecruitingTeam@cathexiscorp.com