Principal Technical Recruiter

Ready to be pushed beyond what you think you’re capable of?

At Coinbase, our mission is to increase economic freedom in the world. It’s a massive, ambitious opportunity that demands the best of us, every day, as we build the emerging onchain platform — and with it, the future global financial system.

To achieve our mission, we’re seeking a very specific candidate. We want someone who is passionate about our mission and who believes in the power of crypto and blockchain technology to update the financial system. We want someone who is eager to leave their mark on the world, who relishes the pressure and privilege of working with high caliber colleagues, and who actively seeks feedback to keep leveling up. We want someone who will run towards, not away from, solving the company’s hardest problems.

Our work culture is intense and isn’t for everyone. But if you want to build the future alongside others who excel in their disciplines and expect the same from you, there’s no better place to be.

While many roles at Coinbase are remote-first, we are not remote-only. In-person participation is required throughout the year. Team and company-wide offsites are held multiple times annually to foster collaboration, connection, and alignment. Attendance is expected and fully supported.

Coinbase is seeking a highly experienced Principal Technical Recruiter to lead hiring for some of the most critical and senior technical roles across the Platform group, including Senior Staff+ IC Engineers and Designers, Group+ Product Managers and Director-level talent. This role partners closely with Directors, VP’s, and cross-functional leaders to shape one of the most important teams at Coinbase.

You will drive full-cycle recruiting for deeply specialized senior-level positions, craft executive-caliber hiring strategies, and operate as a trusted advisor to leadership. You may also guide and enable a team of Sourcers and Channel Specialists to build top-tier pipelines while you execute on high-impact, end-to-end searches.

What you’ll be doing (ie. job duties):

• Own end-to-end, executive-caliber recruiting for the Platform group’s most critical senior roles, including Senior Staff/Principal IC Engineers and Designers, Group+ Product Managers, and Director-level technical leaders across teams such as Product Foundations, Infrastructure, Blockchain Platform, AI Platform, and related platform domains.
• Operate as a trusted talent advisor to Directors, VPs, and cross-functional leaders—shaping competency frameworks and assessment strategy for senior and scarce talent.
• Architect and execute bespoke, targeted sourcing strategies to engage top-tier passive senior candidates; build long-term talent maps, competitive intelligence, and succession slates for pivotal roles.
• Evaluate candidates for bar-raising technical depth and leadership capabilities while screening for strong alignment with Coinbase’s mission and values; run high-signal executive debriefs and calibration sessions.
• Deliver structured, data-informed offers; navigate complex compensation, and run white-glove closing processes tailored to senior candidates and their stakeholders.
• Lead and mentor a pod of Sourcers and Channel Specialists; set pipeline OKRs, review funnel health, and upskill the team on senior-hiring research, outreach, assessments, and pre-closing.
• Stand up scalable senior-hiring programs across Platform (interview rubrics, executive loops, panel training, calibration practices, referral strategies, and talent-brand initiatives) that improve quality, velocity, and diversity.
• Leverage recruiting analytics to advise Platform leadership—own forecasting, funnel diagnostics, pass-through rates, diversity metrics, and quality-of-hire signals; convert insights into process and strategy improvements.
• Uphold confidentiality and high judgment on sensitive searches; run parallel, confidential pipelines and maintain impeccable candidate and stakeholder trust.
• Contribute to bar-raising and scalable recruiting programs and process improvements across the Platform group and broader Coinbase recruiting org.

What we look for in you (ie. job requirements):

• 8+ years of technical recruiting experience with a heavy focus on senior/staff/principal engineering, design, and product leadership roles in high-growth tech; strong exposure to Platform, Infrastructure, SRE, Data, and Core systems domains.
• Proven success hiring Senior Staff+/Principal ICs and Director-level leaders in complex technical organizations; track record of engaging and closing highly competitive, passive talent.
• Experience partnering with Directors and VPs to define org and talent strategies, build competency/leveling frameworks, and solve complex, multi-disciplinary hiring needs.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and lead Sourcers to elevate pipeline quality, velocity, and diversity for complex, high-priority roles.
• Expert-level sourcing and research skills for senior talent, including market mapping, talent intelligence, outbound sequencing, referrals, and community-based strategies.
• Proven ability to craft compelling pitches and articulate Coinbase’s full value proposition (mission, technical scope/roadmap, culture, and compensation) to senior technical talent, then execute data-driven, high-judgment close plans—including competitive positioning, and complex offer negotiation—to reliably secure top candidates.
• Skilled in building, interpreting, and presenting recruiting analytics and forecasts to executive stakeholders; adept at using data to drive decisions and process improvements.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication and relationship-building skills; comfortable facilitating executive alignment and debriefs.
• High judgment, discretion, and the ability to operate in fast-paced, ambiguous, and evolving environments while delivering a white-glove senior candidate experience.
• Fluency in executive-compensation mechanics and complex offer construction.
• Interest in or experience with blockchain, crypto, Web3, fintech, or distributed systems is a plus. 

Job #:P74533

Please be advised that each candidate may submit a maximum of four applications within any 30-day period. We encourage you to carefully evaluate how your skills and interests align with Coinbase's roles before applying.

Commitment to Equal Opportunity

Coinbase is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sex, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation or any other basis protected by applicable law. Coinbase will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state and local law.  For US applicants, you may view the Employee Rights and the Know Your Rights notices by clicking on their corresponding links. Additionally, Coinbase participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations, as required by law. 

Coinbase is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please contact us at accommodations[at]coinbase.com to let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.   For quick access to screen reading technology compatible with this site click here to download a free compatible screen reader (free step by step tutorial can be found here).

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AI Disclosure

For select roles, Coinbase is piloting an AI tool based on machine learning technologies to conduct initial screening interviews to qualified applicants. The tool simulates realistic interview scenarios and engages in dynamic conversation. A human recruiter will review your interview responses, provided in the form of a voice recording and/or transcript, to assess them against the qualifications and characteristics outlined in the job description.  

For select roles, Coinbase is also piloting an AI interview intelligence platform to transcribe and summarize interview notes, allowing our interviewers to fully focus on you as the candidate. 

The above pilots are for testing purposes and Coinbase will not use AI to make decisions impacting employment. To request a reasonable accommodation due to disability, please contact accommodations[at]coinbase.com