About

Built by a recruiter close to the AI engineering market.

HeadHunted AI was built for one reason: companies were trying to hire AI talent without enough clarity on the roles, the market, or the difference between experimentation and production delivery. We specialise in the engineers behind real AI capability — ML, MLOps, GenAI, agentic systems, data platforms and applied AI engineering.

Brief us on a role Talk to us in confidence

Our network includes AI, ML and data professionals from companies such as

Sportsbet
Centurion Logistics
Neon AI
Forever New Clothing
Adairs Retail Group
Traits Insights
Medibank
Alderson Digital
Crown Resorts
Macquarie Group
Daniel Kim — Founder, HeadHunted AI
Engineer Turned Recruiter
& Amateur Boxer
The Origin Story

Meet Daniel Kim (DK)

DK came into recruitment from engineering. His work with data started at university analysing motorcar performance data — the same analytical mindset now sits behind every search HeadHunted AI runs.

After years in the tech market, DK saw the same hiring problem repeat across companies: generalist recruiters could not tell the difference between a Data Scientist, an ML Engineer, an MLOps specialist and a Data Engineer. That lack of role clarity meant great candidates landed in the wrong roles, and good companies struggled to build the teams they actually needed.

So he built HeadHunted AI — a specialist search firm for AI engineering. One that understands not just the job titles, but the actual work: the tech stacks, the deployment pipelines, the difference between research and production.

"I built HeadHunted AI because I was tired of watching great AI talent end up in the wrong roles — and great companies fail to build the teams they needed."

DK
Daniel Kim
Founder & Director
Our Philosophy

Recruitment, Done Differently

We're not a volume shop. We're specialists who take the time to get it right.

Production-First Mindset

We recruit engineers who build and ship production AI systems — not just theorists. Every candidate we present has been through real technical vetting.

We Speak the Language

Our team comes from engineering backgrounds. We understand the difference between PyTorch and TensorFlow, between an ML engineer and a data analyst.

Relationship-Driven

We build long-term relationships with both candidates and clients. Our 95% retention rate comes from deeply understanding what makes a placement work.

The Difference

Generalist Recruiters vs. HeadHunted AI

Generalist Recruiters
HeadHunted AI
Send generic CVs in bulk
Technically vet every candidate before presentation
Can't explain the tech stack
Discuss architecture and tooling fluently
3+ month average time-to-fill
Shortlist in 24h, fill in 2–4 weeks
Disappear after placement
Ongoing retention support and check-ins
Treat AI as just another IT role
Specialise exclusively in AI/ML/Data
Our Team

The People Behind the Placements

A small, focused team that punches above its weight.

Daniel Kim (DK)

Daniel Kim (DK)

Founder & Director

Meet Daniel Kim, or DK as most people know him—a former engineer who found his passion for recruitment through a love of problem-solving and building connections. His fascination with data started back at university, analysing motorcar performance data, and has grown into a career focused on finding top talent in AI and machine learning.

Luke Yoo

Luke Yoo

Head of Resourcing

With over 15 years of recruitment expertise, Luke Yoo is a seasoned professional in talent acquisition and workforce strategy. He has honed his skills in sourcing and placing top-tier talent across IT, government, financial services, and health sectors.

Community

Giving Back to the AI Community

Mentoring AI Camp grads

We mentor cohorts at Melbourne AI Camp every quarter. Mock interviews, CV reviews, and frank conversations about the AI hiring market.

Sponsoring meetups

We back Melbourne ML, MLOps Community, and PyData Melbourne — venue, food, speaker support. Showing up matters more than spending money.

Pro bono placements

We place engineers at AI-for-good non-profits at no fee — climate, healthcare, accessibility. Two placements a year, no exceptions.

Want us at your event or know a non-profit hiring? Get in touch.

  • 47Roles filled in 2025
  • 95%Placement retention rate
  • 2-4 weeksAverage time to fill
  • 6,000+AI engineers in network

Need a market read for a specific role ?

Send us the brief. We will tell you what the market is likely to look like, where the search may be hard, and what you may need to pay to compete.

Brief us on a role Talk to us in confidence