How To Position Your AI Organisation As An Employer Of Choice

In this newsletter, we’ll talk about how, as an AI company founder, or leader of an AI research lab, you can position your company as an employer of choice.

AI Research Scientists, ML Engineers and AI Engineers are in high demand while companies race to develop new products and innovate as fast as possible. They’re few and far between, and they’re spoilt for choice, often being approached up to 40 times a week by headhunters wooing them with compelling offers. You only get one chance to make a good first impression, and a misstep in presenting your company as an employer of choice can make hiring harder in the future.?

By highlighting how your organisation meets specific needs and desires, you’ll be able to hire talented AI Researchers much more effectively. Your employer brand will be talked about in social circles, candidates will be eager to get on board, and once onboard, they’re more likely to stick around and bring their peers.

Unfortunately, many AI Leaders and Founders miss crucial aspects when it comes to attracting AI Research Scientists because they are not aware of the key drivers that motivate career moves.

To hire AI Research Scientists effectively, you need to stand out and be seen as an employer of choice.

After tracking the motivations behind career moves for the last 19 years while recruiting in the Data, Analytics and AI space, I’ll share some actionable steps you can use. In general, candidates want:

• To be part of an impactful mission with a clear vision
• Cutting-edge projects that push the boundaries of AI research
• Access to advanced technologies and high-performance compute (GPUs, TPUs, cloud compute)
• A collaborative and innovative culture that fosters teamwork and knowledge-sharing
• Opportunities for professional growth, mentorship, and career development
• Visibility and recognition within the industry
• Competitive compensation and benefits
• A flexible and autonomous working environment
• Multicultural, and inclusive teams
• Resources and freedom for experimentation
• Recognition and appreciation for their contributions, both internally and externally

Mission and Vision

Possibly the most important of all. You can have the best comp plan and benefits, but without a mission coupled with a clear vision that people are on board with, it’ll be an uphill battle.

"You need a mission in order to hire well. In addition to wanting to work with a great team, candidates need to believe in your mission—i.e., why is this job more important than any of the others they could take?" — Sam Altman

Clearly articulate the vision and mission of your organisation. Show how your work contributes to technological advancement and societal impact. Ensure it is understood by everyone, especially those involved in recruiting and hiring. Communicate it at every opportunity—in marketing, public interviews, the recruitment process, job adverts, candidate outreach, interviews, and beyond. Most importantly, ensure candidates align with your vision.

Cutting-Edge Projects & Advanced Technologies

AI Research Scientists are drawn to groundbreaking work. Highlight the innovative and challenging projects your company is working on. Use the What, How, Impact framework to articulate:

• What you are working on
• How you go about it
• What impact it has on the business and the real world

"Our industry does not respect tradition—it only respects innovation." — Satya Nadella

Ensure your company is equipped with the latest tools, technologies, and high-performance compute resources (think GPUs, TPUs, cloud compute) to provide a state-of-the-art environment for research and development. AI Research Scientists evaluate companies based on their access to cutting-edge hardware—ensuring they can efficiently train large-scale models without bottlenecks. Additionally, trust AI researchers with autonomy to select the best tools and platforms for their work.

Real-World and Real-Time Example: Intercom’s AI Expansion

Intercom, a leader in AI-powered customer relationship management, launched its AI customer service agent, Fin, in March 2023. Since then, Fin has answered 13 million questions for over 4,000 customers, demonstrating Intercom’s commitment to AI innovation. Now Des Traynor and Fergal Reid (PhD) and their team are building one of the largest AI labs in Europe, attracting top AI talent eager to work on cutting-edge technology.

Professional Growth & Industry Visibility

Encouraging professional development is essential for attracting top AI talent. Highlight opportunities for mentorship, leadership training, and industry engagement. Showcase how your company supports employees in attending leading AI conferences, publishing research, and gaining public recognition.

Resources for Experimentation & Knowledge Sharing

Providing resources for experimentation signals to AI Research Scientists that your company is serious about innovation. Outline the resources available for experimentation, such as budgets for new projects, access to cutting-edge technology, and dedicated compute infrastructure. AI research requires access to high-performance GPUs, TPUs, and cloud compute credits to facilitate rapid experimentation and large-scale model training. Companies that provide priority access to computational power, rather than making researchers compete for limited resources, gain a significant competitive advantage.

Collaborative & Innovative Culture

Fostering a culture of collaboration is essential for attracting top AI research talent. Showcase real-life examples of how teams within your organisation collaborate on projects. Share stories of successful outcomes, such as published research papers, developed products, or solved complex problems. Emphasise the support systems in place for employees to share ideas and solutions freely, such as regular team meetings, open forums, and internal communication platforms. A culture that fosters open innovation will set you apart.

"Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships." — Michael Jordan

Competitive Compensation & Talent Acquisition

Offering a competitive total compensation package is key. Benchmark against industry standards and highlight all aspects of compensation—bonuses, stock options, wellness programs, and unique benefits such as sabbatical opportunities.

"You should be very frugal with nearly everything in a startup. Compensation for great people is an exception." — Sam Altman

Real-World Example: ByteDance’s AI Talent Strategy

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has intensified its AI talent acquisition strategy by hiring top researchers from AI startups like 01.AI, Zhipu and Seq-AI, as well as experienced professionals from major firms like Alibaba. To strengthen its AI division, ByteDance has expanded hiring efforts globally, particularly in Silicon Valley and China, ensuring competitive salaries and access to world-class AI infrastructure. This has positioned ByteDance as a leader in the generative AI space, driving innovations such as the Doubao chatbot.

About the Author

This article was written by Jamie Little who is a Managing Partner of Bateman Fox, a boutique data and AI talent solutions firm with global reach and local insight.

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You can reach Jamie Little on LinkedIn and email: [email protected]