Perplexity

Program Manager, Talent Acquisition at Perplexity (San Francisco, CA)

Perplexity· San Francisco, CA· $180k–$200k·

Role details

Salary
$180k–$200k
Work type
Hybrid
Employment
Full-Time
Equity
Yes

Perplexity at a glance

AI-powered answer engine that returns real-time, cited answers, now expanding into an agentic browser and on-device agents.

Perplexity runs an AI answer engine that searches the live web and returns direct, cited answers instead of a page of links. It has extended that core into an AI browser (Comet), an on-device agent (Computer), a developer API, and vertical tools like patent search.

$1.7B raised · latest: Series E extension · $200M · 2025 (reported $20B valuation) · backed by Accel, IVP, NEA, SoftBank Vision Fund 2

Job description

Perplexity is scaling at a pace few companies ever experience, and talent is the surface where our biggest bets get won or lost. We're hiring a Program Manager to sit at the center of that motion, owning the mission-critical, cross-functional programs that shape how we plan, prioritize, and hire.

This is a uniquely visible seat, reserved for operators who thrive in ambiguity and have a track record of driving companywide initiatives to measurable outcomes. You'll work shoulder-to-shoulder with recruiting leadership, executives, and cross-functional partners to architect the systems, operating rhythms, and decision-making frameworks that let the company move faster and with more clarity. When a complex, high-stakes program needs an owner, you're the person leadership turns to.

What You'll Do

  • Own Perplexity's most consequential talent programs end-to-end, from ambiguous mandate to shipped outcome
  • Partner directly with executives and recruiting leadership to turn strategy into programs with clear owners, milestones, and accountability
  • Drive cross-functional initiatives across Recruiting, People, Finance, and business leadership, aligning stakeholders and clearing blockers before they escalate
  • Design the operating cadence of the org: planning cycles, prioritization, reporting rhythms, and executive updates that keep leadership decisive
  • Build the systems, tooling, and workflows that let recruiting scale, automating the repetitive so human judgment goes to the highest-leverage work
  • Stand up the metrics and dashboards that turn hiring data into faster, sharper decisions
  • Anticipate risk on the highest-visibility programs, communicate crisply under pressure, and drive to resolution when priorities shift
  • Set the bar for program excellence and codify repeatable playbooks the rest of the company can adopt

What You Bring

  • 7+ years of program or project management experience, including ownership of companywide, mission-critical initiatives
  • Direct experience partnering with and presenting to executives on high-stakes, cross-functional work
  • Track record of driving ambiguous programs to measurable outcomes in fast-paced, rapidly scaling environments
  • Operational rigor. You build order out of chaos and design systems that outlast you
  • Strong analytical instincts, with the ability to structure messy data into clear direction for leadership
  • Sharp communication and stakeholder judgment, with the discretion to operate on sensitive, high-visibility work
  • A builder's mindset and a bias for action, aligned with Perplexity's ethos of building what hasn't been built before
  • Recruiting, talent, or People-org program experience is a plus, but we're optimizing for the best operators first

Why work at Perplexity

  • Culture & Environment: “Thoughtful support” culture with emphasis on craftsmanship, ownership, entrepreneurship, scholarship, and partnership. Hybrid schedule (4 days in-office) based on location.
  • Perks: Daily catered meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner in office), office snacks, ride home program, commuter benefits, home office reimbursement, fitness classes, gym memberships.
  • Compensation & Benefits: Competitive salary and equity packages; retirement plans with company match; flexible PTO; holiday shutdown between Christmas and New Year; 12 weeks paid bonding leave; comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
  • Relocation & Visa Support: Relocation assistance and visa/green card sponsorship for eligible roles. Partners with immigration firm to support the process.
  • Engineering Excellence: “Technical assessment for relevant roles”; values hands-on contribution, broad skill sets, and merit-based evaluation. Frequent Tech Talks and exposure to greenfield AI research problems.

Application questions