HR Business Partner - USA

Nearfield Instruments; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Nearfield Instruments in Portland, Oregon, seeks an HR Business Partner to support and strengthen our U.S. operations. You will be the key HR contact for employees and managers, ensuring smooth HR processes while contributing to a strong, scalable organization.

This hands-on role offers broad exposure with opportunities to grow into a more strategic HR position over time, partnering with the global team and our PEO provider to align payroll, policies, and HR data practices as we scale.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in HR or related field.
• 4–6 years of HR generalist or HRBP experience.
• Experience in an international or scaling environment.
• Solid understanding of U.S. employment law and HR practices.
• Experience with HR systems and payroll processes.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Hands-on, proactive mindset with a strong sense of ownership.
• Strong communication skills and stakeholder management ability.

Responsibilities

• Manage the end-to-end employee lifecycle, from onboarding to offboarding.
• Act as the first point of contact for employees and managers on HR topics.
• Support and coordinate the recruitment process in close collaboration with the global recruitment team.
• Ensure accurate and compliant HR administration, working closely with our PEO provider.
• Prepare and coordinate payroll inputs, including new hires, compensation changes, and leave.
• Support managers on HR topics such as probation, contract changes, and basic employee relations.
• Maintain HR data and support reporting and insights.
• Contribute to HR projects and process improvements as we scale.

Skills

Communication skills

Stakeholder management

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Ownership mindset

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HR or related field

Tools

HRIS systems

Payroll systems

Job description

About Nearfield Instruments

Nearfield Instruments (NFI) is a fast-growing, high-tech scale-up that designs, develops, integrates, markets, and services advanced semiconductor metrology solutions. Our instruments enable the world’s leading chipmakers to improve production yield and device performance—powering smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient electronics.

We bring together top scientific and engineering talent to develop a breakthrough, high-throughput Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)–based metrology platform, delivering atom‑scale, true‑3D measurements at industry‑relevant throughput. These systems are becoming critical tools in leading‑edge semiconductor manufacturing.

With our headquarters in the Netherlands and a rapidly expanding presence across the U.S. and Asia, Nearfield offers an international and dynamic environment where building teams, scaling operations, and supporting growth are central to our success.

The role

As we continue to build and scale our U.S. organization, we are looking for an HR Business Partner to support and strengthen our local operations. In this role, you will be the key HR contact for employees and managers, ensuring smooth HR processes while contributing to the development of a strong and scalable organization.

This is a hands‑on role with broad exposure, where you combine operational excellence with the opportunity to grow into a more strategic HR position over time.

What You Will Do

• Manage the end-to-end employee lifecycle, from onboarding to offboarding
• Act as the first point of contact for employees and managers on HR topics
• Support and coordinate the recruitment process in close collaboration with the global recruitment team
• Ensure accurate and compliant HR administration, working closely with our PEO provider
• Prepare and coordinate payroll inputs, including new hires, compensation changes, and leave
• Support managers on HR topics such as probation, contract changes, and basic employee relations
• Maintain HR data and support reporting and insights
• Contribute to HR projects and process improvements as we scale

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field
• 4–6 years of experience in an HR generalist or HR Business Partner role
• Experience in an international and/or scaling environment
• Solid understanding of U.S. employment law and HR practices
• Experience with HR systems and payroll processes
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Hands‑on, proactive mindset with a strong sense of ownership
• Strong communication skills and stakeholder management ability

Experience with PEO structures or transitions is a plus.

What We Offer

• A key role in a growing U.S. organization
• The opportunity to build and shape HR locally
• Close collaboration with an international team
• A dynamic, fast‑paced and high‑tech environment
• Competitive compensation and benefits aligned with the U.S. market