Recruiter, Life Sciences & Medtech

Panther: Better Health Is Skin Deep

Panther is unlocking the tremendous biological power of our skin, delivering efficacious, shelf-stable treatments directly to customers. Panther's precisely engineered smart microarray patches (SmartPatches) address a wide range of needs in Skin Health (cosmetics, medical aesthetics) and are designed to treat conditions in Systemic Health (infectious diseases, allergies, cancer, autoimmune diseases, metabolic disorders). Billions of people around the world lack access to effective treatment, and we will change this.

SmartPatches enable effective, tech-enabled customer experiences, and our AI platform provides valuable insights for improved patient outcomes and the development of even better treatments. SmartPatches are affordable to manufacture and distribute, and easy to apply, resulting in greater access and market expansion. Panther is developing clinically validated products, the first of which launches in 2027.

The Opportunity

Panther is about to launch Pique™ Labs, our first skincare brand, and we're looking for a full-cycle life sciences and medtech recruiter to own hiring through our biggest growth stretch yet. Many of our departments are already built, and over the next six months they will grow significantly across R&D, engineering, manufacturing, quality and commercial roles, from co-ops and engineers to senior leaders. You will run recruiting for Panther end to end.

You will own every step: kicking off searches with hiring managers, writing job descriptions, sourcing and screening candidates, running the interview process, closing offers together with hiring managers, and welcoming new hires on day one. You will partner directly with our leadership team and scientific and engineering leaders in New York and Pittsburgh, and every hire you make will shape how Panther builds its first products. You won't be starting from scratch.

Our processes are already in place so you can hit the ground running, and you'll be supported by our Ashby ATS, an AI agent trained on Panther's culture, team and processes that helps evaluate candidates, and other tools. Panther will keep adding recruiting tools and support through 2027.

The role starts as a contract, with a real path to a full-time role as Panther grows. Remote contractors must be available during Eastern Time business hours, and full-time roles require relocating to New York City.

The Impact You'll Make here

- Help Panther hit its goals on time by staffing every team with great people who share our values and bring the skills and experience each team needs.
- Panther's priority scientific, engineering, manufacturing and commercial roles are filled with strong hires, on time, across New York and Pittsburgh.
- Every open role has a kickoff, a clear job description, a clear strategy and a defined interview process.
- Hiring managers and the CEO get a clear weekly view of every search, and Ashby is accurate and up to date.
- Candidates have a fast, respectful experience, and offers close at the right level within our ranges.
- New hires arrive ready for day one, with onboarding coordinated with their manager and team.

What You Will Do

Build and Source Every Search

- Own multiple open roles at once across R&D, formulation, process and device engineering, manufacturing, quality, regulatory and commercial, from co-ops and technical individual contributors to senior leaders and executives.
- Run kickoffs with hiring managers to define the role, must-haves, interview panel and timeline, then write and post the job description.
- Map target companies and talent for each search, across medical device, biotech, pharma, CDMOs and CMOs, dermatology and skincare brands, and complex manufacturing.
- Source passive candidates through LinkedIn and creative channels beyond it, such as referrals, conferences and trade shows, patents and scientific publications, professional associations, alumni networks, investor and advisor networks, and university programs like the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon.
- Use AI-powered sourcing and outreach tools alongside LinkedIn to find hard-to-reach talent, and build pipelines ahead of upcoming roles so searches start warm.

Lead, Screen, Interview and Decide

- Review inbound applications in Ashby using our evaluation framework and AI-assisted screening.
- Run recruiter screens that test both technical fit and culture fit, and share a short assessment after each, with strengths, concerns and a clear recommendation: Move forward, Hold or Reject.
- Design each role's interview process, including who tests what and when to use a take-home assignment or technical presentation.
- Coordinate scheduling, from CEO interviews to in-person final rounds in New York and Pittsburgh, and lead debriefs so decisions happen fast.
- Keep candidate trackers and shortlists scored against each role's criteria, and give every candidate a respectful experience.

Close, Onboard and Run Recruiting

- Benchmark compensation for life sciences and medtech roles, recommend offers within our ranges, explain early-stage stock options, and close offers with hiring managers.
- Run reference checks, prepare offer letters, and coordinate welcome emails and first-day logistics.
- Report weekly to the CEO and leadership on pipeline, progress and risks.
- Support headcount planning and help prioritize roles against the hiring plan.
- Keep our careers site and postings up to date, and manage recruiting tools and spend, such as LinkedIn Recruiter and job ads.
- Use AI every day to work faster, from sourcing to writing job descriptions and candidate summaries.

Qualifications

- 5+ years of full-cycle recruiting experience in life sciences, medical devices, biotech or pharma, owning searches end to end, from kickoff and sourcing through offer and close, with little or no support.
- A track record of hiring for technical and scientific roles, such as R&D, engineering, manufacturing, quality or regulatory, at an in-house team or a specialized life sciences search firm.
- Working knowledge of the life sciences and medtech landscape: the key companies, the talent pools, and how roles and titles differ across startups, CDMOs and large medical device and pharma companies.
- Sharp judgment for talent: you can spot high-potential candidates quickly, read beyond the resume, and recognize who will thrive in a fast-moving startup.
- Strong sourcing skills and a track record of hiring passive candidates, not just filling roles from inbound applicants.
- Experience managing multiple open roles at once while keeping hiring managers and candidates up to date.
- Comfortable partnering with executives, scientists and engineering leaders, and uses data to push back when needed.
- Experience building and closing offers, including delivering equity packages.
- Experience with an applicant tracking system, ideally Ashby or Greenhouse.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, and the discretion to handle confidential information.
- Experience using AI tools in recruiting.

Benefits

- Build something unique and high-impact with a world-class team of experts in technology, healthcare, and science.
- Equity in the form of stock options
- Competitive health insurance, including 90% employer-paid medical, plus dental and vision
- Life, AD&D and short-term disability insurance
- Paid time off and paid company holidays
- In-person company events
- Fully stocked kitchen, plus in-office lunch twice a week

Equal Opportunity Employer

Panther Life Sciences is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital or partnership status, age, national origin, citizenship, veteran or military status, disability, medical condition, genetic information, caregiver status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Compensation

As a pre-Series A startup, Panther Life Sciences is committed to offering fair market value compensation and benefits, combined with a compelling equity grant that aligns your success with the company's growth. The anticipated base salary for this position in New York, NY is listed below with meaningful equity grants in the form of stock options. Offered salary will be reflective of job related knowledge, skills and commensurate experience. $110K – $140K • Offers Equity