Head of People

PhysicsX is a deep-tech company of scientists and engineers, developing machine learning applications to massively accelerate physics simulations and enable a new frontier of optimisation opportunities in design, engineering, and systems control.

We help our customers fundamentally improve their concepts and designs, transform their engineering processes and drive operational product performance. We do this in some of the most advanced and important industries of our time – including Renewables & Sustainability, Space, Aerospace, Medical Devices, Additive Manufacturing and Energy. Our work creates positive impact for society, be it by improving the design of artificial hearts, reducing CO2 emissions from aircraft and road vehicles, or increasing the performance of wind turbines. 

The Role

We are looking for our first Head of People to build a People function from the ground up. Reporting directly to the COO and collaborating closely with our Cofounder and CEO, this person will shape our culture, define and implement people strategies, and establish foundational practices across recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, performance management, and growth. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a greenfield environment, excited by the chance to lay the groundwork for scalable, impactful People operations in a fast-growing company.

What you will do

• Own all aspects of PhysicsX’ people strategy and its execution, including:
• Articulate and realise a compelling and competitive employee value proposition. Oversee talent team to ensure recruitment process follows best practices and achieves target outcomes.
• Continuously refine onboarding processes to support the smooth integration of new hires, aligned with company values and expectations from day one.
• Closely observe company culture and its alignment to our values as well as business strategy (e.g., feedback / engineering / performance culture). Drive initiatives to strengthen culture as needed.
• Continuously assess and improve systems for managing performance and remuneration.
• Review and propose training programmes and budgets.
• Develop strategies to promote diversity in hiring and maintain an inclusive workforce.
• Support the CEO in creating a cohesive internal communication strategy.
• Ensure people policies are fit for purpose and PhysicsX is compliant on relevant people topics (e.g., GDPR).
• Oversee and where required be hands-on to implement and maintain people processes and systems.

About you

• Experience in a People leadership role, with exposure to the majority of key topics outlined above
• Both inherently a “people person” (strong EQ, ability to influence, genuinely caring about the team), as well as somebody who brings a data-driven mindset to problem solving and managing company growth
• Experience creating and building a compelling EVP that attracts and retains top talent
• Track record of building a high-performance, mission-driven and customer-centric culture (e.g., in a consulting or tech services context)
• Experience productively channelling rapid company growth, ideally in a scale-up or later-stage technology start-up
• Experience in growing and managing the People and Talent function

What we offer

• Be part of something larger: Make an impact and meaningfully shape an early-stage company. Work on some of the most exciting and important topics there are. Do something you can be proud of
• Work with a fun group of colleagues that support you, challenge you and help you grow. We come from many different backgrounds, but what we have in common is the desire to operate at the very top of our fields and solve truly challenging problems in science and engineering. If you are similarly capable, caring and driven, you'll find yourself at home here
• Experience a truly flat hierarchy. Voicing your ideas is not only welcome but encouraged, especially when they challenge the status quo
• Work sustainably, striking the right balance between work and personal life.
• Receive a competitive compensation and equity package, in addition to plenty of perks such as generous vacation and parental leave, complimentary office food, as well as fun outings and events
• Work in a flexible setting, with your choice of either our lovely London Shoreditch or Bicester Heritage offices to collaborate in, and a good proportion from home if so desired. Get the opportunity to occasionally visit our customers' engineering sites and experience first-hand how our work is transforming their ways of working
• Use first-class equipment for working in-office or remotely, including in-house HPC and GPU stack