People Operations Manager - Rippling & California Compliance Lead

Requirements 6+ years of HR/People Operations experience in a fast-growing tech environment

• Rippling Expert: Advanced, hands-on experience with Rippling PEO, payroll, and 401(k) administration
• CA Labor Law Mastery: Deep functional knowledge of California-specific regulations and compliance requirements
• Extreme Ownership & Resourcefulness: Proven ability to solve complex problems independently and deliver results in high-pressure environments
• The "Enforcer" Mentality: Ability to have difficult conversations, stand your ground, and enforce policies with professional firmness
• Strict Organization: High discipline in documentation and file management; you are not okay with things being out of place
• Education: BA/BS Degree
• (Desirable) Experience with hardware, manufacturing, or robotics teams
• (Desirable) Familiarity with regulated or export-controlled (ITAR/EAR) environments
• (Desirable) Experience scaling a startup from mid-stage to commercial deployment

What the job involves Cyngn is seeking a People Operations Manager to serve as a high-stakes executor and enforcer of our operational standards

• You will be responsible for the mechanical, technical, and legal integrity of our People function
• We need a high-agency professional with the backbone to drive decisive action, optimize our tech stack without external guidance, and maintain the precision required for autonomous vehicle technology
• Systems Mastery: Own Rippling (PEO, 401(k), and integrations) as the primary power user, ensuring absolute data integrity and seamless system architecture
• Onboarding Excellence: Oversee the technical and administrative logistics of the end-to-end employee lifecycle, with a focus on high-velocity, structured onboarding in a technical environment
• Program Architecture: Build and scale automated, legally sound frameworks for Performance Management, Comp Cycles, and Equity
• Policy Enforcement: Act as the final authority on HR policies, ensuring company-wide adherence to standards, safety protocols, and mandates
• Compliance: Maintain rigorous compliance with Federal and California labor laws; proactively mitigate risks
• Operational Execution: Direct administrative handling of complex employee relations, including leaves, ADA, and terminations
• Framework Ownership: Evolve compensation bands and leveling guidelines in partnership with Business Ops
• Payroll & Benefits: Manage end-to-end processing of payroll and benefits with high precision and attention to detail
• Cross-Functional Partnership: Partner with Recruiting, Finance, and Legal on audits, workforce planning, and export-control (ITAR/EAR) compliance

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