Application Guide
How to Apply for Senior Recruiter (UK)
at Recursion
🏢 About Recursion
Recursion is a biotechnology company pioneering industrial-scale drug discovery through the convergence of biology, chemistry, and computation. Their unique approach leverages AI and machine learning to map complex biological data, aiming to decode diseases and accelerate therapeutic development. Candidates are drawn to their mission-driven culture, cutting-edge technology, and potential to transform healthcare.
About This Role
This Senior Recruiter role is a strategic partnership position focused on Clinical Development hiring across the UK and US, requiring deep market expertise in biotech and life sciences. You'll lead end-to-end recruitment for senior and specialized roles, build talent pipelines, and ensure an inclusive candidate experience while aligning with Recursion's mission. The role is impactful as it directly supports the company's growth by securing top clinical talent essential for advancing their drug discovery pipeline.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve partnering with Clinical Development leaders to refine hiring strategies for a senior role, sourcing and screening candidates across the UK and US using AI tools, and conducting interviews while ensuring an inclusive experience. You could also analyze recruitment metrics to diagnose challenges and collaborate with the People Team to align efforts with organizational goals.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Recursion Is Looking For
- Has 7-10+ years of recruiting experience with a proven track record in Clinical Development hiring within biotech, pharma, or life sciences corporate environments.
- Demonstrates hands-on experience supporting both UK and US hiring markets, including knowledge of regional compliance and practices for senior and specialized roles.
- Possesses experience leveraging AI recruiting technologies and best practices to optimize talent acquisition in high-growth or research-driven organizations.
- Can manage complex, full-cycle searches while acting as a strategic advisor to leaders on hiring strategy, role design, and market dynamics.
📝 Tips for Applying to Recursion
Tailor your resume to highlight specific Clinical Development recruiting successes in biotech/life sciences, quantifying metrics like time-to-fill or offer acceptance rates for senior roles.
Emphasize any experience with AI recruiting tools (e.g., AI-powered sourcing or screening platforms) and how you've used them to improve hiring outcomes.
Research Recursion's drug discovery pipeline and mention how your recruiting expertise in Clinical Development can support their specific therapeutic areas or phases.
Showcase your knowledge of UK and US hiring markets by referencing regional differences in compliance (e.g., UK right-to-work vs. US visa processes) or talent pools.
Include examples of building talent pipelines for clinical, regulatory, or related disciplines, ideally with a focus on passive candidate engagement in competitive markets.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Explain how your Clinical Development recruiting experience aligns with Recursion's focus on biotech and life sciences, citing specific roles or functions you've hired for.", 'Highlight your ability to act as a strategic partner to leaders, advising on hiring strategy and market dynamics in both the UK and US.', "Demonstrate your commitment to inclusive hiring and delivering a high-quality candidate experience that reflects Recursion's mission-driven culture.", "Mention any familiarity with AI in recruiting and how you've leveraged data or insights to improve hiring processes in previous roles."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Explore Recursion's drug discovery platform and pipeline (e.g., therapeutic areas, clinical stages) to understand their Clinical Development hiring needs.
- → Review their company culture and mission statements to grasp how they integrate technology and biology, which may influence candidate messaging.
- → Investigate their recent news or growth initiatives in the UK and US to identify potential hiring priorities or expansion plans.
- → Look into their use of AI in operations, as this may relate to their expectations for AI recruiting technologies mentioned in the job description.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic resume without highlighting specific Clinical Development recruiting experience in biotech, pharma, or life sciences.
- Failing to demonstrate knowledge of both UK and US hiring markets, such as overlooking compliance differences or regional talent trends.
- Neglecting to mention experience with AI recruiting technologies or data-driven hiring improvements, which are explicitly listed in the requirements.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!