People Operations Generalist

Hadrian - Manufacturing the Future Hadrian is building autonomous factories that help aerospace and defense companies manufacture rockets, satellites, jets, and ships up to 10x faster and up to 2x cheaper. By combining advanced software, robotics, and full-stack manufacturing, we are reinventing how America produces its most critical parts.

We recently raised $260 million dollar Series C to accelerate this mission. We are excited to be launching a new Factory in Mesa, Arizona, a 270,000 square foot facility that will create 350 new jobs immediately. We are opening a new headquarters to support thousands of future hires, launching Hadrian Maritime to serve naval production, and introducing a Factory-as-a-Service model that delivers complete systems instead of individual parts.

Hadrian works with startups, Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers, and major defense contractors across space, shipbuilding, and aviation to scale production, reduce costs, and accelerate delivery on mission-critical programs. We are backed by leading investors including Lux Capital, Founders Fund, and Andreessen Horowitz. Our fast-growing team is united by a shared mission to reindustrialize American manufacturing for the 21st century and beyond!

The Role At Hadrian, we’re not just building autonomous factories – we’re building the teams, systems, and culture that will power the future of aerospace and defense manufacturing . As we scale, the People team plays a critical role in shaping how we attract, enable, and retain world-class talent across both engineering and advanced manufacturing . Working on the People team at Hadrian means designing and operationalizing the foundation of a company that blends cutting-edge robotics, AI, and precision manufacturing – while supporting a workforce that spans software engineers, machinists, program managers, and everything in between . We’re looking for builders: thoughtful, action-oriented team members who care deeply about people, process, and performance – and who want to help create a company culture that’s as strong as the infrastructure we’re deploying. If you’re energized by complexity, mission-critical work, and the chance to shape the trajectory of a generational company from the inside out, we’d love to hear from you.

We are looking for a People Operations Generalist who can be a dependable go-to person for day-to-day HR operations in a hyper-growth environment. In this role, you will support a positive, high-speed employee experience by ensuring that our people processes run smoothly across the entire employee lifecycle. You’ll work closely with the broader People Ops team to administer onboarding/offboarding, maintain data and systems, and support employees and managers with HR-related needs – all while helping build a strong, scalable foundation for our growing team.

What You’ll Do

• Manage and execute daily HR operations, including coordinating onboarding and offboarding logistics, processing employee status changes, and administering leave of absence processes . You’ll use our HRIS (Rippling) and other tools to ensure employee data is accurate and all processes are completed in a timely manner.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for employees and managers on routine HR questions or issues, providing prompt, thoughtful support and guiding them through policies and self-service resources.
• Maintain our People systems and data with a high degree of accuracy – from ensuring HRIS records and org charts are up-to-date, to troubleshooting minor system or access issues for team members . You will suggest and implement improvements to keep our People tech stack efficient and user-friendly.
• Ensure compliance and consistency in HR administration: help prepare documentation for audits, manage personnel files and HR records, and enforce standard operating procedures for tasks like I-9 verification and background checks.
• Coordinate cross-functionally to deliver a seamless employee experience. For example, you’ll partner with IT to make sure new hires have the equipment and access they need on Day 1, and with Finance to communicate payroll changes or verify data for reporting.
• Support People team initiatives focused on employee engagement, culture, and development. This could mean helping to organize training sessions, distributing communications, or jumping in on special projects that make Hadrian an even better place to work .
• Continuously look for opportunities to streamline and improve People Operations processes. You’ll bring a proactive, problem-solving mindset to identify ways to scale our workflows as we grow, whether that’s automating a manual process or updating an internal policy for clarity.

What We’re Looking For

• 3+ years of experience in an HR operations, HR generalist, or People Operations role, ideally in a fast-paced or high-growth company. You have a solid foundation in core HR processes and understand how to balance employee advocacy with business needs.
• Hands-on experience with HRIS platforms and other people tools (such as onboarding software, ATS, etc.). You’re comfortable managing HR data and have a knack for learning new systems.
• Superb organization and attention to detail. You can juggle multiple tasks (and multiple onboarding schedules) without letting anything slip through the cracks, and you take pride in doing things accurately and efficiently.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. You are approachable, empathetic, and able to communicate HR information clearly whether you’re explaining a policy to an employee or training a manager on a new process.
• A “roll up your sleeves”, solutions-oriented attitude . You thrive on taking initiative and ownership – whether it’s fixing a minor issue immediately or driving a longer-term process improvement. No task is too small if it helps the team.
• Familiarity with HR compliance basics (employment laws, record-keeping requirements, etc.) and an understanding of the importance of confidentiality and data security in HR.
• Adaptability and calm under pressure. You’re comfortable with ambiguity and quick changes in direction – in fact, you see it as an opportunity to innovate and iterate on how things are done.

What Will Set You Apart

• Experience supporting a diverse workforce that includes both exempt and non-exempt employees, especially in manufacturing, hardware, or other industrial environments. You understand the unique considerations (scheduling, policies, etc.) that can come with a factory or shop-floor setting.
• Demonstrated experience improving or implementing an HR process or program (for example, helping roll out a new HRIS, revamping an onboarding checklist, or spearheading an employee FAQ resource).
• HR certification (SHRM-CP, PHR, or similar) indicating formal knowledge of human resources practices.
• A passion for building culture: you see the big picture of how operational excellence in HR supports an engaging, high-performance company culture, and you bring creativity to making processes more human-centric.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans for employees
• 401k
• Relocation stipend if you’re moving from outside of the area
• Flexible vacation policy

ITAR Requirements To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.

Hadrian Is An Equal Opportunity Employer It is the Company’s policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. The Company does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race inclusive of traits historically associated with race (including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles, such as braids, locks and twists), color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, national origin (including, in California, possession of a drivers license), ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, height or weight, medical condition, family care status, military or veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, exercise of reproductive rights, any other basis protected by local, state, or federal laws, or any combination of the above characteristics. When necessary, the Company also makes reasonable accommodations for disabled candidates and employees, including for candidates or employees who are disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.