Sr. People Operations GeneralistDepartment: People Operations
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: Hawthorne, California
Compensation: $125,000 - $145,000 / year
DescriptionThis position combines strategic partnership with hands-on execution. The ideal candidate is comfortable in ambiguity, managing complex employee relations matters, improving processes, coaching leaders, and helping build a high-accountability, high-performance culture during a critical stage of company growth.
The Sr. People Operations Generalist plays a key role in supporting the full employee lifecycle while helping leaders scale teams' responsibility, compliantly and efficiently.
What you'll do:Strategic Partnership
- Partner with leaders on performance, employee development, workforce planning, and organizational growth.
- Provide practical HR guidance and support complex employee matters.
- Manage employee relations, investigations, conflict resolution, and performance issues.
- Promote a positive, inclusive, and high-performing workplace culture.
- Ensure compliance with employment laws, policies, and HR processes.
- Maintain accurate records and partner with key stakeholders on HR operations.
- Support onboarding, promotions, transfers, performance management, and organizational changes.
- Partner with Recruiting to deliver a strong employee experience.
- Lead HR initiatives, improve processes, and support company growth.
- Analyze workforce trends and leverage HR systems to drive effective decision-making.
What you'll bring:What's Prepared You:- 6-10+ years of progressive HR or People Operations experience, including experience supporting technical, engineering, manufacturing, or operational teams
- Strong experience in high-growth, fast-scaling startup or aerospace/technology environments
- Deep working knowledge of California employment law and HR compliance practices
- Demonstrated experience managing complex employee relations matters and workplace investigations
- Proven ability to coach managers through difficult conversations, performance management, and organizational challenges
- Experience supporting both exempt and non-exempt employee populations
- Strong project management and process improvement capabilities
- Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on operational execution
- Excellent communication, judgment, and interpersonal skills
- High level of professionalism, discretion, and emotional intelligence
- Experience using HRIS and performance management systems such as Lattice, Rippling, ADP Workforce Now, Insperity, BambooHR, or similar platforms
- SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification preferred
Preferred Experience - Experience supporting aerospace, advanced manufacturing, hardware engineering, robotics, automotive, defense, or other highly technical industries
- Experience supporting rapid headcount growth and organizational scaling
- Experience partnering with engineering leadership, program management, production teams, and executive leadership
- Familiarity with government contracting environments or compliance-driven organizations is a plus
Benefits and Perks- Join a team of best-in-class engineers building the foundation of planetary surface exploration
- Equity ownership in the company
- Comprehensive health benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and mental health support
- 401(k) plan with company match
- Flexible PTO and parental leave
- Home office set up reimbursement
- Weekly lunch stipend, plus complimentary snacks and beverages on-site
- Once a month social hour on-site with food and drinks
