Head of Talent Acquisition, APAC

Head of Talent Acquisition, APAC

About Cognition

Cognition is an applied AI lab focused on reasoning. We are building AI teammates like Devin, the world’s first AI software engineer, to help people build and create things together. We are a lean team of builders, researchers, and engineers, and we are expanding our global footprint to the APAC region to capture top-tier technical and research talent.

The Role

As the Head of Talent Acquisition, APAC, you will build and execute the foundational talent strategy for Cognition’s expansion into the Asia-Pacific region. You will own the end-to-end recruitment lifecycle for our APAC offices. You will be responsible for sourcing, attracting, and hiring world-class AI researchers, applied engineers, and operational talent. You will champion our lean hiring frameworks, maintain an extraordinarily high quality bar, and establish Cognition as an employer of choice in APAC.

Key Responsibilities

• APAC Strategy & Execution: Design and execute a localized, aggressive talent acquisition strategy tailored to competitive APAC markets (e.g., Tokyo, Singapore, Sydney).
• Full-Cycle Recruiting: Own the full hiring lifecycle for critical technical roles, including advanced AI research, software engineering, and strategic operations.
• Lean Frameworks: Implement high-signal, lean interview pipelines that respect candidate time while ruthlessly filtering for exceptional problem-solving and technical excellence.
• Executive & Research Sourcing: Proactively map out and headhunt elite talent from top universities, research institutes, and competing tech firms across the region.
• Stakeholder Partnership: Act as a strategic talent partner to founders, engineering leads, and the Global VP of Talent, delivering data-driven market insights and hiring metrics.
• Employer Branding: Elevate Cognition’s brand presence in APAC through targeted developer communities, university partnerships, and tech events.

What We’re Looking For

• Experience: 8+ years of talent acquisition experience, with at least 3+ years leading technical recruiting or executive search within high-growth AI labs, top-tier tech companies, or elite research organizations.
• AI/Deep Tech Literacy: Deep understanding of the AI/ML landscape, software engineering ecosystems, and the competitive nuances of hiring specialized technical talent.
• APAC Market Expertise: Proven track record of scaling teams across multiple APAC jurisdictions, navigating local labor laws, compensation expectations, and cultural nuances.
• Scale & Agility: Experience operating in fast-paced environments (similar to high-growth stages at Scale AI, Webflow, or Mapbox) where you have built pipelines from scratch.
• First-Principles Thinking: A data-driven mindset with the ability to question traditional recruiting paradigms and build innovative frameworks for assessing elite talent.
• Communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate highly technical, complex visions to passive candidates.