Talent Scientist

Canonical is a leading provider of open source software and operating systems to the global enterprise and technology markets. Our platform, Ubuntu, is very widely used in breakthrough enterprise initiatives such as public cloud, data science, AI, engineering innovation and IoT. Our customers include the world's leading public cloud and silicon providers, and industry leaders in many sectors. The company is a pioneer of global distributed collaboration, with 1200+ colleagues in 75+ countries and very few office based roles. Teams meet two to four times yearly in person, in interesting locations around the world, to align on strategy and execution.

The company is founder led, profitable and growing.

Our Talent Science team has a mission to ensure that we follow objective, scientifically rigorous and efficient processes to select the very best new colleagues regardless of location, culture or background. We work closely with our key stakeholders to ensure that decisions are being made in the right way and that our hiring model supports the selection of world class talent. We lead an effective hiring ecosystem to deliver talent acquisition excellence. We leverage data to enable evidence-based decisions, weaving behavioural science through our selection process, working closely with our Hiring Leadership team who drive hiring at Canonical.

We are looking for exceptional people to join our team at the entry level. You will possess a psychology based degree with an exceptional academic track record from high school. You will also bring some relevant experience from the field of talent, from either university coursework relating to talent selection or from an internship or first job in a talent team. In this role you will learn how to implement hiring strategies that result in high performance outcomes of our people and contribute to leading our talent agenda. 

The suitable candidate will bring an analytical mindset with a high level of curiosity to integrate data to draw insights and outcomes using SQL or Python. You will have the ability to prioritise and deliver work in a fast paced environment with a good level of self motivation and drive to operate in our remote based environment. With a keen interest in the assessment of  talent you will demonstrate a passion for understanding human decisions and behaviours. Great communication skills are also key to this role as you will be working closely with senior stakeholders to ensure they stay on track with their hiring targets. Finally, we would like you to bring a passion and interest for technology platforms and automations to help us drive efficiencies in our processes.

Location: These are remote based positions that are available in the EMEA region.

The role entails

• Learning how to assess candidates using behavioural interview techniques.
• Gaining a deep appreciation of the use of psychometrics in the workplace.
• Working on process and documentation efficiencies that fuel our hiring practices.
• Contributing to projects that drive successful hiring outcomes, many of which require advanced analytics skills to integrate data to draw insights.
• Building excellent stakeholder relationships to help design and implement solutions to complex problems that ultimately ensure we hire exceptional talent.
• Gaining a deep understanding of our systems and platforms to problem solve and support on hiring questions.
• Being at the forefront of ticket support and company channel questions, helping to solve issues as you gain a deep understanding of our processes.

What we are looking for in you

• Exceptional academic track record from both high school and university, with an undergraduate degree in a psychology or people based subject. 
• Advanced analytical ability to dissect and analyse data using SQL, with Python and/or advanced statistical analysis advantageous.
• Exposure to the topic of talent through university degree coursework, a relevant internship or first job.
• A passion for working in the technology space with evidence as to why.
• Results driven with the ability to work at pace, with strong project management skills to roadmap, plan and deliver objectives working with the team.
• Professional written and spoken English with excellent presentation skills.
• Drive, ambitious and curiosity to own breakthroughs in the talent field.
• Ability to travel internationally 2-4 times a year, for company events, occasionally for two weeks.

Nice-to-have skills

• Advanced theory of psychometrics
• A deep understanding of the topic of intrinsic motivation

What we offer colleagues

We consider geographical location, experience, and performance in shaping compensation worldwide. We revisit compensation annually (and more often for graduates and associates) to ensure we recognise outstanding performance. In addition to base pay, we offer a performance-driven annual bonus or commission. We provide all team members with additional benefits, which reflect our values and ideals. We balance our programs to meet local needs and ensure fairness globally.

• Distributed work environment with twice-yearly team sprints in person
• Personal learning and development budget of USD 2,000 per year
• Annual compensation review
• Recognition rewards
• Annual holiday leave
• Maternity and paternity leave
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Opportunity to travel to new locations to meet colleagues
• Priority Pass, and travel upgrades for long haul company events

About Canonical

Canonical is a pioneering tech firm at the forefront of the global move to open source. As the company that publishes Ubuntu, one of the most important open source projects and the platform for AI, IoT and the cloud, we are changing the world of software. We recruit on a global basis and set a very high standard for people joining the company. We expect excellence - in order to succeed, we need to be the best at what we do. Most colleagues at Canonical have worked from home since its inception in 2004.​ Working here is a step into the future, and will challenge you to think differently, work smarter, learn new skills, and raise your game.

Canonical is an equal opportunity employer

We are proud to foster a workplace free from discrimination. Diversity of experience, perspectives, and background create a better work environment and better products. Whatever your identity, we will give your application fair consideration.

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