People Operations Lead

We’re a well-funded, early-stage AI company building ambitious technology at the forefront of artificial intelligence. As we scale, we’re looking for our first People Operations hire to build the foundation for an exceptional employee experience. This role will own People Operations end to end, ensuring our team is supported, our systems run smoothly, and our culture remains strong as the company grows. You’ll work closely with our Founding Recruiter, leadership team, and cross-functional partners to build the processes, programs, and infrastructure that will support the next stage of the company. We’re looking for someone who loves building from scratch, operates with a high degree of ownership, and believes the best workplaces are high-trust, engaging, thoughtful, and fun. Prior experience in a People Operations role at a Series A or Series B startup is strongly preferred. This role is on-site 5 days/week in Palo Alto. Key Responsibilities Onboarding & Offboarding: Design and own a seamless onboarding experience that sets new hires up for success, along with clear and professional offboarding processes. People Systems & Compliance: Own and maintain our HRIS and core People systems, partnering closely with our CFO, DevOps Lead, and Founding Recruiter on cross-functional initiatives. Build foundational processes and documentation that do not yet exist, including our employee handbook. Performance & Career Development: Partner with leadership to create simple, high-impact approaches to feedback, performance reviews, career development, and growth. Benefits: Evaluate, recommend, and implement a competitive benefits program that supports our team and keeps us competitive as an employer. Culture & Employee Experience: Own internal communications related to People initiatives and develop programs that strengthen employee engagement, retention, and connection. Team Events: Lead the planning and execution of our annual company retreat and other experiences that bring the team together. People Operations: Serve as the go-to resource for day-to-day employee questions and continuously identify ways to make our People processes more effective as we scale. What We’re Looking For Prior People Operations experience at an early-stage, high-growth startup, ideally Series A or Series B Experience building People programs and processes from the ground up Strong working knowledge of HR systems, benefits, onboarding, compliance, and employee lifecycle processes Excellent judgment, discretion, and attention to detail Ability to operate independently and drive projects from idea through execution A practical, low-ego approach and willingness to jump between strategic and hands-on work Strong communication skills and a genuine interest in creating an exceptional employee experience Comfort operating in a fast-moving environment where processes are still being built #J-18808-Ljbffr Stealth AI Startup