Lead Recruiter

Location

Munich

Employment Type

Full time

Location Type

On-site

Department

People & Workplace Experience

WHO WE ARE

Proxima Fusion is Europe’s fastest-growing fusion company and the continent’s best-funded fusion player, as well as the first spin-out from the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP). Backed by over €650M and powered by a growing team across Munich, Zurich, and Oxford, we are developing the hardware and infrastructure needed to deliver the world’s first commercial stellarator fusion power plant.

Our concept advances the most mature fusion technology out there, the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator, through two next-generation machines: Alpha and Stellaris. Our work combines stellarator optimization, advanced computation, machine learning, and high-temperature superconducting magnets to unlock higher-performance designs that were previously out of reach.

Turning these designs into a functioning fusion power plant requires excellence and ownership across every discipline, from physics and engineering to software, manufacturing, law, and business functions.

WHY JOIN PROXIMA FUSION

Work on a civilisation-scale problem- Clean, baseload fusion energy is one of the few genuinely world-changing challenges, and every hire in Finance, People, or Legal directly accelerates the path to a working stellarator.
Grow as fast as the company does - With headcount set to roughly 5x in a few years and major technical milestones ahead on the path to our demo machine and first power plant, your role grows under you; today's hire is tomorrow's function lead.
Tackle problems that don't exist elsewhere - Fusion sits at a rare intersection of deep-tech R&D, industrial procurement, government relations, and venture financing, so non-tech functions face challenges no other workplace can offer.

YOUR IMPACT

As Lead Recruiter, you'll be joining Proxima Fusion's People team during a pivotal period of growth. You'll be responsible for identifying, attracting, and hiring world-class talent, ensuring each new joiner is not just a fit for today but a multiplier for the future. Your work will shape the caliber of the company and directly influence our ability to deliver fusion energy to the world.

Beyond running full-cycle recruitment, you will take meaningful ownership of how our TA function operates.This is what makes this role special: it will stretch you and help you grow professionally.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Own and execute full-cycle recruitment for critical roles across engineering, science, operations, etc, as well as leading the TA function on a strategic level.
Partner closely with hiring managers to define hiring needs,build unique sourcing strategies beyond LinkedIn, and deliver top-tier candidates.
Drive top-of-funnel strategy: proactively source and engage exceptional passive talent globally via recruitment events, conferences and talent communities.
Champion an outstanding candidate experience at every touchpoint.
Track, improve, and automate recruitment workflows and tooling to keep us fast, organized, and effective.
Build a high-trust, high-rigor process that supports scaling without compromising on quality.
Beyond filling roles, manage TA projects such as implementing a new system, or improving our process, or delivering interview training.

WHO YOU ARE

You bring hands-on experience in leading Talent Acquisition teams and growing the function strategically.
You have experience in driving full-cycle recruitment in a startup or scale-up, and have worked on technical and non technical roles including niche and difficult roles internationally.
You are used to hiring at a very high talent bar having to work with very selective hiring teams.
You thrive in fast-paced, high-stakes environments and take ownership very seriously.
You’re deeply motivated by quality-your standards are high and you won’t settle for less.
You have exceptional sourcing instincts and know how to identify talent others might overlook.
You think outside of the box especially when it comes to talent sourcing and attraction, using LinkedIn as one of the tools in your toolbox.
You’ve done and can do much more than that especially when it comes to events, talent communities and conferences.
You're organized, autonomous, and eager to improve systems and processes that scale.
You communicate clearly, act decisively, and work well with demanding stakeholders.
You’re truly excited to help build something audacious from the ground up.

INTERVIEW PROCESS

Recruiter Interview (30–45 min)
Panel Interviews (3 rounds, 60 min each)
CEO Call (30 min)

*This role sits at L3 of our framework, please inquire during the recruitment process for further information.

At Proxima Fusion, our mission is bold: making limitless clean energy a reality. To get there, we need a high-performing, diverse team that brings different perspectives, challenges assumptions, and builds together with purpose. We know that diversity of thought and experience leads to better ideas, stronger execution, and a more resilient team. We don’t look at how you identify, what you look like, who you choose to worship or what ethnicity you are. We care about what you can bring to the table.