Field HR - Generalist

Becton, Dickinson and Company; Heidelberg; On-site; EUR 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Waters, following the BD Biosciences merger, seeks an HR Generalist based in Heidelberg to serve as a trusted partner to managers and associates, delivering comprehensive HR support across the employee lifecycle and ensuring local regulatory compliance.

You will collaborate with the HR Manager, Germany, to support talent management, employee relations, compensation administration, HR operations, and process improvements, while driving data accuracy and service delivery across the organization.

Qualifications

• Proactive, customer-focused HR professional with strong business acumen.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day HR Business Partner support to leaders and associates.
• Coach managers on HR policies, labour law requirements, and best practices.
• Lead onboarding and offboarding activities with accuracy and compliance.
• Manage employment documentation, HR system updates, and lifecycle transactions.
• Partner with employees and managers to resolve HR inquiries throughout the lifecycle.
• Support recruitment activities, candidate communication, interview coordination, and onboarding processes.
• Drive operational excellence by ensuring data accuracy in HR systems, and identify process improvements.
• Manage complex employee relations issues, investigations, and risk mitigation.
• Support integration and organizational change initiatives including mergers and acquisitions.

Job description

As a result of the combination of the BD Biosciences and Diagnostic Solutions business with Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT), by applying to this role, you will be applying for a position with Waters. Waters is a global leader in life sciences, dedicated to accelerating the benefits of pioneering science through analytical technologies, informatics, and service. With a focus on regulated, high-volume testing environments, Waters' innovative portfolio harnesses deep scientific expertise across biology, chemistry, and physics. Waters collaborates with analytical laboratories around the world to advance the release of effective, high-quality medicines, assure the safety of food and water, and drive better patient outcomes by detecting diseases earlier, managing routine infections, and combatting growing antibiotic resistance. Through a shared culture of relentless innovation, Waters' passionate team of approximately 16,000 colleagues partner with customers to turn scientific challenges into breakthroughs that improve lives worldwide.

We are the people who give possibilities purpose

BD is one of the largest global medical technology companies in the world. Advancing the world of health™ is our Purpose, and it's no small feat. It takes the imagination and passion of all of us-from design and engineering to the manufacturing and marketing of our billions of MedTech products per year-to look at the impossible and find transformative solutions that turn dreams into possibilities.

Job Description

With the merger of BD Biosciences and Diagnostic Solutions' businesses with Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT), applications for this position should now be submitted directly to Waters. Waters is a global leader in life sciences. The company supports research and diagnostics by providing advanced analytical instruments, software solutions, and comprehensive services. Particularly in regulated, high-volume laboratory environments, Waters offers technologies grounded in sound knowledge of biology, chemistry, and physics. Working with laboratories worldwide, Waters is dedicated to accelerating the availability of safe and effective medicines, ensuring the quality of food and water, and improving healthcare-for example, through earlier disease diagnosis, monitoring of everyday infections, or combating antibiotic resistance. Approximately 16,000 employees worldwide are committed to transforming scientific challenges into practical solutions that sustainably improve people's lives.

As an HR Generalist based in Heidelberg, Germany, you will serve as a trusted partner to managers and associates, delivering comprehensive HR support across the employee lifecycle. Acting as a key member of the HR team, you will contribute to both strategic and operational HR initiatives while ensuring an exceptional employee experience and compliance with local employment regulations.

In this role, you will partner closely with the local HR Manager to support business objectives through effective talent management, employee relations, organizational effectiveness, compensation administration, HR operations, and process improvement initiatives. You will also play a critical role in driving HR excellence by ensuring data accuracy, supporting change initiatives, and enhancing service delivery across the organization.

This position reports directly to the HR Manager, Germany.

The ideal candidate is a proactive, customer‑focused HR professional who combines strong business acumen with operational excellence, thrives in a fast‑paced environment, and is passionate about delivering high‑quality HR solutions.

Key Responsibilities

HR Business Partnering & Employee Support

• Provide day-to-day HR Business Partner support to leaders and associates within the Commercial Augusta organization.
• Partner with managers to address employee relations matters, performance management, talent development, organizational changes, and workforce planning activities.
• Coach and advise managers on HR policies, procedures, labour law requirements, and best practices.
• Support the execution of HR initiatives that drive employee engagement, inclusion, talent retention, and organizational effectiveness.

Employee Lifecycle Management

• Lead and coordinate onboarding and offboarding activities, ensuring a seamless employee experience and compliance with internal processes.
• Manage employment documentation, HR system updates, employee records, and lifecycle transactions with a high degree of accuracy.
• Partner with employees and managers to resolve HR inquiries and provide timely support throughout the employee lifecycle.

Talent Acquisition & Talent Management

• Support recruitment activities, including candidate communication, interview coordination, offer preparation, and onboarding processes.
• Collaborate with hiring managers and Talent Acquisition teams to ensure an efficient and positive candidate experience.
• Support talent management processes including performance reviews, succession planning, and development initiatives.

HR Operations & Process Excellence

• Drive operational excellence by ensuring the accuracy and integrity of employee data within HR systems.
• Identify opportunities to streamline and improve HR processes, policies, and service delivery models.
• Support the continued optimization and adoption of Employee and Manager Self-Service (ESS/MSS), ServiceNow, and other HR technologies.
• Generate HR reports, analyze workforce data, and provide insights to support decision‑making and business objectives.

Employee Relations & Compliance

• Manage complex employee relations issues, conducting investigations and recommending appropriate resolutions while mitigating organizational risk.
• Ensure compliance with applicable employment legislation, labor regulations, company policies, and ethical standards across multiple jurisdictions.
• Partner with Legal, Compliance, and leadership teams on sensitive personnel matters and risk management initiatives.

Mergers, Acquisitions & Integration Management

• Support integration and organizational change initiatives, including mergers and acquisitions activities.
• Represent Augusta Germany & Austria in global M&A and HR project forums as required.
• Lead local integration activities, including new onboarding of acquired employees, policy harmonization, gap assessment, organizational alignment, and cultural integration initiatives.
• Partner with cross‑functional teams including Finance, Legal, IT, Payroll, Communications, and business leaders to ensure successful workforce integration.
• Support change management and communication activities related to mergers, acquisitions, restructures, and business transformations.