HR Operations Specialist

About SandboxAQ SandboxAQ is a high-growth company delivering AI solutions that address some of the world's greatest challenges. The company’s Large Quantitative Models (LQMs) power advances in life sciences, financial services, navigation, cybersecurity, and other sectors. We are a global team that is tech-focused and includes experts in AI, chemistry, cybersecurity, physics, mathematics, medicine, engineering, and other specialties. The company emerged from Alphabet Inc. as an independent, growth capital-backed company in 2022, funded by leading investors and supported by a braintrust of industry leaders. At SandboxAQ, we’ve cultivated an environment that encourages creativity, collaboration, and impact. By investing deeply in our people, we’re building a thriving, global workforce poised to tackle the world's epic challenges. Join us to advance your career in pursuit of an inspiring mission, in a community of like-minded people who value entrepreneurialism, ownership, and transformative impact. The Opportunity At SandboxAQ, People infrastructure is not a back-office function. It is the platform on which we build the employee experience. We have strong foundations in place, and we are entering the next evolution of how we operate. As the company grows, we need someone who can build for today while designing for what comes next. What works at 300 people is not what works at 600, and this role is about helping us stay ahead of that curve. We are looking for a HR Operations Lead to own and evolve our People Infrastructure in North America, with select global overlap. This is a senior role that is both hands on, as well as responsible for the work and execution of more junior team members. The right person will bring strong judgment, systems thinking, and a practical builder mindset. They will know how to create infrastructure and experiences that work for employees, managers, and the business at the same time. This person will lead across systems, workflows, policy, service delivery, and operational design. They should be comfortable being hands on and running critical day-to-day operations, improving the architecture behind them, and bringing practical ideas (that you have implemented prior!) for how AI and agentic workflows can help us work smarter as we scale. Experience supporting organizational growth, change, and M&A integration is highly valuable in this role. Key Responsibilities Own HR Operations for North America across the employee lifecycle, while partnering on selected global processes and initiatives. Lead operational excellence across employee changes, leaves, separations, compliance, documentation, and employee support. Own and improve core HR systems, workflows, and operating infrastructure with a focus on scale, usability, control, and reliability. Translate policy into clear, workable processes and build durable operating practices, documentation, and governance. Strengthen workflows for contractors, consultants, advisors, and other non-employee populations. Manage and develop junior HR Operations team members, creating clarity, accountability, and stronger execution across the team. Partner closely with the People Team, Talent Acquisition, Finance, Legal, IT, Security, and other stakeholders to improve how work moves across the business. Identify friction, reduce manual work, and introduce practical uses of AI, automation, and agentic workflows to improve quality, speed, and scale. Help the function evolve for the future by building infrastructure that can support a more complex organization over time, including periods of rapid growth, change, or integration. Lead on select sensitive employee relations matters including investigations, policy review, and decision making Drive strategic projects and programs to make us more future ready (ex: roadmap for tech stack changes, new global time off policies) Essential Skills & Experience Significant experience in HR Operations, People Operations, or HR systems-focused roles, with ownership of regional or multi-jurisdictional operations. Prior deliverables may include (but not limited to): Technology evaluation, re-design and implementation (ex: new HRIS system) Significant policy design and transition (ex: you made a large scale global policy change and drove the change management) Redesigning work flows with the use of AI/agentic solutions Experience leading complex employee relations matters (ex: difficult policy decision, standard employee investigation) Minimum of 9+ years of progressive experience across HR systems, operational infrastructure, employee lifecycle processes, policy execution, and service delivery. Someone who has held an HR Business Partner role (or similar employee facing role) Prior people management experience, including meaningful experience coaching and developing junior team members. Strong systems orientation and comfort with HRIS platforms, workflow tools, reporting, and process design. Experience building or maturing contractor, consultant, or non-employee workforce processes. Experience supporting company growth and change, with exposure to M&A, integration, or organizational transition work strongly preferred. Ability to think beyond the current moment and design for where the company is going, not just where it is today. Strong judgment, high discretion, and the ability to move fluidly between strategy and hands-on execution. Excellent communication skills and the ability to turn ambiguity into clear action. Experience in an AI-focused, high-growth, or highly innovative environment, with credible ideas for how AI and agentic approaches can level up HR Operations. Highly Desired Skills & Experience You are curious, highly responsive, and energized by building better ways of working. You bring both creativity and pragmatism, and know how to balance fresh thinking with what will actually work. You can see both the immediate operational need and the longer-term operating model behind it. You care about quality and discipline, but you are not attached to process for process’s sake. You like using technology to modernize work and improve the employee experience. You know how to lead others while staying close enough to the details to keep the function sharp. You want to be ahead of the competition versus waiting to see if what others are doing will work. You are highly collaborative, stakeholder oriented, and communicative. Why Join Us? We offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits package designed to support your health, financial well-being, and life outside of work. Career Defining Work : Your work will directly accelerate the discovery of better drugs and better materials, advance human health, and enable safer and more sustainable technologies by helping customers put AI Simulation capabilities into real world use. Compensation: Competitive base salary, performance-based incentives or bonuses (where applicable), and equity participation. Benefits: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents with generous employer premium contributions, retirement savings with company matching, paid parental leave, and inclusive family-building benefits. Work-Life Balance: Fully remote, Flexible paid time off, company-wide seasonal breaks, and support for flexible work arrangements that enable sustainable performance. Learning and Growth: Opportunities for continuous learning and growth through on-the-job development, cross-functional collaboration, and access to internal learning and development programs. SandboxAQ Welcomes All We are committed to fostering a culture of belonging and respect, where diverse perspectives are actively sought and valued. Our multidisciplinary environment provides ample opportunity for continuous growth - working alongside humble, empowered, and ambitious colleagues ready to tackle epic challenges. Equal Employment Opportunity : All qualified applicants will receive consideration regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status. Accommodations : We provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities in job application procedures for open roles. If you need such an accommodation, please let a member of our Recruiting team know. Read: Guidance for candidates on using AI Tools in interviews