Contract Recruiter

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.

Panther is about to launch Pique™ Labs, our first skincare brand, and we’re looking for a full-cycle 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 engineering, production and commercial roles, from co-ops and engineers to senior leaders..

You will run recruiting for Panther end to end. Recruiting at Panther is a team of one, so 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 CEO, CTO and 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 and 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.

This role works on Eastern Time to stay in sync with our teams in New York and Pittsburgh. Depending on where you’re based, you may need to travel to our NYC office for team meetings, interviews and key hiring events.

The role starts as a contract, with a real path to a full-time role as Panther grows. Full-time roles require relocating to New York City.

• 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 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.

• Own multiple open roles at once, 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, CDMO, cosmetics and consumer brands, and complex manufacturing.

• Source passive candidates through LinkedIn, referrals and industry networks, and build pipelines ahead of upcoming roles so searches start warm.

• Review inbound applications in Ashby using our evaluation framework and AI-assisted screening.

• Run recruiter screens 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.

• 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.

• Benchmark compensation, 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.

• 5+ years of full-cycle recruiting experience, owning searches end to end, from kickoff and sourcing through offer and close, with little or no support.

• 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.

• A strong generalist recruiter who has hired for technical roles (engineering, manufacturing, quality or R&D) or commercial and go-to-market roles, and who is eager to learn new technical areas quickly.

• 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.

• Confidence partnering with executives and hiring managers, and the judgment to push back with data when needed.

• Experience building and closing offers, including base, bonus and equity.

• Experience with an applicant tracking system, ideally Ashby.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, and the discretion to handle confidential information.

• Recruiting experience in medical devices, biotech, pharmaceuticals or life sciences is a plus.

• Startup or high-growth company experience, especially building recruiting processes from scratch, is a plus.

• Experience with Director, VP or C-suite searches is a plus.

• Experience using AI tools in recruiting is a plus.

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.