Sr. People Operations Business Partner

What you'll do:

• Serve as a trusted People Operations partner to managers and employees across technical and operational organizations 
• Coach managers on performance management, employee development, organizational effectiveness, communication, accountability, and team dynamics 
• Partner with leaders to support organizational scaling, workforce planning, team structure and succession readiness 
• Help leaders navigate challenging people matters with sound judgment, confidentiality, and compliance awareness 
• Provide practical, business-focused People Operations guidance in a fast-moving engineering and manufacturing environment 

• Manage employee relations matters promptly, fairly, and professionally, including investigations, conflict resolution, corrective actions, and performance concerns 
• Identify workplace risks proactively and recommend solutions before issues escalate  
• Support the development of a respectful, inclusive, high-performance culture aligned with Astrolab’s mission and operational goals  
• Build credibility and trust with employees at all levels of the organization  
• Partner cross-functionally to improve employee engagement, retention, communication, and workplace effectiveness 

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, with strong emphasis on California labor law compliance  
• Support compliance efforts related to wage and hour practices, leave administration, accommodations, investigations, employee documentation, and policy implementation  
• Assist in developing, improving, and scaling People Operations policies, SOPs, and internal processes  
• Maintain accurate and compliant employee records and HR documentation practices  
• Partner with payroll, benefits, recruiting, EH&S, and leadership teams to ensure operational alignment  

• Support and improve onboarding, offboarding, internal transfers, promotions, and employee development processes  
• Partner with Recruiting and hiring managers to ensure a strong new hire experience and effective organizational integration  
• Drive performance management processes including calibration discussions, employee feedback cycles, and development planning  
• Support workforce changes, organizational restructuring, and scaling initiatives as the company grows 

• Lead and contribute to cross-functional People Operations initiatives and special projects  
• Help build scalable infrastructure, programs, and workflows that support company growth  
• Analyze trends and provide recommendations related to retention, engagement, turnover, and organizational health 
• Utilize HR systems and reporting tools to improve efficiency and decision-making  
• Support implementation and optimization of HRIS, performance management, and employee engagement platforms 

What you'll bring:

• 6+ years of HR or People Operations experience, including experience supporting technical, engineering, manufacturing, or operational teams  
• Experience in high-growth, fast-scaling startup or aerospace/technology environments  
• Experience and knowledge in California employment law and HR compliance practices  
• Experience managing complex employee relations matters and workplace investigations  
• Experience coaching managers through difficult conversations, performance management, and organizational challenges  
• Experience supporting both exempt and non-exempt employee populations  
• Experience using HRIS and performance management systems such as Lattice, Rippling, ADP Workforce Now, Insperity, BambooHR, or similar platforms  

• Experience supporting aerospace, advanced manufacturing, hardware engineering, robotics, automotive, defense, or other highly technical industries  
• Experience supporting rapid headcount growth and organizational scaling 
• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification
• Experience partnering with engineering leadership, program management, production teams, and executive leadership  
• Experience with government contracting environments or compliance-driven organizations is a plus 

Benefits and Perks

• Join a team of best-in-class engineers building the foundation of planetary surface exploration
• Equity ownership in the company
• Comprehensive health benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and mental health support
• 401(k) plan with company match
• Flexible PTO and parental leave
• Weekly lunch stipend, plus complimentary snacks and beverages on-site
• Once a month social hour on-site with food and drinks

About
Having a strong, inclusive, and inspired team is essential to accomplishing our bold mission.  Employees are our biggest asset, and we are deeply committed to them and our values.  At Astrolab we…Demonstrate and inspire trust. Interactions are direct, honest, and respectful. We are fair and transparent with what we do and why.Thrive in balance. Balance gives us perspective and keeps us motivated and inspired. We commit to rewarding work and a fulfilling personal life. Seek diverse perspectives. We ask questions, engage in productive debate and offer alternatives to ensure our solutions and products are robust and a reflection of our collective best.Move with purpose. Quality and reliability are accomplished through efficient ideation and iteration. We act with a sense of urgency and deliver what we promise, always with the big picture in mind.Make an impact. We intentionally move our community and industry into the future through our work, practices, and actions.