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Lead Executive Recruiter

Remote, US

About IonQ: 

IonQ, Inc. [NYSE: IONQ] is the world’s leading quantum company delivering solutions to solve the world’s most complex problems. IonQ’s newest generation quantum computers, IonQ Tempo and IonQ Forte Enterprise, are the latest in cutting-edge systems that have been helping customers and partners such as Amazon Web Services, AstraZeneca, and NVIDIA achieve 20x performance results. The company achieved 99.99% two-qubit gate fidelity, setting a world record in quantum computing performance in 2025.

The company is accelerating its technology roadmap and intends to deliver the world’s most powerful quantum computers with 2 million qubits by 2030 to accelerate innovation in drug discovery, materials science, financial modeling, logistics, cybersecurity, and defense. IonQ’s advancements in quantum networking position the company as a leader in building the quantum internet.

 

As a Lead Executive Recruiter at IonQ, you will play a critical role in shaping how we build executive talent pipelines and execute executive-level search.  This is a unique opportunity to both drive executive hiring efforts and lay the foundation for a best-of-breed executive search function.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a high-impact, evolving environment and is passionate about building a function for discovering, engaging, and hiring “the best of the best”.  The mission for this role includes partnering with IonQ’s C-suite and Board of Directors to both land world-class leadership and build a global talent scouting program.  This role reports to the Director, Talent Acquisition for the US.

Responsibilities:

  • Executive Recruiting Full- Cycle Ownership:
    • Identify and build relationships with high-impact, executive leaders whose backgrounds add to IonQ’s strategic growth.
    • Manage the end-to-end lifecycle for VP+ roles and "Individual Contributor" roles of equivalent impact, ensuring a high-touch, premium experience.
    • Design and lead recurring search reviews with executive stakeholders, providing data-driven updates on pipeline health and competitive market intelligence.
    • Lead the negotiation and engagement with external search firms when necessary.
  • Function Building & Best Practices: 
    • Collaborate with Global Talent Acquisition leadership to define the vision, principles, and operating model for the executive recruiting function.
    • Establish best practices, tools, and workflows that scale with the company’s growth.
    • Leverage technology, AI, and automation to drive efficiencies, pipeline quality, and measurable outcomes.
    • Define and track key executive sourcing metrics to measure impact and continuously improve performance.
    • Transition our reliance on external search firms into an internal capability, building a database of long-term "silver medalist" talent for future leadership needs.
  • HR Team Partnerships and Long Term Planning
    • Partner closely with People Business Partners to integrate executive recruiting efforts with overall talent management, succession planning, and workforce planning strategies.
    • Drive the proactive identification, assessment, and cultivation of a long-term executive talent pipeline for critical and potential succession roles, ensuring readiness for future leadership needs.
    • Collaborate with People Analytics and HRBPs to define, track, and share data-driven insights on executive talent supply, demand, and bench strength to inform organizational strategy and long-term pipelining efforts.

 

Requirements:

  • 12 years in Talent Acquisition and or HR functions
  • 8+ Years of executive search for emerging sectors: Experience finding, engaging, and hiring strong executive leaders for companies pioneering novel businesses and technologies. 
  • Executive presence: Track record of building trust and consultative relationships with C-level hiring managers 
  • Strategic Design: Proven track record of building executive recruiting programs from the ground up.
  • Global Mindset: Experience navigating the nuances of global hiring and international relocation.
  • Management Potential: The desire and ability to eventually lead a team of executive and technical recruiters as IonQ’s headcount grows.

Preferred Qualifications: 

  • Demonstrated experience building an Executive Recruiting function in a global company.
  • Past experience hiring and mentoring a team of executive recruiters.

 

Location: This position can work onsite or hybrid from one of our offices (College Park, MD, Bothell, WA) or fully remote in the US
Travel: Up to 10%
Job ID:  1329

The approximate base salary range for this position is $147,712 - $192,621. The total compensation package includes base, bonus, and equity.

Compensation will vary based on individual factors such as education, qualifications, and experience of the final candidate(s), specific office location, and calibration against relevant market data and internal team equity.  Posted base salary figures are subject to change as new market data becomes available. Our benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, matching 401K, unlimited PTO and paid holidays, parental/adoption leave, legal insurance, and a home technology stipend.  Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided when a candidate receives an offer of employment. 


IonQ's HQ is located in College Park, Maryland, just outside of Washington DC. We are actively building out our recently opened manufacturing and production facility in Bothell, WA (near Seattle). Depending on the position, you may be required to be near one of our offices in College Park, Seattle, Toronto, Canada, and Basel, Switzerland. However, IonQ will expand into additional domestic and international geographies, so don’t let this stop you from applying!
 
At IonQ, we believe in fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all while striving to identify and eliminate barriers. We empower employees to thrive by fostering a culture of autonomy, productivity, and respect. We are dedicated to creating an environment where individuals can feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued.
 
We are committed to equity and justice. We welcome different voices and viewpoints and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ancestry, physical and/or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.

US Technical Jobs. The position you are applying for will require access to technology that is subject to U.S. export control and government contract restrictions.  Employment with IonQ is contingent on either verifying “U.S. Person” (e.g., U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. permanent resident, or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum) status for export controls and government contracts work, obtaining any necessary license, and/or confirming the availability of a license exception under U.S. export controls.  Please note that in the absence of confirming you are a U.S. Person for export control and government contracts work purposes, IonQ may choose not to apply for a license or decline to use a license exception (if available) for you to access export-controlled technology that may require authorization, and similarly, you may not qualify for government contracts work that requires U.S. Persons, and IonQ may decline to proceed with your application on those bases alone.  Accordingly, we will have some additional questions regarding your immigration status that will be used for export control and compliance purposes, and the answers will be reviewed by compliance personnel to ensure compliance with federal law.  

US Non-Technical Jobs. Due to applicable export control laws and regulations, candidates must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum. Accordingly, we will have some additional questions regarding your immigration status that will be used for export control and compliance purposes, and the answers will be reviewed by compliance personnel to ensure compliance with federal law.

If you are interested in being a part of our team and mission, we encourage you to apply!


 

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IonQ, Inc. (“IonQ”) conducts pre-employment background and risk screening checks in order to (i) comply with legal, regulatory, contractual, and security obligations; (ii) meet requirements imposed by governmental or law enforcement agencies; (iii) assess a candidate’s suitability, integrity, and risk profile for employment and access to sensitive information or projects and (iv) protect IonQ, its clients and partners.

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