Contract Technical Recruiter AI/ML (Ethiopia)

About the role

The company plans to hire about 15 AI Engineers, ML Engineers and Data Scientists over the next six months and currently relies on Ten Academy and external agencies. This contract role builds its own capacity while working alongside them. You will own technical requisitions end to end: shaping role scorecards with hiring managers, sourcing passive talent across Ethiopia's tech market, screening for real technical fit and closing offers. You will also leave behind durable assets such as sourcing channels, a repeatable interview cadence and clean data.

Key responsibilities

• Run full-cycle recruiting for AI, ML and Data Science requisitions, from intake to signed offer.
• Partner with hiring managers to write role scorecards that clearly separate AI Engineer, ML Engineer and Data Scientist profiles.
• Source passive candidates through LinkedIn, GitHub, Kaggle, university networks (AAU, AASTU and others), local tech communities, meetups and referrals.
• Build and maintain at least three sustainable sourcing channels that reduce agency spend.
• Screen candidates for technical substance: projects shipped, frameworks used, production versus research experience.
• Coordinate interview loops, keep candidates informed and follow up within 2 business days.
• Manage offers and closing, including compensation conversations and counter-offer risk.
• Keep the ATS at 95% completeness and publish a weekly pipeline and metrics report.
• Use AI and automation tools for sourcing, outreach and scheduling where they save time.
• Work alongside Ten Academy as a complementary talent source.
• Before contract end, hand over a documented playbook: channels, templates, scorecards and benchmarks.

Required profile

• Hands-on technical sourcing experience: you have personally found and closed engineers, not only coordinated.
• Deep knowledge of the Ethiopian tech talent market, including where AI/ML talent sits and what it costs.
• Strong written and spoken English.
• 5+ years in recruiting, with at least 3 years hiring software, data science, AI/ML talent in Ethiopia or East Africa.
• Able to work primarily between 9:30 AM and 6:30 PM ET.

Required skills

• Technical sourcing and candidate screening
• ATS management
• Recruiting software