Founding HR

Lightwheel; Mountain View (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Lightwheel, a fast-growing deep-tech company in Mountain View, is seeking a Founding HR / People Operations leader to build and scale the US team. This role involves leading recruiting efforts, establishing HR processes, and enhancing company culture.

The ideal candidate has 3–5 years in HR, experience in startups, and a strong understanding of US regulations. Join Lightwheel to make a significant impact in a pioneering environment focused on advancing embodied intelligence.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in HR / People Ops / Talent.
• Experience in startup or high-growth environments.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end recruiting for US-based roles.
• Build and manage HR processes, policies, and compliance.
• Design and implement benefits programs.
• Support culture building and team engagement.
• Partner with global teams to scale operations.

Skills

HR / People Ops experience

Startup experience

Ownership mindset

US employment regulations knowledge

Communication skills

Job description

Company Overview

We are a fast-growing deep-tech company focused on Embodied AI and Robotics, delivering high-quality data solutions across real-world data collection, data annotation, and large-scale simulation-based synthetic data.

Our customers include leading global technology companies, advanced AI labs, and robotics innovators, and we work closely with R&D teams building next-generation embodied intelligence systems.

About the Role

We are looking for a Founding HR / People Operations leader to build and scale our US team. This role will own recruiting, people operations, and culture building across the US and India teams.

What You’ll Do

• Lead end-to-end recruiting for US-based roles (engineering, GTM, etc.)
• Build and manage HR processes, policies, and compliance
• Design and implement benefits programs
• Support culture building and team engagement
• Partner with global teams (US, India, China) to scale operations

What We’re Looking For

• 3–5 years of experience in HR / People Ops / Talent
• Experience in startup or high-growth environments
• Strong ownership mindset — able to build from 0 to 1
• Familiarity with US employment regulations and HR practices
• Excellent communication and organizational skills