People Operations Specialist

About the Role

You will be the hands-on engine of Circadia's People function. Working closely with an executive sponsor, our PEO, and outside employment counsel, you will run the day-to-day of onboarding, offboarding, HRIS data, benefits and payroll administration, and employee questions for a workforce that spans office, clinical, and field staff across the US, UK, and Pakistan.

This role suits an early-career professional who is detail-obsessed, warm, resourceful, and knows when to ask for help. You will get broad exposure to compliance, employee relations, and systems, with real ownership of core processes and a clear path to grow as the function scales.

This is a full-time, in-office role at our El Segundo, CA headquarters.

What You'll Own

• Onboarding and offboarding: Run the full checklist for every new hire and departure: offer paperwork, background checks, I-9s, system access, equipment, benefits enrollment, and exit logistics. Make sure nothing is dropped.
• HRIS and people data: Keep employee records accurate and audit-ready. Process changes (promotions, comp, status, location), build routine headcount and attrition reports, and flag data issues early.
• Employee support: Be a warm, discreet first stop for employee questions on policy, leave, and life events. Triage and escalate sensitive matters to your manager and outside counsel.
• Compliance support: Maintain the handbook and policies with input from our PEO and counsel, track leave requests and state-specific requirements, manage required compliance training assignments and completion, and keep documentation organized.

Performance and engagement cycles: Coordinate review cycles, calibration logistics, and pulse surveys. Track completion and follow up with managers.

• International coordination: Support our EOR and local partners for UK and Pakistan employees on contracts, onboarding, and recurring HR tasks.
• Process improvement: Document workflows, build templates, and use AI and automation tools to remove manual work.

Who You Are

• Warm and approachable: People feel comfortable coming to you, and you build trust with office, clinical, and field employees alike.
• Detail-oriented and organized: You run checklists cleanly, follow up without being chased, and catch errors before they matter.
• Discreet by default: You handle confidential information with care and know when to escalate.
• Curious and coachable: You ask good questions, take feedback well, and want to learn the full scope of People Ops.
• Resourceful: You figure things out, use modern tools and AI to work smarter, and ask for help at the right moment.

What We're Looking For

• 2+ years of HR or People Operations experience, ideally at a startup or fast-growing company
• Hands-on experience with an HRIS and onboarding/offboarding processes
• Working knowledge of California employment basics (wage and hour, leave, I-9s), with willingness to deepen
• Exposure to benefits and payroll administration
• Strong written and verbal communication
• Sound judgment on what to handle independently and what to escalate
• Proficiency with spreadsheets and comfort building simple reports
• Comfort using AI and modern tools to streamline work
• Based in or willing to relocate to El Segundo, CA

Especially Valuable

• Experience in healthcare, healthtech, or a field-based workforce
• Experience working with a PEO or EOR
• Familiarity with UK or Pakistan employment practices
• SHRM-CP, PHR, or progress toward certification
• Experience supporting investigations or employee relations under the guidance of counsel

Growth Path

You will start with ownership of core administrative and lifecycle processes, then take on compliance, employee relations support, and program work as you build skill and judgment. As Circadia grows, this role can develop into a Senior People Operations Generalist or Manager track and help shape the function, including future senior People leadership hires.