HR Specialist

Duke Clinical Research Institute; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Duke Clinical Research Institute seeks an detail-oriented HR Specialist to support payroll, HR transaction processing, recruitment, and daily HR operations. You will collaborate with Duke Corporate Payroll, central HR, recruiters, and administrators to review payroll data, HR iForms, and recruitment workflows, ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant HR transactions.

The role emphasizes pay accuracy, onboarding compliance, and process efficiency, with responsibilities across payroll, HRIS

Qualifications

• High school education or equivalent.
• Five years of related human resources and/or payroll experience.

Responsibilities

• Payroll Administration and Support: review payroll data, coordinate with payroll, maintain tracking tools.
• HR Transaction Management: review and process HR iForms, ensure accuracy of codes and dates.
• Recruitment and Onboarding Support: update job requisitions, verify offers, support onboarding and I-9/E-Verify.
• HR Operations and Customer Support: serve as contact for HR transactions, resolve basic data issues.

Skills

Payroll

HR Transactions

Recruitment

HR Operations

Customer Support

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Tools

HRIS

SuccessFactors

Job description

HR Specialist

About the Role

The department is seeking a detail-oriented HR Specialist to support core human resources operations with a strong emphasis on payroll, HR transaction processing, recruitment activities, and day‑to‑day HR operational support. In this role, you will play a critical part in ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant HR transactions while serving as a key point of contact for administrators and stakeholders across the unit.

You will work closely with Duke Corporate Payroll, central HR offices, recruiters, and internal administrators to review and process payroll data, HR iForms, and recruitment‑related workflows. Your work will directly support employee pay accuracy, hiring timelines, onboarding compliance, and overall HR process efficiency.

Responsibilities

• Payroll Administration and Support (35%):

  Review payroll data to identify discrepancies, overpayments, or distribution issues and coordinate with Duke Corporate Payroll to resolve pay‑related concerns and respond to payroll inquiries. Maintain tracking tools and spreadsheets to support payroll operations and reporting needs. Coordinate with the HR Representative on the processing of student hires, compensation and non‑compensation payments, and foreign national hires. Submit payroll transaction forms on behalf of the department and ensure timely and accurate completion aligned with payroll deadlines.

• HR Transaction Management (30%):

  Review, verify, and process HR iForms related to hires, transfers, terminations, salary changes, reclassifications, and supplemental pay. Ensure accuracy of job codes, position numbers, funding sources, and effective dates prior to routing transactions for approval. Prepare and route reclassification and position‑related documentation in coordination with central HR. Monitor transaction worklists and track pending items to ensure timely completion. Troubleshoot and resolve returned or rejected transactions and correct data errors as needed.

• Recruitment and Onboarding Support (20%):

  Initiate, review, and update job requisitions and support recruitment workflows within HR systems. Monitor candidate pipelines and update applicant statuses throughout the hiring process. Process and verify offer details in SuccessFactors, including compensation and start date information. Coordinate onboarding activities by initiating workflows and tracking completion of required forms. Monitor I‑9 and E‑Verify processes to ensure compliance and provide routine updates on hiring and onboarding status to administrators and leadership. Complete new hire orientation registration for incoming employees.

• HR Operations and Customer Support (15%):

  Serve as a primary point of contact for HR transaction‑and process‑related inquiries from administrators. Coordinate with central HR offices to resolve transactional, payroll, or system issues. Research and resolve routine HR data discrepancies and operational challenges. Escalate complex or unresolved issues as appropriate and follow established procedures to ensure timely resolution.

Minimum Requirements

• Knowledge of basic communication, research, and mathematical principles normally acquired through a high school education.
• Ability to review, maintain, research, and report on human resource and payroll information.
• Five years of related human resources and/or payroll experience required.
• Or an equivalent combination of relevant education and/or experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience processing HR transactions such as hires, transfers, terminations, salary changes, or supplemental pay.
• Experience working with HR systems and electronic transaction workflows.
• Experience supporting payroll processing and resolving payroll discrepancies.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities while meeting deadlines.

Other Requirements

• Ability to work collaboratively with central HR and payroll offices.
• Ability to interpret HR policies and procedures and apply them accurately to transactions.
• Proficiency with tracking tools, spreadsheets, and reporting documentation.

Benefits

By joining this team, you will contribute to the effective delivery of HR and payroll services that support faculty, staff, and student employees across the unit. Duke University offers a collaborative and mission‑driven environment where accuracy, service excellence, and continuous improvement are valued. Employees benefit from access to Duke's comprehensive benefits package, professional development opportunities, and the chance to be part of a world‑class academic and research institution. Your total compensation goes beyond the dollars on your paycheck. Duke provides comprehensive and competitive medical and dental care programs, generous retirement benefits, and a wide array of family‑friendly and cultural programs to eligible team members. Learn more at https://hr.duke.edu/benefits/

Equal Opportunity Employer

Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy‑related conditions), sexual orientation, or military status. Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas‑an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions

Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and reasonable accommodation(s) can be requested with Duke Access and Accommodations Services (email: [e-mail]; phone: 919‑668‑1267).