Technology recruitment · San Francisco
Technology recruitment in San Francisco
In short: Hurren & Hope recruits technology people for companies hiring in San Francisco and the Bay Area. We are headquartered in London and recruit into San Francisco from there, placing AI, engineering, infrastructure, product and go-to-market people on permanent and executive terms. Our fee is 20% of base salary, with no VAT, and you can pay it monthly through Pay While They Stay.
You speak to Mark or Mike directly: 26 and 19+ years in recruitment
of permanent hires still in role at 12 months
average time to fill a permanent role
placements as Hurren & Hope since 2013
What we hire forTechnology roles we fill in San Francisco
Venture-backed and scaling AI and SaaS businesses across San Francisco and the wider Bay Area, typically under 200 employees, from founding engineering hires to established software companies building out teams.
US clients include Kaius, an AI training company, where we hired a founding engineer and their head of product, and we continue to support them through our Aligned model.
Engineering and cloud
Software engineers, technical architects, DevOps, platform and infrastructure.
AI, ML and data
Machine learning engineers, data scientists and data engineers.
Product
Product managers and product leadership, including AI products.
Go-to-market
Founding account executives, sales leadership and RevOps, plus the operations hires that keep a scaling team running.
Ways to hireHow you can hire in San Francisco
Engineering, data, product and go-to-market
20% of base salary, no VAT. Pay in one invoice, or monthly over 12 months through Pay While They Stay.
Permanent recruitmentCTO, VP and C-suite
25% of base salary only. One third at engagement and the balance on start, or monthly over 12 months. If your new leader leaves, the payments stop.
About executive searchHire now, pay when you raise
Aligned defers up to 75% of the fee until your next funding round, set by your Aligned score. If that round doesn't happen, the deferred part isn't owed.
Visit hurrenandhope.vcLooking for contractors? Contract hiring is available in the UK only. In San Francisco we recruit on permanent and executive search terms. See permanent recruitment.
Fees20% of base, paid while they stay
Our permanent fee is 20% of first-year base salary, with no VAT for US clients. Bonus, commission, equity and benefits are never included. US contingency recruiters typically charge 15 to 25% of first-year base, up to 30% for specialist AI and ML roles, with a 60 to 90 day guarantee that is usually a replacement rather than a refund.
Pay it as one invoice on the start date, with a refund for the months after you let us know if your hire leaves within 12 months, or monthly through Pay While They Stay, where the month you let us know your hire is leaving is your last payment. Give us three or more roles to fill and every hire is 18%.
How our fees compareSan Francisco
| Base salary | Monthly | Year total |
|---|---|---|
| $150,000 | $2,500 | $30,000 |
| $180,000 | $3,000 | $36,000 |
| $240,000 | $4,000 | $48,000 |
Pay While They Stay: 12 monthly instalments of 1.67% of base salary. The same total as a single invoice.
Local salary snapshotWhat technology roles pay in San Francisco
San Francisco pays more for technology talent than any other US city: the Levels.fyi End of Year Pay Report 2025 puts the median software engineer package in the Bay Area at $278,000. AI and ML engineers earn a moderate premium on top, which Levels.fyi puts at 6% to 19% depending on seniority.
It is the most competitive market we work in, and the one where a deferred fee tends to matter most. If you are venture-backed, Aligned can defer up to 75% of the fee until your next round, and if that round doesn't happen, the deferred part isn't owed.
Full salary benchmarks for all three cities| Role | Base salary range | Median base | Total comp (Levels.fyi) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior software engineer | $166,000 to $225,000 | $200,000 | $260,000 to $470,000 |
| Senior platform / DevOps engineer | $166,000 to $220,000 | $185,000 | $220,000 to $327,000 |
| Senior AI / ML engineer | $190,000 to $265,000 | $220,000 | $250,000 to $420,000 |
| Senior product manager | $175,000 to $231,000 | $193,000 | $260,000 to $482,000 |
| Account executive | $130,000 to $148,000 | $134,000 | $160,000 to $315,000 |
| Chief technology officer (CTO) | $174,000 to $267,000 | $234,000 | Not enough data |
Base salary ranges run from the lowest to the highest figure across named sources, including Adzuna, IT Jobs Watch, Indeed, Dice, Glassdoor, Levels.fyi, Built In, PayScale and US Department of Labor H-1B filings, depending on the city. Total compensation adds bonus and yearly equity, is self-reported and leans towards large employers. Market ranges, not a Hurren & Hope rate card. Figures as of 28 September 2026; see every source and sample size.
Hiring in San Francisco this quarter?
A 20 minute call with Mark or Mike. You get the salary benchmark for your role and your monthly cost before you commit to anything.
Case studiesTeams we built, and what happened next
We do not name US clients without their permission. These are some of the teams we have built, including one now hiring in the US.
Founding team built. Company acquired by Cognizant.
Inawisdom, an AWS partner, built its founding technology team with us, from startup through to acquisition by Cognizant in 2020.
Read the case study40+ hires, an AI-first pivot and a new engineering hub.
Lavanda, a VC-backed Finch Capital proptech, pivoted to AI-first engineering, hiring some of its first harness engineers, and built a Philippines team alongside its UK team, with fees paid monthly through Pay While They Stay.
Read the case studyFrom 30 to 240 people without losing the culture.
Derivco grew its Ipswich engineering and product operation eightfold, hiring for skill and for fit with its values.
Read the case studyIn their own words
“Their knowledge of my requirements and their attention to detail are unmatched.”
Director of Recruiting Operations
“They care equally about candidates and clients, and want to understand the problem that needs to be solved rather than just make a deal.”
CX and EX Strategic Leader
“Our business and team wouldn’t be as strong without Hurren & Hope’s contribution and efforts.”
CEO, IJYI
Hiring in San Francisco: questions
Do you have an office in San Francisco?
No. We are London-headquartered and recruit into San Francisco and the Bay Area from London, working through our network and warm introductions rather than a walk-in office.
What do technology recruiters in San Francisco charge?
US contingency recruiters typically charge 15 to 25% of first-year base salary, up to 30% for specialist AI and ML roles, usually with a 60 to 90 day guarantee that offers a replacement rather than a refund. We charge 20% of base salary and you can pay it monthly over 12 months, with the payments stopping if your hire leaves.
Do you supply contractors in San Francisco?
No. Contract hiring is UK only. In San Francisco we recruit on permanent and executive search terms.
How much does an AI or ML engineer earn in San Francisco?
Across the sources in our salary benchmarks, a senior AI or ML engineer has a median base salary of $220,000, with a range of $190,000 to $265,000 between sources. Levels.fyi puts total compensation for machine learning engineers at $250,000 to $420,000 (25th to 75th percentile). Figures as of 28 September 2026.
How much does a senior software engineer earn in San Francisco?
Across the sources in our salary benchmarks, the median base salary is $200,000, with a range of $166,000 to $225,000 between sources. Levels.fyi puts total compensation for senior engineers at $260,000 to $470,000 (25th to 75th percentile). Figures as of 28 September 2026.
Do you hire founding engineers?
Yes. We hire founding engineers and first developers for venture-backed startups, and Aligned on hurrenandhope.vc can defer up to 75% of the fee until your next funding round. If that round doesn't happen, the deferred part isn't owed.
Is VAT charged on your fees for US clients?
No. US clients are not charged VAT.
How do you handle the time difference?
Our search and client work runs out of London, and our delivery hubs keep sourcing moving outside UK hours, so a San Francisco role keeps moving overnight.
Hiring in San Francisco? Talk to a hiring expert.
Why clients stay with us