HR People & Culture Generalist

Blackwave Texas Inc.; San Antonio (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k)

Paid time off

Job summary

Blackwave Texas Inc. is seeking a hands-on Head of HR to build and own the US People function in San Antonio.

You’ll design scalable HR processes, payroll and benefits programs, and partner with our Germany team to align global standards with US needs. This is a founder-style role with significant ownership: establish compliant practices, lead recruiting for rapid growth, and create a safe, engaging workplace culture across the US operation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field, OR equivalent HR operations experience (3+ years)
• Deep knowledge of US federal and Texas employment law, including FLSA, ADA, FMLA, and EEO requirements.
• Hands-on experience running US payroll. Experience with Gusto is strongly preferred.
• Owned full-cycle recruiting and managed or implemented an ATS. Teamtailor experience is a plus.
• Builder mindset: built HR processes from scratch in a startup, scale-up, or similarly fast-moving environment.
• Manufacturing experience and ability to translate HR best practices to an operational team.
• Cross-cultural collaboration with Germany and US teams.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day HR operations for our US organization.
• Build scalable HR processes, policies, and documentation.
• Ensure compliance with applicable US and Texas employment laws.
• Manage and continuously improve our employee handbook, benefits, time-off policies, and other people programs.
• Partner with our German People team to ensure consistency between global and US practices.
• Own US payroll operations through Gusto.
• Manage and improve US benefits offerings, including health insurance and 401(k).
• Partner with external providers and advisors where appropriate.
• Own and improve the full-cycle recruiting process for the US organization.
• Maintain our Applicant Tracking System and collaborate with hiring managers on needs.
• Build scalable recruiting processes to support rapid growth.
• Establish foundational Health & Safety practices for our Texas operation.
• Identify OSHA requirements and coordinate implementation.
• Support risk assessments and workplace policies.
• Contribute to a workplace where employees want to be.
• Develop documentation and systems to simplify, automate, and scale HR operations.

Skills

HR Operations

Payroll

Talent Acquisition

Employee Relations

Compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Business or related field

Tools

Gusto

Teamtailor

Job description

About Blackwave

Blackwave designs, manufactures and ships flight-qualified, commercial off-the-shelf composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) for launch vehicles and satellites. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Munich, Germany, the company delivers COPVs from a standardized portfolio with flight heritage. The approach reduces lead time from months to days while ensuring that each tank is qualified and flight-ready. Blackwave's mission is to end COPV failure in spaceflight. The company employs more than 150 people across manufacturing facilities in Germany and Texas.

More information at Blackwave.com and the procurement platform COPV.com.

Your Mission

Build and own the HR and People function for Blackwave's growing US organization.

As we scale our US operations, you'll establish the processes, systems, and employee experience that allow our team to grow successfully. You'll work closely with our Head of People & Culture in Germany while adapting our global approach to the needs of our US team.

This is a hands-on builder role for someone who enjoys creating structure, solving problems, and shaping culture in a fast-growing environment.

What You'll Achieve

High Performance Build a scalable US HR and hiring foundation to support Blackwave's rapid growth.

Togetherness Connect the US team with our German People organization and bring our global People strategy to life locally.

Candor Establish compliant, reliable HR, payroll, and employee processes from day one.

Playfulness Help create a safe, engaging workplace where people enjoy showing up and doing their best work.

Accountability Build the systems and processes needed to scale our US organization effectively.

What You'll Do

HR Operations & Compliance

• Own day-to-day HR operations for our US organization

• Build and maintain scalable HR processes, policies, and documentation

• Ensure compliance with applicable US and Texas employment laws

• Manage and continuously improve our employee handbook, benefits, time-off policies, and other people programs

• Partner with our German People team to ensure consistency between global and US practices

Employee Relations & People Partnership

• Build trusted relationships with employees and leaders across the organization

• Serve as a go-to partner for employee questions, feedback, and concerns

• Support leaders with people-related decisions and challenges

• Balance employee needs with the realities of a fast-growing business

• Develop thoughtful, practical solutions that help our people and business succeed

Payroll & Benefits

• Own US payroll operations through Gusto

• Ensure accurate and timely payroll processing

• Support compliance with applicable payroll and tax requirements

• Manage and continuously improve US benefits offerings, including health insurance, 401(k), and time-off policies

• Partner with external providers and advisors where appropriate

Talent Acquisition

• Own and improve the full-cycle recruiting process for the US organization

• Manage and maintain our Applicant Tracking System

• Partner with hiring managers to define hiring needs and build effective recruiting processes

• Ensure a consistent and positive candidate experience

• Build scalable recruiting processes that support Blackwave's rapid growth

Health, Safety & Workplace Experience

• Establish foundational Health & Safety practices for our Texas operation

• Identify applicable OSHA requirements and coordinate implementation

• Support risk assessments and development of workplace policies

• Help create an office and workplace experience where employees want to be

• Contribute to initiatives that strengthen connection, collaboration, and Blackwave culture

People Systems & Process

• Build HR processes and documentation from the ground up

• Configure and continuously improve our HR systems

• Create clear, accessible documentation for employees and managers

• Identify opportunities to simplify, automate, and scale HR operations

• Ensure key processes can be effectively handed over and supported by the broader People organization

What We're Looking For

Must Have

Education & Background

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field, OR equivalent HR operations experience (3+ years)

US HR & Employment Law

You have deep knowledge of US federal and Texas employment law, including FLSA, ADA, FMLA, and EEO requirements.

Payroll

You have hands-on experience running US payroll. Experience with Gusto is strongly preferred.

Talent Acquisition

You have owned full-cycle recruiting and have experience managing or implementing an ATS. Teamtailor experience is a plus.

Builder Mindset

You've built HR processes from scratch in a startup, scale-up, or similarly fast-moving environment. You don't wait for someone else to create the playbook — you're comfortable creating it yourself.

Manufacturing Experience

You understand the realities of supporting employees in a manufacturing environment and can translate HR best practices into practical processes for an operational team.

Cross-Cultural Collaboration

You're comfortable working closely with an international team and can collaborate effectively across Germany and the US.

Language Skills

• English is required (fluent)
• German is a plus
• Spanish is a plus

Nice to Have

• SHRM or PHR certification is a plus
• Experience working in aerospace, advanced manufacturing, or another highly regulated industry
• Experience implementing HR systems and processes during a period of rapid growth
• Experience with OSHA and workplace Health & Safety
• Experience working with distributed or international teams
• Experience with Applicant Tracking Systems; bonus if it's Teamtailor
• Experience with payroll systems; bonus if it's Gusto

How You Work

We are looking for someone who:

• Takes ownership and follows things through
• Is comfortable operating without a fully defined playbook
• Balances employee advocacy with business needs
• Builds trust quickly with both employees and leaders
• Communicates clearly and directly
• Knows when to make a decision independently and when to ask for help
• Is pragmatic, resourceful, and solutions-oriented
• Enjoys building things that didn't exist before
• Can move between strategic thinking and hands-on execution
• Believes that great company culture is something you build through everyday actions

Why Blackwave?

Blackwave is growing quickly, and this is an opportunity to have a foundational impact on our US organization.

You'll be joining an international team at an exciting stage of growth, with the opportunity to build the HR infrastructure that will support our people as we scale.

You'll work closely with colleagues in both the US and Germany and have significant ownership over how we build our US workplace, processes, and employee experience.

The Fine Print

Location: On-site in San Antonio, Texas

Employment: Full-time

Blackwave is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

ITAR Requirement

This position requires eligibility under U.S. export regulations (ITAR). Candidates must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, or otherwise authorized to access export-controlled information.

For this U.S.-based role, your application may be managed by our global People Team in Germany.