HR Administrator - Office of People & Culture

HR Administrator - Office of People & Culture

Job Category: Human Resources

Job location is at 10240 Science Center Drive, San Diego, CA 92121

What You'll Do

As an HR Administrator, you'll play a key role in supporting the employee lifecycle while partnering with colleagues across the Institute to deliver efficient, compliant, and people-centered HR services. You'll help maintain the integrity of HR operations while identifying opportunities to improve processes and enhance the employee experience.

Responsibilities include:

• Supporting employee lifecycle transactions, including onboarding, transfers, personnel changes, rehires, and separations.
• Processing and auditing HR transactions while maintaining exceptional data accuracy and confidentiality.
• Coordinating New Hire Orientation and ensuring a welcoming onboarding experience.
• Managing employment eligibility verification (Form I-9 and E-Verify) and maintaining compliance with federal regulations.
• Serving as a trusted resource for employees, managers, and internal partners by providing timely, professional customer service.
• Preparing HR reports, dashboards, and metrics that support operational and compliance initiatives.
• Developing and improving HR procedures, documentation, and standard operating practices.
• Leveraging HR technology, automation, and continuous improvement initiatives to streamline processes and improve efficiency.
• Supporting HR programs, employee recognition initiatives, and special projects across the Office of People & Culture.
• Building collaborative partnerships throughout the Institute to deliver exceptional HR services.

What We're Looking For

The ideal candidate is someone who:

• Enjoys working in a fast-paced, service-oriented environment.
• Has exceptional attention to detail and takes pride in producing highly accurate work.
• Thinks critically and proactively identifies opportunities to improve processes.
• Is comfortable working with technology and learning new systems.
• Builds strong relationships through professionalism, collaboration, and outstanding customer service.
• Exercises sound judgment and maintains strict confidentiality when handling sensitive information.
• Thrives when balancing multiple priorities while meeting deadlines.

Who We Are

The Salk Institute is an internationally renowned research institution that values all members of our scientific community. We seek bold and interactive leaders passionate about exploring new frontiers in science. Our collaborative community embraces perspectives across discipline, professional acumen, and unique life experiences, fostering innovation, and a sense of belonging. Together, we strive to improve the wellbeing of humanity through groundbreaking research.

Founded by Jonas Salk, developer of the first safe and effective polio vaccine, the Institute is an independent, nonprofit research organization and architectural landmark: small by choice, intimate by nature, and fearless in the face of any challenge. Salk's vibrant community has many talented individuals from varied backgrounds, each playing a crucial role in driving our mission forward. From visionary leaders to dedicated administrators and brilliant faculty members, the Institute is united by a shared passion for scientific exploration and innovation.

What we Require

• High school diploma or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Three or more years of experience supporting Human Resources, employee services, academic personnel, student affairs, or a related administrative function.
• Experience working with HRIS/HCM systems and Microsoft Office, including Excel.
• Strong organizational, communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred:

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Human Resources, or a related field.
• Experience supporting a multidisciplinary Human Resources department.
• Experience using UKG/UltiPro or a comparable HRIS.
• Working knowledge of California employment practices and HR compliance.
• Experience supporting recruitment or applicant tracking systems.

Why Join the Salk Institute?

The Salk Institute is one of the world's premier independent biomedical research organizations, where scientists pursue groundbreaking discoveries to improve human health. As part of the Office of People & Culture, you'll contribute to an organization dedicated to scientific excellence while helping create an outstanding workplace for our employees.

At Salk, we value:

• Integrity
• Community
• Accountability
• Respect
• Empowerment

If you're excited about combining operational excellence, innovation, and exceptional service in a collaborative environment, we encourage you to apply.

The expected pay range for this position is $31.25 per hour to $36.06 per hour. Salk Institute provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the institute reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

Salk Institute offers competitive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, retirement, paid time off, tuition reimbursement, patient advocacy services, and transit/parking program.

The Salk Community, both scientists and administrators, worked together to define values that we believe support Salk's pursuit of excellence. To be truly the best scientific institution requires not only incredible discoveries, but a common understanding of how we should work together to enable those discoveries.

The acronym "I CARE" provides a simple way to remember each of the values and reminds each of us of the importance of what we do each day.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Salk Institute for Biological Studies is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing equal access to opportunities for students, employees, applicants for employment and other visitors. Salk has also adopted and maintains a policy to encourage professional and respectful workplace behavior and prevent discriminatory and harassing conduct in our workplace.

Accordingly, the Institute prohibits harassment and discrimination in employment on the basis of, and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to, actual or perceived race (race is inclusive of traits associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles. Protective hairstyles include, but not limited to, such hairstyles as braids, and twists), color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), reproductive health decision making, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status (disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era, other covered veteran status), political affiliation, and any other status protected by state or federal law.

Discrimination is prohibited with any intersectionality of the above-mentioned characteristics, including:

1. Any combination of characteristics.
2. A perception that the person has any of the characteristics or any combination of those characteristics.
3. A perception that the person is associated with a person who has, or is perceived to have, any of those characteristics or any combination of those characteristics.

Equal Opportunity Employer This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.