Contrario (YC W25) is building the AI-powered recruiting engine for startups. We place top talent at companies like Eight Sleep and Slash through a managed network of 100+ high-performing recruiters and boutique agencies. We’re profitable, growing quickly, and scaling toward $1M+ ARR.

About Contrario

Contrario (YC W25) is building an AI-powered recruiting marketplace that connects elite startup recruiters with fast-growing companies through software and operational tooling. We’ve raised $2.5M from Y Combinator and Nexus Venture Partners, with angels from Hudson River Trading, Stanford, and OpenAI. Our customers include 50+ YC and venture-backed startups hiring across engineering and GTM roles.

The Role

We’re hiring Talent Operators to run full-cycle recruiting inside Contrario’s marketplace.

This is not a traditional recruiting role. As a Talent Operator, you will source, screen, submit, and manage candidates for real startup roles while actively using and stress-testing Contrario’s internal AI and recruiting tooling.

This is an execution-heavy, high-intensity role. Expect long days, high outbound volume, tight feedback loops, and constant iteration. We reward output, judgment, and consistency. Scope and upside increase only through performance.

Compensation

• Base salary: $60,000 – $70,000
• OTE: $85,000 – $100,000+
  (placement-driven; top performers are effectively uncapped)

Compensation is directly tied to revenue generated and quality of execution.

Equity (Performance-Based)

Equity is earned, not guaranteed.

• 0.01% – 0.05% equity granted after a successful 90-day performance window
• Up to 0.15% total equity after 6+ months of sustained high performance and expanded scope
• Equity is typically granted when transitioning into a broader ownership role (e.g. Account Manager or Marketplace Lead)

No equity is granted on day one. Equity is awarded based on demonstrated impact, reliability, and judgment.

Growth Path

This role is designed as a proving ground. Strong performers can grow into:

• Account Manager — owning companies, recruiters, and outcomes end-to-end
• GTM / Marketplace roles — sales, recruiter supply, or demand-side ownership
• Marketplace Leadership — managing Talent Operators and scaling systems and process

Career paths are not promised. They are unlocked through consistent execution, throughput, and trust.

If you want clear expectations, fast feedback, and real upside tied to performance, this role is built for you.

Responsibilities

• Source candidates daily using LinkedIn Recruiter and internal tools (JuiceBox, Contrario AI features)
• Run high-volume outbound and follow-ups across multiple roles
• Screen candidates quickly and assess fit, quality, and readiness
• Submit candidates into live startup roles on the Contrario platform
• Manage multiple candidate pipelines simultaneously
• Help grow recruiter supply by identifying and sourcing high-quality recruiters to the platform
• Actively use Contrario’s AI features and provide structured feedback to the engineering team
• Learn what high-quality recruiting actually looks like through reps, feedback, and outcomes
• Be accountable for throughput, judgment, and consistency

We’re building a scalable platform for high-volume data transfers between recruiters and companies. Our full-stack application helps manage candidate interactions, application submissions, and more. Alongside that, we’re developing AI-native sourcing tools, powered by the latest ML research, to make recruiters 10x more efficient.