Human Resources Director

Director of Human Resources

$175-$225K plus bonus plus generous OPTIONS.

Included in comp will be OPTIONS where there will be significant financial upside.

• 10+ years of HR leadership experience and some kind of related industry experience: i.e. technology, deep-tech, advanced engineering, software, medical device, etc.
• Demonstrated experience building HR functions and policies from scratch.
• Direct ownership managing synchronized annual review cycles that align performance evaluations with merit-based compensation increases.
• Strong international HR experience
  , including multi-country compliance.
• A deep understanding of employment law, compensation structures, and HR best practice.

• Experience in fast-growing startups or scale-ups (Series A–C or equivalent)
• Prefer experience supporting engineering, R&D, or scientific teams
• Familiarity with equity compensation, retention strategies, and competitive technical labor markets
• Experience working closely with founders, executive teams, and boards
• Background in regulated or IP-sensitive industries

• Significant Individual Financial upside
  .
• Elite Financial Backing – Backed by leading investors with decades of success in semiconductors and infrastructure.
• Breakthrough Technology – Build industry-defining coherent DSP and optical connectivity solutions.
• Direct Access to Decision Makers – Your ideas matter and move fast.
• Accelerated Career Growth – Startups compress timelines and amplify impact.
• Clear, Transparent Culture – You always know how and why decisions are made.
• Annual performance bonus
• Stock options with strong upside
• Early influence on architecture and product roadmaps
• The opportunity to build technology with global, long-term impact

• The chance to play a foundational role at a high-growth start-up.
• A collaborative, international team culture where ideas and initiative are valued.
• The opportunity to grow alongside the company as they scale and shape the future of the industry.
• Great leadership team - very often considered “the best boss I’ve ever had”.

• A scalable and compliant HR foundation that supports rapid innovation and growth
• Clear, well-adopted policies across global teams
• A credible, transparent, and well-run annual focal process
• Strong engagement, retention, and development of critical technical talent

HR Infrastructure & Organizational Growth

• Scale Operations:
  Build a flexible HR model that evolves alongside the company’s growth.
• Lifecycle Management:
  Standardize end-to-end employee processes from onboarding to offboarding.
• Systems Ownership:
  Select and implement the HR tech stack (HRIS, Compensation, Performance).
• Workforce Strategy:
  Partner with executives on org design and headcount planning.

• IP-Focused Governance:
  Develop HR policies and handbooks tailored for high-tech, IP-driven environments.
• Legal Compliance:
  Oversee labor law adherence across U.S. and international jurisdictions.
• Employee Relations:
  Resolve complex workplace issues with professional judgment and consistency.
• Legal Partnership:
  Align with Legal on IP protection and employment contracts.

• Focal Cycle Leadership:
  Execute annual performance, merit, and equity review cycles.
• Career Architecture:
  Define job levels, promotion criteria, and technical career paths.
• Pay Equity:
  Partner with Finance to maintain competitive, market-aligned compensation.
• Manager Enablement:
  Provide tools for performance differentiation and effective feedback.

• International Support:
  Manage HR for a distributed workforce across multiple global design centers.
• Global Expansion:
  Coordinate with PEO/EOR partners to hire and scale in new regions.
• Regional Alignment:
  Adapt global policies to meet local labor requirements and cultural needs.
• Culture Building:
  Foster an environment of innovation, accountability, and high execution.
• Technical Onboarding:
  Launch programs that accelerate new hire productivity in R&D settings.
• Leadership
  
  Coaching:
  
  Develop first-time managers and technical leads into effective people leaders.
• Strategic Advisor:
  Guide leadership on engagement, retention, and overall organizational health.