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Precision
Targeted market mapping and carefully considered talent identification. Quality over volume.
New York & San Francisco
AI recruitmentwith a human touch.
Boutique AI recruitment agency partnering with the companies defining artificial intelligence.
Track record
Experience that delivers.
A track record built through specialist technical recruitment.
100+
Successful placements
50+
Client companies
The firm
Most agencies sell volume.Lio delivers judgement.
We partner with ambitious AI companies to identify and secure the people who shape their future. Every search is led end-to-end by a senior recruiter with a genuine understanding of the technology, the talent and what makes exceptional people move.
Specialisms
Where exceptional talent meets ambitious technology.
As a specialist AI recruitment agency, we help ambitious companies build the people behind what’s next, from founding engineers and first technical hires to entire engineering teams and senior AI leadership.
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Founding Teams & Early Hires
Founding Engineers, Technical Co-founders, Founding AI Engineers, first engineering hires and the early technical teams that build ambitious startups.
Explore - 02
AI Research & Development
Research Scientists, Research Engineers, Reinforcement Learning and advanced AI development.
Explore - 03
Applied AI & Agents
Large Language Models (LLMs), Generative AI, AI agents and applied AI products.
Explore - 04
AI & ML Engineering
Machine Learning Engineers, model development, model deployment and production machine learning systems.
Explore - 05
AI Infrastructure & Systems
GPU infrastructure, distributed systems, data platforms and large-scale compute.
Explore - 06
Robotics & Embodied AI
Robotics, autonomous systems, perception, control systems and intelligent hardware.
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Executive Search
CTOs, VPs of Engineering, Heads of AI, technical directors and senior engineering leaders.
Explore
Our approach
Fewer searches. Better outcomes.
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Understanding
We understand the technology, the market and what exceptional engineers and researchers value.
03
Ownership
Every search is led by a senior partner, from initial brief through to placement.
Recommendations
Good relationships. Real results.
Trusted partnerships, built on understanding, delivery and the people behind every search.
“David was incredibly easy to work with and very professional through the entire recruitment and hiring process. Communications were timely and relevant - he managed the entire process flawlessly. I look forward to working with him again for my staffing needs.”
Colin Riddell
Engineering Leader
Client
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The founder
Personal involvement. Every search.
Lio was founded by David Lines after a decade partnering with founders and hiring leaders across the AI ecosystem, from first engineering hires and research scientists to senior technical leadership.
Every search is still led personally. You speak directly with David, and the people he introduces are people he would be proud to hire himself.
David Lines
Founder, Lio
Get in touch
Exceptional teams start with the right people.
Whether you're building something ambitious or considering your next move, let's talk.
Start a conversation