HR Operations Manager

Responsibilities:

• People Ops Site Lead – LA 
• Serve as the primary People Operations contact for the LA office—partnering closely with team leads, managers, and employees across technical and non-technical functions. 
• Provide hands-on support for HR-related issues in LA including onboarding, offboarding, employee requests, policy questions, and workplace logistics. 
• Collaborate with IT, Security, and Facilities to ensure a smooth employee experience onsite. 


• Team Management 
• Directly manage one People Operations Generalist focused on payroll administration, benefits, and compliance. 
• Support prioritization, execution, and professional development. 
• Serve as player-coach: jumping into execution as needed and guiding long-term capability-building. 


• Policy, Process, and Systems Design 
• Build and document scalable, compliant policies and processes for core People Ops functions (e.g., leave of absence, terminations, onboarding, accommodations, etc.). 
• Partner with broader People Ops leadership to align LA office operations with company-wide practices. 
• Drive operational rigor and improve system workflows (HRIS, ticketing, documentation). 

Minimum Requirements:

• 5+ years of HR/People Operations experience, including at least 1–2 years of people management. 
• Experience owning and improving People Ops policies and workflows (especially in CA). 
• Knowledge of CA-specific labor laws and compliance requirements. 
• Hands-on operational experience with payroll, onboarding, benefits, and employee relations. 
• Comfort operating as both a strategic partner and a tactical executor. 
• Ability to build trust quickly, especially in a cross-functional, high-performance culture. 

Preferred Skills & Responsibilities

• Experience in aerospace, manufacturing, defense, or high-growth startup environments. 
• Familiarity with systems like ADP, Lattice, Lever, Jira, Confluence, etc. 
• HR certification (PHR, SHRM-CP, or equivalent) a plus. 

Working Conditions:

• Role is based on-site at the Los Angeles facility to ensure strong collaboration with engineering, manufacturing, and operations teams.
• Primarily office-based, with regular engagement on the production floor to support workforce initiatives and employee relations.
• Occasional travel to other Hermeus locations may be required for meetings, training, or company events.
• May involve extended hours during peak business cycles or critical program milestones.
• Fast-paced, dynamic, and highly collaborative environment aligned with Hermeus’ rapid design, build, and test culture.

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Frequent walking through office, manufacturing, and test facility environments.
• Occasional standing, bending, or reaching as part of employee engagement or site walkthroughs.
• Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds occasionally (e.g., employee materials, office supplies, or equipment).
• Ability to adhere to safety requirements and wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when entering production or test areas.
• Must be comfortable working in a fast-paced aerospace environment with exposure to light industrial noise and activity.