Position:
People & Talent Operations Partner
Status:
Full-Time
Reports To:
Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)
Location:
Mountain View, CA (Hybrid)
Pay Rate:
$80,000 – $120,000 annually

About the SETI Institute

At the SETI Institute, we aren’t just looking at the stars—we are actively trying to understand our place among them. Our mission is dedicated to advancing humanity’s understanding of the universe through world-class scientific research, exploration, and discovery. We bring together a brilliant, passionate community of researchers, scientists, engineers, and innovators. To fuel our next giant leap, we need a People & Talent Operations Partner who matches our cosmic curiosity and can build the seamless, world-class internal infrastructure our team deserves.

About This Role

Every groundbreaking scientific discovery needs a rock-solid operational foundation. We are seeking a thoughtful, energetic, and highly execution-oriented People & Talent Operations Partner to serve as the structural anchor of our employee experience. Your mission is to take absolute ownership of our internal universe—managing the day-to-day administration of our HRIS/ATS (Rippling), executing flawless onboarding and offboarding workflows, and maintaining impeccable data integrity.

Because our team operates across a suite of modern digital tools, you must be a curious, tech-loving learner who can jump into new platforms at warp speed. While your core focus is building a pristine, compliant operations hub, you are also an agile teammate ready to provide flexible support for recruitment pipelines and talent events. If you are a master of airtight documentation, relentless follow-ups, and building genuine internal trust, you belong at the SETI Institute.

What You'll Do

  • Command Core HR Operations: Serve as the primary master administrator for Rippling HRIS/ATS, processing all lifecycle transitions (hires, status changes) and maintaining flawless digital documentation.

  • Orchestrate the Employee Journey: Act as the ultimate host for new team members by leading memorable Day 1 orientations and managing the full lifecycle of onboarding and offboarding documentation.

  • Guard Data Integrity & Compliance: Run routine, comprehensive HR audits of employee files and system data to ensure absolute compliance, while supporting I-9 verifications and critical immigration coordination.

  • Deliver Stellar Team Support: Act as the warm, incredibly responsive first line of defense for daily internal HR inquiries via email and Slack, resolving issues with speed and exceptional care.

  • Maximize Collaboration Tooling: Collaborate cross-functionally with Finance on workforce tracking and optimizing our core digital toolkit: Rippling, Slack, Zoom, Dropbox, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and Basecamp.

Who You Are

  • An Operational Powerhouse: You don't just plan—you execute. You genuinely find joy in crossing items off your checklist, auditing complex data, and organizing workflows from start to finish.

  • A Rapid Tech Adopter: New software doesn't intimidate you; it excites you. You pick up new tools effortlessly and love finding clever ways to make platforms work better for the people using them.

  • An Engaging Presenter & Communicator: You are comfortable, warm, and clear when presenting to new hires during orientation, your documentation is pristine, and your follow-up game is legendary.

  • A Trusted & Adaptable Partner: You handle sensitive operational data with absolute discretion, building psychological safety and trust with everyone from interns to executive leadership.

  • A Detail-Obsessed Executor: You maintain a microscope-level focus on accuracy and data integrity without losing sight of the human being on the other side of the process.

What We're Looking For

  • Bachelor's degree (or equivalent experience) and 3+ years of experience in HR Operations, People Operations, or a heavily system-focused Talent Acquisition role.

  • Deep, hands-on mastery managing complex day-to-day data entry and automated workflows within modern HRIS and ATS suites (Rippling strongly preferred).

  • Proven track record of independently commanding new hire orientations, offboarding compliance, and complex employment documentation.

  • Superb digital workspace literacy, specifically with Dropbox, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoom, and Slack.

  • Strong background in creating clean process documentation, managing system audits, and keeping stakeholders proactively informed.

What Will Make You Stand Out

  • Diverse Environmental Agility: Experience supporting operations within mission-driven nonprofits, tech startups, research institutes, scientific settings, or academic environments.

  • Advanced Global Mobility & Systems: Exposure to tracking complex immigration workflows, employment authorizations, or utilizing robust workforce planning suites (such as Rippling, Workday, BambooHR, etc.).

  • Dynamic Presenter & Facilitator: High comfort level confidently delivering engaging group presentations, leading interactive new hire orientations, and commanding a room.

  • Spreadsheet & PM Guru: Active experience building, managing, and analyzing advanced spreadsheets in Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel, paired with proficiency in project management platforms to keep priorities moving seamlessly.

  • Technical Team Collaboration: High comfort level interacting with, and building structured operational workflows for, Principal Investigators (PIs), researchers, or highly technical engineering teams.

Compensation & Benefits

The SETI Institute offers a competitive compensation package including medical, dental, and vision coverage, retirement benefits, paid time off, professional development opportunities, and other employee programs.

  • Expected Salary Range: $80,000 – $120,000 annually.

Actual compensation will be determined based on factors including skills, experience, qualifications, internal equity, geographic location, and business needs.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The SETI Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local laws.

Fair Chance Statement

Consistent with applicable law, including the California Fair Chance Act, qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment.

Disclaimer

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Duties and responsibilities may change at any time based on organizational needs and business priorities.

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