Senior HR Business Partner
The Role
As a Senior HR Business Partner at K2 Space you will play a pivotal role in shaping our company's culture and people strategy. You will work closely with leadership to design and implement HR initiatives that align with our mission, fostering an innovative and inclusive environment where top talent can thrive. You will serve as a strategic partner and reliable resource for engineering people managers and individual contributors, creating a positive and productive work environment. Leverage your well-honed understanding of applicable labor and employment law to ensure the company is as compliant as it is compelling. This is a unique opportunity to build the HR function from the ground up in a dynamic, cutting-edge industry, driving impact at every level of the organization. If you're passionate about people and space, this is the role for you.
Responsibilities
Strategic Business Partnership
Partner with engineering and operational leadership to anticipate workforce risks and support organizational scaling across all sites
Serve as a trusted, high-judgment advisor to people managers and individual contributors on core HR matters
Contribute to strategic initiatives that support company goals, including diversity and inclusion efforts and workforce development programs
Employee Relations & Compliance
Proactively identify and resolve employee relations matters before they escalate, and manage existing matters in a timely, fair, and collaborative way
Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws across multiple states
Identify, build, and implement HR policies and processes required to meet legal and contractual obligations while enabling the business to scale
Manager Coaching & Leadership Development
Coach managers on how to address people matters confidentially, compliantly, and with consistency
Build manager capability that translates into high-performing, well-supported engineering teams
Respond to employee questions with clear, accurate guidance on core HR functions
Talent Strategy & Retention
Drive internal initiatives that strengthen employee engagement, satisfaction, and retention
Partner on succession planning and longer-term leadership development to build internal talent readiness
Qualifications
8+ years as an HR Business Partner, including experience with technical, engineering, or operational teams
Demonstrated success operating in high-growth, fast-scaling startup environments
Experience in a California-based aerospace, engineering, technology, or hardware manufacturing company
Proven ability to influence and coach managers and individual contributors, resolving complex matters without damaging relationships, and coaching leaders toward consistently high-performing teams
Hands-on experience independently managing complex employee relations matters, internal investigations, and other contentious issues
Experience with succession planning and leadership development to build internal talent readiness
Direct experience with California labor and employment law, including wage and hour matters, exempt/non-exempt classifications, and employee entitlements
Demonstrated ability to plan, implement, and own complex, multi-stakeholder projects
Direct experience with HRIS and performance management tools (e.g., 15Five, Rippling, Leapsome, Lattice, ADP Workforce Now)
Experience with AI tools and applications
Nice to Have
Professional HR certifications such as SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR
Utilization of people data analytics to make recommendations and impact outcomes
Experience managing HR functions for non-exempt employees with specific experience with California labor regulations
Compensation and Benefits:
Base salary range for this role is $120,000 – $170,000 + equity in the company
Salary will be based on several factors including, but not limited to: knowledge and skills, education, and experience level
Comprehensive benefits package including paid time off, medical/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, paid parental leave, and many other perks