Sr. Technical Recruiter - Defense and National Security Programs

Senior Technical Recruiter

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for energy systems research and development. Join NREL, where world-class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NREL stands out in the research community for its commitment to an affordable and secure energy future. Spanning foundational science to applied systems engineering and analysis, we focus on solving complex challenges to deliver advanced, secure, reliable, and cost-effective energy solutions. Our work helps strengthen U.S. industries, support job creation, and promote national economic growth. At NREL, you'll find a mission-driven environment supported by state-of-the-art facilities, multidisciplinary research teams, and strong collaborations with industry, academia, and other national laboratories. We offer robust professional development opportunities, and a competitive benefits package designed to support your career and well-being.

This position is located in Colorado and requires the selected candidate to reside in Colorado. A hybrid work schedule is required, with regular weekly onsite presence. Relocation benefits are available. In this role you will :

• Recruit for roles requiring Q / SCI, TS / SCI, or other clearances as required and partner with hiring managers to develop and implement tailored recruiting strategies.
• Partner directly with senior leaders supporting national security programs.
• Build cleared pipelines to support defense, energy security, and national security domains.
• Attend classified-focused hiring events and shape proactive outreach. Some events will require active clearance to attend.
• Use acquired federal or contractor-side experience in a national laboratory setting.
• Collaborate with management to conduct workforce planning, assess current staffing, identify future needs, and address skill gaps.
• Manage the full cycle recruitment process.
• Work proactively with Technical Sourcers to build and maintain a pipeline of cleared candidates using industry networks and clearance-specific talent pools which may include networking, job boards, conferences, career fairs, advertising, and proactive outreach.
• Work with the Talent Acquisition Manager to partner lab wide with managers for non-cleared technical or operational roles as needed.
• Ensure a seamless candidate experience and promote NREL as an employer of choice within the cleared talent market.
• Stay informed about the job market for relevant skill sets and actively build a network of candidates through professional relationships.
• Partner with Human Resource Business Partners and leaders at all levels to deliver an efficient and effective recruitment process.
• Provide exceptional service to internal clients by addressing their hiring needs with professionalism and responsiveness.
• Lead intake meetings with hiring managers and stakeholders to set expectations, communicate progress, develop action plans, and address potential challenges.
• Regularly update management on the status of open requisitions, candidates, and hiring timelines, ensuring positions are filled promptly.
• Screen and align candidate profiles with organizational staffing objectives to ensure the best matches for open roles.
• Conduct intake meetings with managers to develop strategy before scheduling phone screens to evaluate candidate qualifications.
• Provide candidates with comprehensive information about job postings and NREL as an employer.
• Manage candidate communications, including pre-interview briefings and post-interview debriefings.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date candidate records in the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Workday.
• Prepare and extend employment offers in alignment with NREL's policies and procedures.
• Handle job offers, negotiations, and ensure proper administration of employment offers.
• Contribute to recruiting metrics and reports to track progress and inform decision-making.
• Stay current with outreach strategies, industry trends, and innovative recruitment practices.
• Efficiently and effectively fill positions while ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations.
• Demonstrate strong relationship-building skills.
• Maintain general knowledge of employment laws and regulations relevant to recruiting practices.
• Travel as needed to attend conferences, career fairs, and other recruitment-related events.

Basic Qualifications Relevant Bachelor's Degree and 9 or more years of experience or equivalent relevant education / experience. Or, relevant Master's Degree and 7 or more years of experience or equivalent relevant education / experience. Or, relevant PhD and 4 or more years of experience or equivalent relevant education / experience. Or, relevant JD and 4 or more years of experience or equivalent relevant education / experience. Applies extensive technical expertise, and has full knowledge of other related disciplines. Contributes to the development of new concepts, techniques and standards. Considered internal subject matter expert. Extensive knowledge of laws, regulations, principles, procedures and practices related to specific field. Excellent leadership, project management and problem solving skills. Ability to use various computer software programs.

Additional Required Qualifications Minimum of nine years of recruiting experience, including direct, hands-on experience recruiting cleared professionalsnot just general recruitingwith a focus on supporting sensitive federal programs within the intelligence, defense, or national security community, including C-level roles. Must be familiar with recruiting candidates with active clearances or having discussions with eligible candidates regarding clearance requirements. These events require all attendees, including Recruiters, to have a clearance. Experienced in partnering with Facility Security Officers (FSOs) to verify clearance statuses and ensure compliance, and in advising hiring managers on clearance requirements, candidate eligibility, and expected adjudication timelines. Must be able to attend invitation-only events for cleared candidates. Comprehensive understanding of the security clearance process and compliance requirements. Expertise in technical recruiting, with extensive knowledge of related disciplines, industry laws, regulations, and best practices. Recognized as an internal subject matter expert with strong leadership, project management, and problem-solving skills, contributing to the development of innovative concepts, techniques, and standards, and proficiency in various software tools. Proven ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects and client relationships while building trust, establishing credibility, and effectively influencing stakeholders. Must have an active clearance or have the ability to obtain a TS level security clearance is required. Eligibility requirements : To obtain a clearance, an individual must be at least 18 years of age; U.S. citizenship is required.

Preferred Qualifications Knowledge of federal hiring practices, veteran recruitment strategies, and IC / DOD contracting structures. Experience using recruiting platforms like ClearanceJobs, ClearedJobs.Net, or military transition pipelines such as SkillBridge, etc. Demonstrated ability to navigate matrixed or government-affiliated organizations. Prior experience working directly with hiring managers in classified or Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) environments. Prior experience working in Government Agencies, a National Laboratory or Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) is a plus.

Job Application Submission Window The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week) Job Profile : Professional IV / Annual Salary Range : $97,800 - $176,000 NREL takes into consideration a candidate's education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee's salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.

Benefits Summary Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; short- and long-term disability insurance; pension benefits; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match; life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance; personal time off (PTO) and sick leave; paid holidays; and tuition reimbursement

Badging Requirement NREL is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation.

Drug Free Workplace NREL is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug. If you are offered employment at NREL, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

Submission Guidelines Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at N