Human talent. Artificial intelligence.
Recruiting talent for the AI Revolution
HSF connects the people advancing AI with the startups shaping its future.
Trusted by startups from seed to IPO
Coast to coast
15+ years recruiting
Quality over quantity
Built for startups
We understand what it takes to build from the ground up.
Startup recruiting is different. The right person needs more than the qualifications on a job description. They need to be comfortable with ambiguity, take ownership, move quickly, and contribute beyond the boundaries of a narrowly defined role.
We’ve spent more than 15 years working with startups at different stages of growth. We understand the difference between hiring for an early-stage team and recruiting the people needed to scale an established operation.
That experience informs how we approach every search, how we evaluate talent, and how we help startups tell their story to the people they want to attract.
How it works
A calibrated process — for startups and for candidates.
Listen first. Understand what you’re building. Find people who can help build it.
Then we run a clear, well-defined search. We would rather send a short list of people who fit than a long list of people who don’t.
For startups
Listen first
We take the time to understand what sets you apart, and how to tell your story, before we go to market.
Source and pre-screen
We source, contact, and pre-screen for both technical and soft skills, so you meet people who are ready to talk.
Present a short list
Quality over quantity: calibrated candidates who align with your startup culture and understand your value proposition.
Keep the process moving
In competitive markets, a slow or unclear interview process loses people. We stay prompt, attentive, and efficient through interviews and offer.
For candidates
Listen first
Before we suggest a role, we work to understand your background, your ambitions, and what isn’t working today.
Calibrated options
We’ll point you in the right direction — and we won’t sell you an opportunity that isn’t right. If we can’t help, we’ll say so.
Prep and advocate
We work with you through the interview process, prep you for each conversation, and advocate for you with the startup. We only win when you win.
Your information stays yours
Only startups to which you have explicitly given us your permission will ever see your resume and profile.
Who we place
Engineering, product, design, and leadership.
We place full-time talent at the staff and management levels — and we also run executive, director, and difficult-to-source niche searches. We work with startups at every stage — seed, Series A, B, and C, scaling, pre-IPO, and beyond — from a first engineering hire to hire number 200.
Development
Software engineering
Data Science
Applied science and ML
Data Engineering
Data platform and pipelines
DevOps
Infrastructure and platform
Product
Product management
Design
Product and design talent
QA / Test
Quality and testing
Leadership
Director and executive search
Why HSF
Great technology starts with great people.
HSF Consulting’s track record in startup recruiting started in Silicon Valley. Today we work coast to coast — New York, San Francisco, and every major U.S. market — along with remote roles and Canadian searches.
With more than 15 years of startup recruiting experience, we understand what it takes to build teams at every stage of growth. From a startup’s first critical hire to the people who will lead it through its next phase, we focus on finding professionals who bring the experience, initiative, and perspective to make a meaningful impact.
We ride the balance of “do it right” and “get it done.” That means thoughtful conversations, a clear process, and a short list of people who actually fit.
Andy Natusch, founder and principal recruiter. Works coast to coast.
Testimonials
What hiring leaders have said.
In their own words, from leaders HSF has hired for.
We have worked with HSF now to fill 3 critical roles - two for hands on architects and one for an experienced community manager. They have always exceeded my expectations when it comes to how quickly they present excellent candidates. Somehow they find the people who are not only great for the position, but also ready to make a move.
OpenSource Foundation Exec
I am a big fan of Andy and his team. He is a pleasure to work with and delivers great talent. Andy helped us make several important hires in a very difficult hiring market.
Uber Exec
Andy is unique in his ability to find the right candidate. He takes the time to get to know candidates and makes them feel taken care of. At the same time he asks probing questions to help uncover the exact needs of hiring managers. He helped my company (now part of Google) with a key Android opening. We hired the first person he sent us! I highly recommend his recruiting.
Google Exec
I have been working with HSF for several years. They have helped me hire multiple talented product managers, engineers, and data analysts. He(Andy) is dedicated to the searches, highly effective, market knowledgeable, and very transparent.
AdTech CTO
Refer a friend
Know someone great? Earn up to $3,000 per placement.
If you refer a friend who we place, you can earn up to $3,000. You can also choose to remain anonymous.
AI is the future.
People make it happen.
For startups
Ready to hire?
Tell us about the role. We’ll listen first, then help you build a focused search — retained or contingent, based on what you need.
For candidates
Looking for your next role?
Browse open searches, or reach out to talk about what you want next. We won’t pitch you a job that isn’t a fit.