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Talent Researcher Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Kinder's

Talent Sourcer (Contract)

Walnut Creek, CA · On-site

This role will partner closely with our Talent Strategy team to build robust talent pipelines, conduct market research, and uncover passive candidates who may not be actively looking, but are exactly ...

Kinder's

Talent Sourcer (Contract)

Walnut Creek, CA · On-site

This role will partner closely with our Talent Strategy team to build robust talent pipelines, conduct market research, and uncover passive candidates who may not be actively looking, but are exactly ...

Kinder's

Talent Sourcer (Contract)

Walnut Creek, CA

This role will partner closely with our Talent Strategy team to build robust talent pipelines, conduct market research, and uncover passive candidates who may not be actively looking, but are exactly ...

Scripps Research

DIRECTOR, TALENT ACQUISITION

San Diego, CA · On-site

$110K - $151K/yr

ABOUT US: Scripps Research is a nonprofit biomedical institute ranked as one of the most ... Director, Talent Acquisition POSITION SUMMARY: The Talent Acquisition Director leads the strategy ...

Scripps Research

DIRECTOR, TALENT ACQUISITION

San Diego, CA · On-site

$110K - $151K/yr

ABOUT US: Scripps Research is a nonprofit biomedical institute ranked as one of the most ... Director, Talent Acquisition POSITION SUMMARY: The Talent Acquisition Director leads the strategy ...

INSPYR Solutions

Quantitative Researcher

Menlo Park, CA · On-site

$50 - $70/hr

Quantitative Researcher Location: Onsite in Redmond WA, or Burlingame, CA Duration: 12 months ... As a national expert in delivering flexible technology and talent solutions, we strategically align ...

Metro One LPSG

Talent Specialist

Oakland, CA · On-site

$80K/yr

Talent Acquisition Specialist Responsibilities: • Build applicant pipeline by researching and contacting community services, local colleges, and networking within markets. • Determine the hiring ...

INSPYR Solutions

UX Researcher

Menlo Park, CA · On-site

$85/hr

Title: UX Researcher Location: Remote US Duration: 6 months Compensation: 60 - $85 /hr Work ... As a national expert in delivering flexible technology and talent solutions, we strategically align ...

NextDeavor Inc.

Talent Partner 4

San Jose, CA · Hybrid

$50.70 - $63.38/hr

Talent Partner 4 Full-time San Jose, CA, US You'll be joining Adobe on a contract opportunity ... Conduct market research and present competitive landscape insights supported by research and market ...

INSPYR Solutions

UX Researcher

Burlingame, CA · On-site

S. As a UX researcher on the UXR team, you'll have the opportunity to partner with other ... As a national expert in delivering flexible technology and talent solutions, we strategically align ...

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All JobsTalent Researcher JobsTalent Researcher Jobs in California

Talent Researcher information

See California salary details

$29.6K

$111.6K

$162.3K

How much do talent researcher jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for talent researcher in California is $111,621.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $66,100.00 and $152,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a talent researcher?

A Talent Researcher is responsible for identifying and sourcing potential candidates for job openings within an organization. They conduct market research, utilize databases, social media, and networking to find qualified professionals. Their role involves compiling candidate lists, assessing qualifications, and providing insights to recruiters or hiring managers. Talent Researchers help streamline the hiring process by ensuring a strong pipeline of potential candidates.

How to become a talent researcher?

To become a talent researcher, typically a bachelor's degree in human resources, psychology, or a related field is required. Developing skills in data analysis, sourcing tools, and applicant tracking systems can enhance employability, and gaining experience through internships or entry-level HR roles is beneficial.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a talent researcher?

To thrive as a Talent Researcher, you need strong analytical abilities, attention to detail, and a background in human resources or related fields, often supported by a bachelor's degree. Familiarity with applicant tracking systems (ATS), professional networking platforms like LinkedIn, and advanced sourcing tools is highly valuable. Excellent communication skills, persistence, and the ability to build relationships help set top performers apart. These skills are critical for efficiently identifying and engaging high-quality candidates to meet organizational talent needs.

What does a talent researcher do?

A typical day for a Talent Researcher involves proactively sourcing candidates through various online platforms, screening potential talent, and compiling detailed reports or talent pipelines for recruiters and hiring managers. You’ll spend time analyzing job requirements, conducting market mapping, and collaborating closely with the recruitment team to align on ideal profiles. The role includes both independent research and teamwork, often requiring strong organizational skills to juggle multiple open positions or projects. Regular communication with recruiters and hiring stakeholders is crucial to ensure candidates meet the specific needs of the business.

What are popular job titles related to Talent Researcher jobs in California? For Talent Researcher jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Talent Researcher jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Talent Researcher jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Talent Researcher jobs? Cities in California with the most Talent Researcher job openings:
Talent Researcher jobs near you
Infographic showing various Talent Researcher job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 84% Full Time, 8% Part Time, and 8% Contract. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $111,621 per year, or $53.7 per hour.

Principal Recruiter, Research Talent

Odyssey

Palo Alto, CA • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 14 days ago

Job description

Who we are
Odyssey is an AI lab pioneering general world models: causal, multimodal systems that learn to predict and interact with the world over long horizons. This foundational technology promises to revolutionize robotics, science, healthcare, education, gaming, defense, and beyond.
Odyssey's founders previously pioneered the most complex application of physical AI: self-driving cars. They've now brought together a world-class research team from DeepMind, Tesla, Waymo, Meta, Apple, and Wayve, who have made significant contributions to language models (DeepMind Gemini), video models (DeepMind Veo), world models (Wayve GAIA), and autonomous systems (Tesla FSD).
Odyssey has raised significant venture capital from GV, Amazon, AMD, EQT, NVIDIA, Natural Capital, In-Q-Tel, Elad Gil, Jeff Dean, Guillermo Rauch, Garry Tan, Kyle Vogt, and researchers from OpenAI, DeepMind, MSL, Recursive, and Thinking Machines.
What we're looking for
We are hiring our first Principal Recruiter dedicated entirely to research. This person will play a foundational role in how we identify, engage, and close world-class research talent.
Research hiring is rarely linear. The best candidates are often deeply embedded in their work, motivated by intellectual fit, and unlikely to respond to a conventional recruiting process. This role is for someone who knows how to build trust over time, understand the research landscape deeply, and help senior leaders make thoughtful, high-conviction hiring decisions.
You will partner closely with research leadership to define the talent we need, map the people and teams shaping the field, and create highly personalized approaches for exceptional candidates. This is not a high-volume recruiting role. It is a strategic, relationship-driven role focused on the researchers, technical leaders, and emerging talent who could meaningfully shape the future of our work.
You should be equally comfortable developing long-term market intelligence, advising leaders on candidate strategy, and personally driving sensitive, high-priority searches from first conversation through close.
What you'll do
  • Partner closely with research leadership to understand priorities, define critical talent needs, and build recruiting strategies for high-impact research hires.
  • Own deeply strategic searches for senior researchers, research leaders, and exceptional emerging talent across AI, machine learning, and adjacent technical fields.
  • Build a clear and continuously evolving map of the research talent market, including labs, universities, startups, companies, research groups, and individual contributors shaping the field.
  • Develop long-term relationships with outstanding candidates, including people who are not actively looking and may require thoughtful, patient engagement.
  • Turn market insight, network signal, and candidate context into practical recommendations for hiring managers and senior leaders.
  • Design and manage tailored candidate processes that reflect the seniority, motivations, confidentiality needs, and evaluation requirements of each search.
  • Advise on candidate positioning, timing, compensation strategy, closing approach, and potential risks for especially important hires.
  • Help establish the operating model, standards, and talent intelligence practices for research recruiting as the function grows.

Who you are
  • Significant experience recruiting highly technical, senior, executive, academic, or otherwise specialized talent.
  • A strong track record of building relationships with exceptional candidates who are not actively searching or who require a highly personalized recruiting approach.
  • Excellent judgment, discretion, and follow-through in sensitive or confidential hiring situations.
  • Deep curiosity about AI research, technical talent markets, and the people and institutions shaping the frontier.
  • Strong talent intelligence instincts: you know how to gather context, interpret incomplete information, and convert signal into action.
  • Experience partnering with senior leaders and influencing recruiting strategy in ambiguous, fast-moving environments.
  • The ability to balance long-term relationship building with the urgency required to close critical hires.
  • A low-ego, high-ownership approach to building something important from an early stage.

Apply