People Operations Generalist

People Operations Generalist

Zap is advancing the next generation of nuclear power technology across fusion, fission and hybrid applications. Built on an integrated platform of high-energy-density physics and pulsed power, liquid metals and advanced materials, and compact, modular systems, Zap is building the foundational technologies needed to deploy the energy sources of the future.

As our People Operations Generalist, you'll be the connective tissue of our people function owning a broad portfolio of HR responsibilities and partnering closely with leadership and employees across the company. You bring the depth to handle complex employee relations matters, the systems thinking to streamline our HR processes, and the people skills to be a trusted resource for everyone from PhD researchers to operations staff.

This is a high-ownership, high-visibility role in a company that's scaling meaningfully. You'll have real impact on our culture, our operations, and our team's day-to-day experience.

What You'll Do

• Serve as a primary point of contact for employee questions, concerns, and workplace issues
• Investigate and resolve employee relations matters with fairness, consistency, and discretion
• Partner with managers on performance management, corrective action, and difficult conversations
• Foster a culture of psychological safety, inclusion, and accountability
• Maintain and administer core HR systems (HRIS, ATS, benefits platforms) and ensure data integrity
• Own HR compliance across federal, Washington state, and local employment laws including FMLA, ADA, FLSA, EEO, and I-9
• Manage the full employee lifecycle: onboarding, transfers, leave administration, and offboarding
• Maintain and update HR policies, the employee handbook, and standard operating procedures
• Partner with hiring managers on full-cycle recruiting for select roles, with a focus on technical and operations positions
• Support workforce planning initiatives and headcount tracking
• Help build and refine our employer brand and candidate experience
• Administer and communicate benefits programs; serve as employee liaison for questions and escalations
• Support annual compensation reviews, benchmarking analyses, and equity administration
• Partner with Finance on payroll accuracy and reporting
• Develop and deliver people manager training and onboarding programs
• Support engagement surveys, help synthesize results, and drive action planning
• Champion initiatives that strengthen team culture and cohesion as we scale
• Identify operational gaps and proactively propose improvements to people processes and programs
• Support organizational design conversations, headcount planning, and team structure changes
• Contribute to DEI strategy, reporting, and program development

What We're Looking For

Required

• 8+ years of progressive HR or People Operations experience, ideally including time in a fast-scaling tech, deep tech, or engineering-driven environment
• Demonstrated breadth across the HR function: employee relations, compliance, benefits, recruiting, and HR systems
• Strong working knowledge of Washington state employment law and federal HR compliance requirements
• Experience managing HR operations independently, with minimal oversight
• Excellent judgment in ambiguous or sensitive situations, and a high bar for confidentiality and integrity
• Strong written and verbal communication skills you can translate complex HR concepts for non-HR audiences
• Proficiency with modern HRIS platforms (Workday, BambooHR, Rippling, or similar) and Google Workspace or Microsoft 365

Preferred

• Experience supporting a technical workforce (engineers, scientists, researchers)
• PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP certification
• Prior experience at a venture-backed startup or growth-stage company
• Background in compensation analysis or total rewards

Employment may be conditioned upon the ability to obtain export authorization. Estimated salary range: $100,000-140,000 annually. Candidates may be considered for other positions at Zap Energy and actual salary will be based on relevant education, experience, and other qualifications. Range is published in accordance with Washington Equal Pay and Opportunity Act.

Zap Energy is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws and regulations.