Hire the right AI engineer. Pay 12%, not 20%. Shortlist in 7–10 days.
Direct Hire is built for one specific situation: you have an open AI role, you need qualified candidates fast, and you don't want to pay a 20% agency fee or wait 8 weeks for a résumé dump. We run a structured search — role calibration, AI-native sourcing, recruiter-led screening — and deliver a shortlist of genuinely qualified candidates within 7–10 business days of starting. You only pay 12% when you hire.
What makes this different from a traditional agency
| Traditional agency | NativeTalent AI Direct Hire | |
|---|---|---|
| Fee | 20–25% of first-year salary | 12% of first-year salary |
| Upfront cost | Often requires retainer | None — success fee only |
| Time to first shortlist | 4–8 weeks | 7–10 business days |
| Role calibration | Rarely — sourcing starts immediately | Always — before any outreach |
| Candidate summaries | CV only | Full fit summary with gap analysis |
| AI role expertise | General tech recruiters | Specialists in AI roles only |
| Search visibility | Irregular updates | Weekly structured reports |
| If the hire fails | Depends on terms | 90-day replacement, no extra fee |
We specialize exclusively in AI roles. That means we know the difference between someone who has used AI tools and someone who can actually build, integrate, and scale AI systems — and we screen for it before you see a single candidate.
Roles we place
- AI Engineer
- Machine Learning Engineer
- LLM Engineer
- Applied AI Engineer
- MLOps Engineer
- Data Scientist
- AI Product Manager
- AI Solutions Architect
- AI Automation Engineer
If your role isn't listed, submit it anyway. If we're not the right fit we'll tell you — and point you in the right direction.
How a Direct Hire search works
You submit your JD and answer 3 questions
We review your role and send you a free Role Readiness Report within 1 business day.
15-minute call to close the gaps
We walk through the report findings together. If the search is feasible, we agree on scope and send the agreement. No pressure if it's not the right time.
Role calibration
Before we source a single candidate, we align on role scope, must-haves, team fit, compensation, and candidate value proposition. This is what most agencies skip — and why most searches stall.
AI-native sourcing and outreach
We identify and engage qualified candidates using AI-native workflows across the market. Recruiters guide targeting, messaging, and quality.
Recruiter-led screening
We evaluate real AI ability — implementation depth, system design, tool experience — not just keywords. Every candidate is screened on motivation, compensation fit, and readiness to move.
Shortlist delivered in 7–10 business days
Each candidate comes with a full fit summary: why they fit, where the gaps are, and exactly what to probe in your interviews.
Weekly visibility until close
You hear from us every week — pipeline status, market signals, what's working, what needs adjusting.
Offer and close support
We stay in through feedback loops, offer alignment, and candidate communication until the offer is signed and accepted.
You pay 12% when you hire. If the hire doesn't work out within 90 days, we run the search again at no additional fee.
Submit your role
Paste your JD and answer 3 questions. We'll send you a free Role Readiness Report within 1 business day — a specific assessment of whether your role is positioned to attract the right AI talent.
Nobody calls you until you ask.
Direct Hire — common questions
How is 12% calculated?
The 12% fee is calculated on the candidate's first-year base salary. For example, if you hire an AI Engineer at $160,000 base, the fee is $19,200. Compared to a traditional 20% fee of $32,000 — that's $12,800 back in your budget on a single hire.
What if the role isn't ready to search?
If your Role Readiness Report flags gaps — unclear requirements, unrealistic compensation, a weak candidate value proposition — we'll tell you exactly what to fix before we start. We'd rather spend 30 minutes aligning the role than run a search that stalls in week 3.
What does the 90-day replacement guarantee cover?
If the person we place leaves or is let go for performance reasons within 90 days of their start date, we run a full replacement search at no additional fee. The guarantee applies to Direct Hire, Recruiting Partner, and Executive Search.
Do you work with companies our size?
Most of our Direct Hire clients are technology companies between 20 and 500 employees. If you're not sure whether we're the right fit for your role, submit it and we'll be straight with you.
What AI roles do you not place?
We focus on AI, ML, data, and AI-adjacent technology roles. We don't do general IT staffing, sales hiring, or non-technical roles. If your role is on the edge, submit it and we'll let you know.