Principal University Recruiter, Tech

About the role and team

Leading at Uber means setting direction in motion, not waiting for perfect conditions. As a Principal Technical Recruiter on the uBecome team, you will lead the strategy for one of Uber's most specialized and business-critical talent pipelines: PhD Software Engineering and Science early talent.

This isn't a role for someone who prefers a predictable pace. You'll operate in a high-stakes, high-ambiguity environment where exceptional PhD talent is limited, business needs evolve quickly, and long-term workforce planning is just as important as today's hiring goals. You will partner closely with senior Engineering and Science leaders to shape hiring strategy, advise on emerging research talent markets, and build sustainable pipelines that support Uber's future technical innovation.

Success in this role requires deep expertise in technical recruiting, strong business acumen, and the ability to influence senior stakeholders through data, market intelligence, and trusted partnerships. You'll serve as the recruiting expert for PhD hiring, while also helping elevate recruiting practices across the broader uBecome organization through thought leadership, mentorship, and strategic initiatives.

What you'll do

• Serve as the strategic recruiting lead for PhD Software Engineering and Science hiring, developing long-term talent strategies that align with Uber's technical roadmap and workforce planning.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior Engineering and Science leaders, influencing hiring strategy through market intelligence, competitive insights, and deep understanding of the PhD talent landscape.
• Develop innovative sourcing strategies that identify and engage exceptional PhD candidates across top universities, research institutions, conferences, and technical communities.
• Interpret recruiting metrics, market trends, and pipeline analytics to identify opportunities, mitigate hiring risks, and recommend data-driven improvements to recruiting strategy.
• Build and lead inclusive, objective hiring processes that ensure candidates are assessed against the technical competencies and research capabilities required to succeed at Uber.
• Navigate complex hiring scenarios with confidence, advising business leaders and candidates through challenging negotiations, tradeoffs, and closing strategies.
• Partner cross-functionally with Compensation, Immigration, People, and Recruiting Operations to remove barriers and deliver an exceptional candidate and stakeholder experience.
• Lead strategic recruiting initiatives that improve how Uber attracts, evaluates, and hires specialized technical talent, while sharing best practices across the broader uBecome organization.
• Mentor recruiters and serve as a role model for recruiting excellence, helping raise the bar for technical recruiting across the team.
• Flex across additional early-career and technical recruiting priorities as business needs evolve, bringing strategic expertise to high-impact hiring initiatives.

Basic Qualifications

• 6+ years of professional recruiting experience.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience leading full-cycle technical recruiting in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
• Experience recruiting highly specialized technical talent, including PhD Software Engineering, Applied Science, Machine Learning, AI, Research, or related disciplines.

Preferred Qualifications

• 7+ years of technical recruiting experience with expertise supporting Engineering, Science, or research-focused organizations.
• Proven ability to influence Director and Senior Director stakeholders on hiring strategy, workforce planning, and organizational talent decisions.
• Deep understanding of the PhD recruiting landscape, including university ecosystems, research communities, and competitive market dynamics.
• Expertise in interpreting recruiting metrics and market intelligence to influence executive-level hiring decisions.
• Demonstrated success building long-term talent pipelines for highly specialized technical roles through innovative sourcing and external partnerships.
• Experience mentoring recruiters and leading strategic initiatives that improve recruiting effectiveness across an organization.
• Experience with enterprise ATS platforms and a strong commitment to operational excellence, data integrity, and continuous process improvement.
• Strong systems thinking with the ability to balance immediate hiring priorities with long-term workforce strategy.

 

 

 

For San Francisco, CA-based roles: The base salary range for this role is USD $150,000 per year - USD $167,000 per year.

You will be eligible to participate in Uber's bonus program, and may be offered an equity award & other types of comp. All full-time employees are eligible to participate in a 401(k) plan. You will also be eligible for various benefits.