Head of People (startup/onsite)

Atomic Machines is ushering in a new era in micromanufacturing with its Matter Compiler (MC) technology. The MC enables new classes of micromachines to be designed and built by offering manufacturing processes and a materials library that is inaccessible to semiconductor manufacturing methods. The MC promises to unlock MEMS manufacturing both for the many device classes that never could be made by semiconductor methods but also to open up entirely new classes. Furthermore, the MC is fully digital in the way 3D printing is digital, but where 3D printing produces parts of a single material using a single process, the MC is a multi-process, multi-material technology: bits and raw materials go in and complete, functional micromachines come out. The Atomic Machines team has also created an exciting first device – one that was only made possible by the existence of the Matter Compiler – that we will be unveiling to the world soon.

Our offices are in Berkeley and Santa Clara, California.

About the role:

We seek a passionate Head of People to manage our small HR and Office Management teams from our Santa Clara or Berkeley office. The role includes developing and managing all core HR functions, including performance management, learning and development, and employee relations, while also improving existing processes and procedures in collaboration with key stakeholders across the business. To be successful in this role, you must understand business priorities and translate them into the highest impact work for a very technical company. You will help business leaders look around corners with data-driven recommendations that improve performance, retention, and employee experience.

What you’ll do:

• Design and implement core people programs such as performance reviews, onboarding training, management coaching, and employee relations procedures.
• Understand business priorities and translate them into an HR agenda that supports the business as it grows. 
• Partner with leadership to teach, coach, and cultivate the culture by ensuring our principles are taught, lived, and integrated in each component of people practices.
• Assess training needs, partner with external vendors where needed and/or build training internally, and deliver on the high-impact programs to enable the team to keep growing.
• Develop resources and standards around employee counseling and engagement, performance management, and policies.
• Manage and resolve complex employee relations issues. Conducts effective, thorough, and objective investigations.
• Manage our immigration process, partnering with our external immigration firm to support our international employees.
• Manage our HR systems, always assessing the quality of each and ensuring we are maximizing the value of each.
• Maintain in-depth knowledge of legal requirements related to day-to-day management of employees, reducing legal risks and ensuring regulatory compliance. Partner with our external legal firm as needed/required.
• Meet regularly with management and employees to ensure business objectives, performance and employee satisfaction are aligned.
• Provide day-to-day performance management guidance to line management (e.g., coaching, counseling, career development, disciplinary actions).
• Assess our benefits plans and price other options in the marketplace to ensure we offer the best benefits we can afford for our size and location.
• Assess and partner with various L&D platforms (ie. Udemy, LinkedIn Learning) and make suggest trainings to help the development of our team.

What you’ll need:

• 7+ years of progressive HR leadership experience in a technical company, preferred.
• A true love for working with people, getting to know them, and being intrinsically motivated to help them succeed.
• A flexible skill set, including the ability to think strategically, execute tactically, and collaborate across many teams, levels, and situations.
• The ability to successfully monitor the "pulse" of Atomizers to ensure a high level of employee engagement.
• Deep understanding of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging principles and their application in team building and collaboration.
• Experience in CA people practices laws and best practices for a startup tech company.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a love for spreadsheets and using data to drive decisions.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Proven experience in managing a diverse workforce and scaling the people operations function in a fast-growing company.
• High level of discretion, confidentiality, and ethics.
• Ability to cope well with ambiguity and change in a dynamic environment.
• Excellent communication skills, including extensive experience meeting and presenting to senior executives.
• Ability to work from our Santa Clara office daily with periodic trips to our Berkeley office.
• B.S. in Human Resources, Business Management, or a related field.