Apptronik is a human-centered robotics company developing AI-powered robots to support humanity in every facet of life. Our flagship humanoid robot, Apollo, is built to collaborate thoughtfully with people, starting with critical industries such as manufacturing and logistics, with future applications in healthcare, the home, and beyond.
We operate at the cutting edge of Applied AI, applying our expertise across the full robotics stack to solve some of society's most important problems. You will join a team dedicated to bringing Apollo to market at scale, tackling the complex challenges like safety, commercialization, and mass production to change the world for the better.
Senior Director, Total Rewards
Full-Time | People Operations | Sunnyvale, CA (Hybrid)
JOB SUMMARY
Apptronik is building robots that will change how humanity works — and we’re building the people function to match. As our Director, Total Rewards, you’ll be a founding architect of how we attract, reward, and retain world-class talent in one of the most competitive markets on the planet. You’ll own compensation and benefits strategy end-to-end, partnering with Finance, Legal, and People Partners, and reporting to the VP, People Operations. Level will be calibrated to your experience and what you’re ready to own from day one.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES or KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:
Compensation Design & Management
- Own job architecture, leveling frameworks, and salary structures across engineering, business, and operations functions
- Lead compensation cycles (merit, equity refresh, promotions), including modeling, calibration, and manager communications
- Conduct regular market benchmarking using Radford or comparable surveys; maintain salary bands and refresh annually
- Partner with Talent Acquisition on offer strategy, competitive positioning, and real-time compensation intelligence
Equity Compensation
- Partner with Legal and Finance on equity mechanics, liquidity events, and board materials; build education resources that help employees understand and value their ownership
Benefits & Well-being
- Own the full benefits lifecycle — broker relationships, annual renewal, plan design, cost modeling, and employee communication; serve as the escalation point for complex claims and coverage questions
- Evaluate and evolve the benefits portfolio to remain competitive in the tech and robotics talent market
- Oversee leave of absence administration and ensure compliance with applicable federal and state regulations
Compliance & Governance
- Ensure programs comply with FLSA, ACA, ERISA, and applicable state laws; maintain plan documents, SPDs, and governance documentation
Analytics & Systems
- Build dashboards and conduct pay equity analyses that give leadership clear visibility into total rewards spend and support a fair, data-informed workplace
SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS
- Total Rewards Depth: 12+ years in compensation, total rewards, or a related people operations role, ideally in a high-growth or tech environment. Breadth across comp strategy, equity, and benefits matters more than any single credential.
- Analytical Mindset: You build models, identify trends, and translate complex data into clear insights for Finance, Legal, and Board-level audiences.
- Builder’s Instinct: You bring structure to ambiguity and take ownership through to execution — no playbook required.
- Clear Communicator: You handle sensitive data with discretion and translate complex comp concepts into plain language for employees, managers, and executives alike.
- CHIPC Values: You naturally embody our core values (Curiosity, Humility, Integrity, Passion, and Creativity) — how we make decisions every day.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:
- 12+ years in compensation, total rewards, or a combined people operations role
- Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business, Finance, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
- CCP, CEBS, or PHR/SPHR certification is a plus, not a requirement
- Experience in a venture-backed or high-growth company strongly preferred; transferable depth from other dynamic environments welcome
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
- Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen
- Hearing and speech to communicate
Apptronik is an equal opportunity employer. We actively work to build a team that reflects the full range of backgrounds, identities, and perspectives — and we strongly encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to apply, even if you don’t check every box.
*This is a direct hire. Please, no outside Agency solicitations.
Apptronik provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
Skills Required
- 12+ years of experience in compensation, total rewards, or a combined people operations role
- Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business, Finance, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
- Experience across compensation strategy, equity, and benefits
- Analytical experience building models, identifying trends, and translating data into insights
- Experience handling sensitive compensation data with discretion
- Experience in a venture-backed or high-growth company
- CCP, CEBS, or PHR/SPHR certification
Apptronik Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Healthcare Strength — Healthcare coverage includes multiple UnitedHealthcare plan options with an employer-paid portion, plus mental health benefits and FSAs. The presence of standard medical, dental, and vision categories indicates a solid core offering.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Flexible PTO, paid holidays and sick days, and paid parental leave are explicitly highlighted. Manager-approved hybrid/remote days further support time away when needed.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Company equity and performance bonuses are part of the total-rewards mix, with relocation assistance available for some roles. These components can add meaningful upside to base compensation for many positions.
Apptronik Insights
What We Do
Apptronik is building robots for the real world to improve human quality of life and to help solve the ever-increasing labor shortage problem. Our team has been building some of the most advanced robots on the planet for years, dating back to the DARPA Robotics Challenge. We apply our expertise across the full robotics stack to some of the most important and impactful problems our society faces, and expect our products and technology to change the world for the better. We value passion, creativity, and collaboration to help us overcome existing technological barriers in the industry to create truly innovative products.
Why Work With Us
At Apptronik, we don't see a future where man competes against machine. Instead, we envision a harmonious world where man and machine coexist. Our mission statement, "It is not Man vs. Machine, but Man + Machine," encapsulates our belief that the synergy between humans and robots will pave the way for a brighter, more advanced future.
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Apptronik Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
