8+ years as an HR Business Partner, ideally with technical and engineering teams
Proven success in high-growth environments, preferably early stage startups
Experience with succession planning and leadership development
Demonstrated ability to influence and coach effectively across all levels
Hands-on experience with complex employee relations matters
Direct experience with California labor laws and regulations
Proficient in HRIS and performance management tools
Responsibilities
Serve as a strategic partner for people managers and individual contributors
Anticipate workforce risks and support organizational scaling
Coach managers on handling people matters confidentially
Respond to employee inquiries regarding core HR functions
Proactively identify and address employee relations issues
Deploy HR policies and programs to meet legal and business requirements
Drive initiatives to enhance employee engagement and retention
Ensure compliance with employment laws across multiple states
Contribute to diversity and inclusion and workforce development initiatives
Benefits
Comprehensive benefits package including paid time off and medical coverage
Life insurance and paid parental leave
Company equity in addition to base salary
Opportunities for personal and professional growth
Dynamic and inclusive workplace culture
Full Job Description
The Role
As a Senior HR Business Partner at K2 Space you will play a pivotal role in shaping our company's culture and people strategy. You will work closely with leadership to design and implement HR initiatives that align with our mission, fostering an innovative and inclusive environment where top talent can thrive. You will serve as a strategic partner and reliable resource for engineering people managers and individual contributors, creating a positive and productive work environment. Leverage your well-honed understanding of applicable labor and employment law to ensure the company is as compliant as it is compelling. This is a unique opportunity to build the HR function from the ground up in a dynamic, cutting-edge industry, driving impact at every level of the organization. If you're passionate about people and space, this is the role for you.
Responsibilities
Partner with leadership to anticipate workforce risks and support organizational scaling while ensuring a safe, inclusive, and productive work environment across all sites
Coach and support managers so they know how to address and manage people matters confidentially and compliantly.
Respond to employee questions and provide information, guidance, and direction on core HR functions
Foster a healthy and productive workplace by proactively identifying and addressing potential employee relations matters before they materialize, and by managing and driving solutions to existing employee relations matters in a timely, collaborative, and fair way
Identify, develop, and collaborate with internal stakeholders to deploy HR policies, programs, and processes that are required to meet contractual requirements, at law requirements, and that enable the business to scale
Drive internal initiatives that foster employee engagement and satisfaction, and that promote employee retention
Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws across multiple states
Contribute to strategic initiatives that support the company's goals, such as diversity and inclusion efforts and workforce development programs
Qualifications
8+ years as an HR Business Partner, preferably partnering with technical teams, engineering, and operational leadership
Experience and demonstrated success operating in high-growth environments
Experience working in a California-based aerospace, engineering, technology, or hardware manufacturing technology startup
Prior experience in a fast-scaling startup
Demonstrated ability and past success influencing and coaching both people managers and individual contributors throughout an organization, achieving positive resolutions to complex matters without damaging relationships
Experience with succession planning and longer-term leadership develop in order to ensure internal talent development and readiness
Experience with AI tools and applications
Manager coaching leading to consistently high-performing engineering teams
Hands-on experience working with internal stakeholders and independently managing complex employee relations matters, internal investigations, and similar contentious matters
Direct experience with California labor and employment law, including working with both non-exempt and exempt workers, wage and hour matters, employee entitlements, and similar laws and regulations
Demonstrated ability to plan, implement, and own complex projects with multiple stakeholders
Direct experience with HRIS and performance management tools, such as 15Five, Rippling, Leapsome, Lattice, ADP Workforce Now, etc.
Nice to Have
Professional HR certifications such as SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR
Utilization of people data analytics to make recommendations and impact outcomes
Experience managing HR functions for non-exempt employees with specific experience with California labor regulations
Compensation and Benefits:
Base salary range for this role is $120,000 - $150,000 + equity in the company
Salary will be based on several factors including, but not limited to: knowledge and skills, education, and experience level
Comprehensive benefits package including paid time off, medical/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, paid parental leave, and many other perks
If you don't meet 100% of the preferred skills and experience, we encourage you to still apply! Building a spacecraft unlike any other requires a team unlike any other and non-traditional career twists and turns are encouraged!
If you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know.
