People Operations Specialist

People Operations Specialist

Department: People

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: USA, Remote

Description

About us
We are Digital Science and we are advancing the research ecosystem. We are a pioneering technology company, and our vision is of a future where a trusted and collaborative research ecosystem drives progress for all. We believe in better, open, collaborative and inclusive research. In creating the next generation of tools and working in partnership with the community we tackle some of the biggest challenges to research. In order to achieve our vision, we need innovative, inspiring and dynamic people to join our team. Want to join us?

Your new role - This role sits at the heart of People, Culture, and Organisation, driving the operational and administrative excellence that keeps the function running smoothly and evolving continuously. Based in the US, you'll be the go-to people operations expert for our American colleagues and managers, while collaborating closely with a global People Ops team to ensure consistency and shared best practice across regions. You'll own the review and optimisation of people systems and processes — identifying opportunities to simplify, automate, and reduce complexity — while implementing data-driven solutions that improve efficiency and service delivery for managers and colleagues alike. Equally important is the day-to-day: ensuring interactions with people processes are quick, intuitive, and reliable. This role is the connective tissue between foundational operational delivery and the organisation's broader digital transformation agenda, with a clear goal of building a more agile, adaptive people function. 

What you’ll be doing

Employee Lifecycle Management

• Provide expert administrative support across the full employee lifecycle globally — including onboarding (I-9 verification), employment changes, absences, benefits, and offboarding.
• Process bi-weekly US payroll and support monthly payroll in European and Australian markets; maintain accurate colleague data across the HRIS in compliance with local labour laws.
• Serve as the primary contact for colleague and manager enquiries on people policies, procedures, and HRIS; monitor the ticketing system to ensure requests are triaged, actioned, and resolved to SLA.
• Maintain the internal people knowledge base and coordinate ISO audit preparation, including record-keeping, stakeholder liaison, and compliance documentation management.

HR Systems

• Act as first-line support for HRIS enquiries, providing basic training and resolving routine issues; assist in creating standard reports and maintaining documentation of procedures, settings, and workflows.
• Identify automation and process improvement opportunities; support system upgrades, integrations, and new implementations to meet Digital Science's operational needs.

Problem Solving and Operational Delivery

• Investigate and resolve people operations issues by applying established policies and controls; coordinate with employees, managers, People Partners, and vendors to enable timely resolution.
• Identify recurring issues, data inconsistencies, or process gaps and contribute recommendations for improvement.

Continuous Improvement and Innovation

• Regularly identify and implement ways of working improvements; act as a bridge between the people team and the business to drive automation, simplification, and process efficiency.

Data, Insight & People Analytics

• Use people data and HR analytics to identify trends, surface risks, and inform priorities; contribute to regular reporting on people metrics and advocate for the employee experience using lifecycle and pulse survey insights.

Commitment to Excellence

• Invest in personal and professional growth, engage in cross-functional knowledge sharing, and foster a collaborative, innovative team environment.

What you’ll bring to the role

• Proven experience resolving complex HR challenges in a dynamic environment, including supporting organisational change from an operational and execution standpoint.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to use HR data to drive reporting and improvements; experience with ticketing systems, document management, or compliance processes.
• Experience with Trinet or similar co-employment platforms; HiBob experience a plus.
• Proficient in Google Workspace; excellent written and verbal communication skills; comfortable learning new tools quickly.

Don't worry if you don't meet every qualification—let us be the judge! Studies show that many qualified candidates from under-represented groups hesitate to apply unless they meet every single requirement. We are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive team and strongly encourage you to submit your application.

Living our Values

We invest in, nurture and support innovative businesses and technologies that make all parts of the research process more open, efficient and effective. 
The talent we secure is fundamental to us achieving our vision and our growth plans. The values we live by are:
We are brave in the pursuit of better We are collaborative and inclusive We are always open-minded We are from and for the community

At Digital Science, our vision is to see research flow seamlessly – trusted, collaborative, and accessible – fueling breakthroughs that push humanity forward. This ambitious mission is one we achieve together, by enabling open, collaborative, inclusive research.
We firmly believe that to truly innovate and solve the complex challenges faced by our customers, from researchers and universities to funders and publishers, we need diverse perspectives, experiences, and ideas. A rich mix of voices drives quality insights, fosters enhanced collaboration, and ultimately pushes knowledge forward more effectively.
As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to building and nurturing a workplace where every individual feels valued and belongs. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status. Beyond recruitment, we strive to cultivate an environment where inclusivity is woven into the fabric of our culture, enabling everyone to be their best self and do their best work.