Human Resource & Operations Specialist (DOH/SLD #10881)

New Mexico Department of Health; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 52,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

The Scientific Laboratory Division of the New Mexico Department of Health seeks an HR professional to manage the end-to-end employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, timekeeping, and leave administration.

The role covers processing offers, maintaining records, coordinating leave, and handling offboarding while supporting payroll questions and compliance. The ideal candidate has a background in HR operations with recruitment, compensation, and job analysis.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in any field with four years combined education/experience may substitute.
• Experience in HR operations including recruitment, onboarding, timekeeping, and leave administration.
• Knowledge of payroll questions and benefits administration is valued.

Responsibilities

• Recruitment & Talent Acquisition: post job announcements, manage timelines, issue offers.
• Timekeeping & Leave Coordination: review time reports and coordinate leave requests.
• Offboarding & Separations: process paperwork and archive personnel files.
• Operations & Office Support: main phone line, staff rosters, meeting spaces.

Skills

HR operations

Recruitment

Payroll

Benefits administration

Job analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Posting Details

Interviews will be conducted within two weeks of the job posting's closing date.

Salary

$24.88 - $37.32 Hourly

$51,755 - $77,633 Annually

This position is a Pay Band C6

Posting Details

Interviews will be conducted within two weeks of the job posting's closing date.

The Scientific Laboratory Division (SLD) is the sole public health, environmental, and drug laboratory for New Mexico.

It conducts tests for infectious diseases threatening people, livestock and wildlife, as well as for hazardous materials and pollutants in our water, air and milk.

It also tests for alcohol and drugs in DWI criminal cases and for autopsy cases.

Over the course of a year, the lab performs more than 350,000 tests on nearly 80,000 samples.

Why does the job exist?

The SLD Human Resources Department supports this vital mission by managing the end-to-end employee lifecycle. Our HR team provides essential recruitment, onboarding, leave administration, timekeeping, and daily administrative operations ensuring our scientific and support staff have the resources and regulatory foundation needed to serve the state of New Mexico.

How does it get done?

Recruitment & Talent Acquisition: Post job announcements, manage hiring timelines, and certify candidate lists. Track applicant statuses, issue offer letters, and manage candidate dispositions. Prepare onboarding packets, setup employee records, and conduct first-day orientations.

Timekeeping & Leave Coordination: Review time reports, resolve entry errors, and answer employee payroll questions. Coordinate FMLA, ADA, Workers' Compensation, and specialized leave while tracking deadlines and documentation.

Offboarding & Separations: Process separations and transfers while submitting required paperwork to PERA, COBRA, and state oversight entities. Audit outgoing personnel files for completeness prior to closeout and archiving.

Operations & Office Support: Answer main phone line, field general inquiries, and route calls appropriately. Update and distribute agency phone rosters and staff contact lists. Manage conference room reservation calendars and prepare meeting spaces. Perform other related duties as assigned.

Who are the customers?

Current, prospective, and former SLD employees, supervisors, and external agency partners.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will have experience in human resource operations with a background in recruitment and selection, payroll, compensation, benefits administration, and/or job analysis.

Minimum Qualification

Bachelor's degree in any field. Any combination of education from an accredited college or university and/or direct experience in this occupation totaling four (4) years may substitute for the required education.

Employment Requirements

Must possess a valid Driver's License and complete the State's Defensive Driving Course within 60 days of hire to operate State vehicles when needed.

Working Conditions

Work is performed primarily in a standard office setting, sitting/working at a desk and operating a computer for extended periods. The position requires repetitive motion with hands and wrists (keyboarding and mouse use).and the ability to occasionally lift, move, or maneuver file boxes weighing up to 25 pounds.

Supplemental Information

For information on Statutory Requirements for this position, click the Classification Description link on the job advertisement.

Bargaining Unit Position

This position is not covered by a collective bargaining agreement.