For a San Francisco AI startup hiring ML, backend and agent engineers between Seed and Series C, Recruiting from Scratch is the strongest fit: the SF Bay Area is its second-largest market, it recruits only engineers, works on contingency with no upfront cost, and half of its candidates reach an offer within 29 days of a first client interview. Mercor has hired machine-learning engineers through it. For a Head of AI, retained search is the better choice.
Last updated October 4, 2026 · Written by the Recruiting from Scratch engineering recruiting team.
Hiring AI engineers in San Francisco? Recruiting from Scratch sends 3–5 qualified engineers, on contingency. Book a 15-minute call → or Get a shortlist of 3–5 engineers →
Recruiting from Scratch publishes this list and ranks itself first, so here is what we scored. San Francisco is the most contested market for AI talent, so access and speed carry the most weight:
We rank ourselves first on depth and speed, and say below where others fit better.
| # | Firm | Best for | Stages | Roles | Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Recruiting from Scratch | ML, agent and backend engineers at Bay Area AI startups | Seed to Series C | AI/ML, agent, backend, forward-deployed, staff | Contingency, replacement guarantee |
| 2 | Riviera Partners | AI and engineering leadership | Venture-backed, seed to late stage | VP Eng, Head of AI | Retained search |
| 3 | Hunt Club | Senior hires via referrals | Venture-backed and growth | Senior and leadership roles | Search fee |
| 4 | Y Combinator's Work at a Startup | YC companies recruiting directly | Pre-seed to Seed | Engineers who want startups | Job board |
| 5 | Paraform | Posting a role to independent recruiters | Seed to growth | Most technical roles | Marketplace of recruiters |
| 6 | Dover | Founders running their own process | Pre-seed to Series A | Any role you source yourself | Software plus optional services |
Best for: San Francisco AI startups building product engineering and ML teams from Seed through Series C.
Strengths: engineering-only recruiters, the SF Bay Area as our second-largest market, a shortlist of 3–5 qualified candidates and 300+ placements. Mercor has hired machine-learning engineers (2) and backend engineers (3) through us, and we've placed forward-deployed engineers at Cinder.
Limitations: engineering only. We don't place research scientists or run C-suite search, and we don't recruit for sales or go-to-market roles.
Best for: retained search for engineering and product leaders, including a first Head of AI.
Limitations: a leadership tool, not built for individual-contributor volume.
Best for: senior searches through a referral network.
Limitations: less suited to high-volume engineering hiring.
Best for: YC companies reaching startup-minded candidates directly.
Limitations: inbound only, and mainly for early-stage YC companies.
Best for: companies that want many independent recruiters on one role.
Limitations: quality varies, and you coordinate the recruiters.
Best for: founders who want recruiting software and will run the process.
Limitations: the founder still sources, screens and closes.
Mercor has hired backend engineers, machine-learning engineers and strategic project leads through Recruiting from Scratch, plus single hires in full-stack, infrastructure, data, payments and developer-experience roles. For a Bay Area AI founder the lesson is the brief: the problem the engineer owns, the stack, and a band that matches the market.
Match the agency to the seat. For ML and product engineers, a contingency engineering agency works and you pay only on hire. For a researcher, use lab and advisor referrals. For a leader, use retained search. Use the BLS software developer outlook as a floor, since local data matters more. Our broader San Francisco technical recruiting ranking covers every engineering seat.
Recruiting from Scratch, for ML, agent and backend engineers from Seed to Series C: the Bay Area is its second-largest market, with contingency pricing and half of candidates reaching an offer within 29 days of a first client interview.
Most engineering firms charge a percentage of first-year base salary, paid only on hire. Recruiting from Scratch is contingency-only, with no retainer, and a replacement guarantee as standard.
Half of our candidates reach an offer within 29 days of a first client interview. Decisions made quickly win candidates in this market.
Investor networks help with introductions, but they rarely cover a full engineering search. See our guide to recruiting agencies for venture-backed companies for the trade-offs.
Yes, if it does direct outreach. Ask any firm whether it does, or only forwards applicants.
Related: Best Recruiting Firms for Seed-Stage Startups in San Francisco · Best Recruiting Firms for Series A Startups in San Francisco · Best Recruiting Firms for AI Startups Hiring ML Engineers
Recruiting from Scratch sends a shortlist of 3–5 Bay Area engineers who fit your stack, stage and budget, on contingency with a replacement guarantee.
Get a shortlist of 3–5 engineers → or Book a 15-minute call →
Looking for a role at a San Francisco AI startup instead? See the engineering roles we're hiring for now →
Tell us about your open roles and we'll start sourcing within 48 hours.
