Transforming AI startups with the top 0.01% talent

We Help NY and SF-based AI Startups Build Their Dream Founding Engineering Teams

Stellarseach Partnerships
Abstract teal green oval shape with a subtle gradient on a transparent background.

Trusted by AI startups. Built by engineers from the best teams.

White twelve-pointed starburst shape with gray shadow on transparent background.
Dash Border

We recruit top engineers from leading tech companies and place them into high-growth AI teams

Who We Hire For

We Hire For Teams Operating at The Frontier of AI

Unicorn icon in gradient green
Early to growth-stage AI startups
You're shipping LLM, multimodal, or agentic systems that matter. You need engineers who can move fast in uncertainty and turn research into production code.
group of 3 heads in a circle icon in gradient green
Founders hiring their first 1–20 engineers
You're not hiring for a role. You're building a team that moves faster than the market. Your engineers need to think in systems, code in production, and know when to break the rules.
AI Written on document, icon in gradient green
Teams building LLM, multimodal, and agentic systems
You've got a problem that matters and a narrow window to solve it. The engineers you need have already done something like this. They've shipped. They know what works and what doesn't.
Box icon in gradient green
Companies turning research into production
You measure progress in working code, not meetings. You need people who understand that research and production are different animals. They can bridge that gap because they've done it before.
Expertise

Deep expertise across applied AI domains

We've built depth across the systems reshaping AI. From the models that think to the interfaces that listen.

Illustration of business concept showing two people shaking hands over a contract, surrounded by icons of a crown, lock, briefcase, and charts connected by lines.
The applied AI world is incredibly niche.
We’ve built a deep, invite-only network of people actually building AI products, not just talking about them.
code brackets icon in gradient green
Real builders, not CVs
Engineers and researchers turning LLM papers, copilots, and agents into working products.
network icon in gradient green
Sourced, not scraped
No job boards or cold LinkedIn searches, this network is built through direct, technical relationships.
A wooden board with a photo frame and a plant pot on the right side placed on a dark wooden surface.
Young man in black shirt sitting at a table on a balcony during sunset, looking to the right with a menu in front of him.
Why founders trust Stellarsearch with their founding hires
StellarSearch is trusted because it’s built by someone who’s actually made founding hires work, not someone guessing from the sidelines.
rocket icon in gradient green
Founder-level experience
4+ years placing senior engineers and researchers into applied AI startups across NYC and SF, including founding and early technical hires.
Network icon in gradient green
Private, proven network
A closed network built through real placements across top AI labs and startups, used exclusively for StellarSearch clients.
Pattern of small turquoise stars scattered on a black background.
Pattern of small black star shapes scattered on a transparent background.
Blue curved arrow pointing right with a small yellow circle at the bottom left.
17-day Average Hire

Speed that actually matters

We deliver exceptional candidate submissions within 24 hours, backed by a 60-day placement guarantee. Our average time to hire is 17 days, from onboarding to offer acceptance.
Soft teal curved brushstroke with a white glow on a transparent background.

The numbers don't lie

We measure what matters. Placements that stick. Teams that scale. Founders who ship.

100%

Customer satisfaction

92%

Placement success

98%

Retention rate

Hiring for AI?

Tell us what you're building. We'll find the engineers who can ship it.

Start Hiring

Right Icon
Smiling young man with short brown hair wearing a red shirt against a beige background.Young man with curly dark hair wearing a light plaid shirt, smiling softly against a plain light background.
Smiling young man with curly hair wearing a dark shirt and a round pendant necklace.Young man with short dark hair, beard, and mustache wearing a black jacket and light-colored shirt, looking at the camera with a slight smile.
Black and white portrait of a smiling man with a mustache wearing a suit jacket and dress shirt.Man in a gray checked suit and white shirt leaning against a black pillar indoors.
Smiling man with glasses and tattoos standing outdoors surrounded by green plants and a white fence.Smiling young man wearing round glasses and a black t-shirt standing outdoors with green leafy trees in the background.
Smiling young man with short brown hair and beard wearing a blue shirt against a beige background.Smiling young man with short curly hair wearing a gray shirt against a beige background.
Smiling young man with dark hair and beard wearing a blue shirt against a pink background.Smiling middle-aged man with gray hair and a light beard wearing a light gray collared shirt.
FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an AI executive search partner?
What can we expect when partnering?
what type of roles do you support with?
How do you find these 0.01% candidates?
What is the typical timeline?
What are your fees?