---
title: 'Sourcing Lead at Sofar Ocean'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/sourcing-lead-sofar-ocean-bay-area-h6pea0hp4sbg'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-18'
---

# Sourcing Lead at Sofar Ocean

- **Company:** Sofar Ocean
- **Location:** Bay Area
- **Compensation:** $130k–$160k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** hybrid
- **Posted:** 2026-10-06
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-18
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/sofarocean/f523bd4d-0366-4407-a368-474afb7571cf

## Job description

## About Sofar Ocean

Sofar Ocean is building the world's largest real-time ocean sensor network. Our Spotter buoys collect ocean data across the globe, and our software, including Wayfinder for voyage optimization, turns that data into decisions for commercial shipping, government, and defense customers. We're a team of about 100 based at Pier 28 in San Francisco, and we're growing fast.

## About the role

We're hiring our first in-house Sourcing Partner to build the top of our hiring funnel. You'll own finding and engaging the people we need to hit our growth plans, with a focus on hard-to-find talent: security-cleared engineers, government-facing technical roles, and sales hires who can open new markets. You'll report to the Head of People and work directly with hiring managers across engineering, product, and sales. This is a high-ownership role on a lean team. You'll have real influence over how we source, what tools we use, and how we measure success.

## What you'll do

- Partner with hiring managers at kickoff to define the profile, target companies, and must-have signals for each role
- Source and engage passive candidates through LinkedIn Recruiter, Ashby, Metaview, referrals, communities, and creative channels
- Write outreach that gets replies, and keep testing what works
- Build talent pipelines for recurring and hard-to-fill roles, including cleared and defense-adjacent engineering
- Run initial screens and hand off qualified candidates with clear notes
- Keep Ashby data clean and report weekly on pipeline health, response rates, and source quality
- Help shape our sourcing playbook and tooling, including AI-assisted sourcing as we build it out

## What you bring

- 5+ years of sourcing or full-cycle recruiting experience, ideally at a startup
- A track record of filling technical roles, with engineering sourcing and GTM as core strengths
- Strong Boolean and LinkedIn Recruiter skills, plus comfort finding talent beyond LinkedIn
- Experience with Ashby or a similar ATS, and a habit of keeping data clean
- Clear, warm writing that makes candidates want to talk to us
- An outgoing, curious approach to meeting people and building relationships
- Comfort working independently on a small team and managing many open roles at once

## Nice to have

- Experience sourcing go-to-market roles, especially enterprise sales
- Experience sourcing security-cleared candidates or recruiting for defense or government programs
- Familiarity with ITAR and export-control hiring requirements
- Background in hardware, maritime, climate tech, or deep tech
- Interest in using AI tools to scale sourcing

Location, compensation, and benefits The preference is for this role is based at our Pier 28 office in San Francisco a few days a week to work seamlessly with our hiring mangers however we are open to remote applicants. The base salary range for this role is $130,000 to $160,000, plus equity. Final pay depends on experience and skills. We offer medical, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k), flexible PTO, and a learning and development stipend.

Sofar Ocean is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.

## About Sofar Ocean

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Sofar Ocean is an ocean intelligence platform that connects the world’s oceans to power a more sustainable future by deploying a global sensor network to provide real-time marine weather data and voyage optimization for shipping, research, and defense.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series B-III)
- **Headquarters**: San Francisco, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2016
- **Founders**: Tim Janssen, PhD (Co-Founder & CEO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Marine Technology, Ocean Intelligence, Data Analytics, Maritime Shipping, Climate Tech
- **Target customers**: B2B — shipping companies, commercial operators, charterers, vessel performance managers, governments (NOAA, U.S. Navy), researchers, and defense organizations
- **Mission or purpose statement**: "To connect the world's oceans to power a more sustainable future."

## Products & Services
- **[Wayfinder](https://www.sofarocean.com/)**: Voyage optimization software that recommends the best route, speed, and schedule for each voyage. Built for shipping companies, it combines live maritime weather data, vessel performance models, and commercial constraints to cut fuel use and emissions while keeping schedules on track.
- **[Spotter Platform](https://www.sofarocean.com/)**: A global network of solar-powered sensing platforms that measure waves, weather, and subsurface data in real time. Used by governments, researchers, and defense for live ground truth data from the ocean. Capabilities include surface sensing (waves, wind, weather), subsurface sensing (sound, currents, temperature, water quality, water level), and mobile autonomous operations.
- **Marine Weather**: Real-time storm warnings, seakeeping alerts, and hyperlocal forecasts powered by the company’s own sensor network. Trusted by NOAA, the U.S. Navy, and the world's largest shipping fleets.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Total funding raised of **$73.25M** (Series B-III, last raised ~1 year ago) [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/sofar-ocean-technologies)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Peter Rive (Chairman, founding team), NOAA, U.S. Navy, and the world's largest shipping fleets [sofarocean.com](https://www.sofarocean.com/company/about)
- **Growth Signals**: 
  - Operates the largest privately-owned ocean sensor network in the world, collecting **1.5 million real-time observations daily** [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/sofar-ocean)
  - Marine weather forecasts are **up to 50% more accurate** than traditional models [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/sofar-ocean)
  - Over **2,500 Spotters deployed globally** and **25 million+ hours of ocean observations** collected [sofarocean.com](https://www.sofarocean.com/)
  - Trusted by NOAA, the U.S. Navy, and the world's largest shipping fleets [sofarocean.com](https://www.sofarocean.com/)
  - **125 total employees** [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/sofar-ocean)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Largest privately-owned ocean sensor network in the world** — a proprietary data moat that competitors cannot easily replicate.
- **50% more accurate marine weather forecasts** than traditional models, powered by real-time data from their own Spotter buoys [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/sofar-ocean).
- **Proven traction with top-tier customers**: Trusted by NOAA, the U.S. Navy, and the world's largest shipping fleets [sofarocean.com](https://www.sofarocean.com/).
- **Hardware + Software + Data flywheel**: The Spotter hardware network feeds proprietary data into Wayfinder software, creating a self-reinforcing competitive advantage.
- **Mission-driven brand**: "If we have to choose between more profit or better oceans, we choose the ocean" — strong alignment with sustainability and climate goals.

## Strategic Focus
- **Scaling the sensor network**: Continuing to deploy Spotters globally to increase data density and forecast accuracy.
- **Expanding commercial shipping adoption**: Driving fuel savings (4–8% average reduction) and emissions reduction for the maritime industry.
- **Defense & government contracts**: Deepening relationships with NOAA, U.S. Navy, and other government agencies for ocean intelligence.
- **Product development**: Enhancing Wayfinder routing software and Spotter platform capabilities (mobile autonomous, subsurface sensing).
- **Global expansion**: Hiring for roles in APAC/Singapore, indicating international growth.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-driven culture**: "If we have to choose between more profit or better oceans, we choose the ocean" — strong environmental purpose [sofarocean.com](https://www.sofarocean.com/company/careers).
- **Hybrid work model**: Most roles are hybrid (combination of remote and on-site), with a beautiful waterfront office in San Francisco that is dog-friendly [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/sofar-ocean).
- **Generous benefits**: Flexible PTO (plus 10 office closure days and the last week of December off), 12 weeks parental leave (with an additional 4 weeks for birthing parents), healthcare (medical, dental, vision), 401(K), company equity [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/sofar-ocean).
- **Remote support**: One-time home office stipend for remote team members, relocation bonus for those moving to the Bay Area, Green Card & Visa sponsorship for eligible team members [sofarocean.com](https://www.sofarocean.com/company/careers).
- **Culture**: Team-driven celebrations, autonomy and ownership, annual onsite week with all remote team members, strong internal community of ocean-lovers, dog-friendly office [sofarocean.com](https://www.sofarocean.com/company/careers).
- **Values**: "Oceans First" — if they have to choose between more profit or better oceans, they choose the ocean. "Build for the mission, be pragmatic, and move fast. Ocean health can’t wait." [sofarocean.com](https://www.sofarocean.com/company/careers)

## Sources
1. [sofarocean.com](https://www.sofarocean.com/)
2. [sofarocean.com/company/careers](https://www.sofarocean.com/company/careers)
3. [sofarocean.com/company/about](https://www.sofarocean.com/company/about)
4. [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/sofar-ocean)
5. [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/sofar-ocean-technologies)

## Other roles at Sofar Ocean

- [Security & IT Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/security-it-engineer-sofar-ocean-bay-area-wg07cwpswqy9) — Bay Area
- [Voyage Analyst](https://feeny.ai/job/voyage-analyst-sofar-ocean-india-z8gxy6yvrhhx) — India
- [APAC Routing Specialist (Night Shift)](https://feeny.ai/job/apac-routing-specialist-night-shift-sofar-ocean-india-n26feexqvja7) — India
- [Head of U.S. Federal Growth](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-u-s-federal-growth-sofar-ocean-united-states-jkt187bw5r7h) — United States
- [Senior Customer Success Manager, EMEA](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-customer-success-manager-emea-sofar-ocean-copenhagen-v5qnzd3w2t92) — Copenhagen, Denmark
- [Senior Mechanical Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-mechanical-engineer-sofar-ocean-bay-area-d3rsdc2n3t52) — Bay Area
- [Defense Customer Success Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/defense-customer-success-lead-sofar-ocean-united-states-r6bayj4ybegk) — United States
- [Principal Scientist - Underwater Acoustics](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-scientist-underwater-acoustics-sofar-ocean-bay-area-rdy81m33sgxx) — Bay Area