People Operations Associate

Atoms; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 114,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Life and disability insurance

Voluntary insurance options

401(k)

HSA

FSAs

Time off: vacation days

Paid holidays

Parental Leave

Bereavement leave

Job summary

Atoms, based in San Francisco, is seeking a People Operations professional to own lifecycle processes and drive cross‑team improvements. This role sits onsite and requires 2–5 years of experience in HR/People Ops, with a focus on reliability and scalable processes.

You will lead projects from problem to launch, identify automation opportunities, and monitor compliance (I-9, FCRA). The role offers base salary of $114,000–$135,000 per year, with equity and bonus potential.

Qualifications

• 2–5 years in People/HR Operations or Compliance.
• Experience converting broken processes into end-to-end solutions.
• Ability to analyze data to surface compliance gaps and drive improvements.
• Proactive problem-solver who suggests fixes rather than reporting issues.
• Quick to learn new tools and apply them to improve reliability.
• Experience coordinating with Shared Services, HRIS, Legal, Recruiting, Payroll, and HR Business Partners.

Responsibilities

• Own design and improvement of employee lifecycle processes end to end.
• Lead process improvement projects from problem to launch.
• Identify automation opportunities with technical teams.
• Monitor compliance across People Operations: I-9, BGC/FCRA, data integrity.
• Maintain and troubleshoot People team tools (Background checks, I-9, Workday) and SOPs.

Skills

People Operations

HR Data Analysis

Process Improvement

Cross-functional Collaboration

Problem Solving

Tools

Workday

FirstAdvantage

Background checks

Job description

Who we are

Atoms is building the machines that power the next era of progress.

Over the last decade, software has transformed the digital world. But the physical world, where food is made, minerals are mined, goods are moved, and industries are run, remains far less intelligent, far less efficient, and far more constrained. We’re changing that.

Atoms builds Physical AI— real-world robots for the industries that move civilization forward, starting with food, mining, and transport. Our systems are designed to understand, predict, and control the real world with precision, turning complex physical operations into something more reliable, more scalable, and more productive.

This work requires more than robotics. It requires deep integration across hardware, software, AI, operations, manufacturing, and real estate. We don’t just build machines in a lab. We deploy them into real environments, operate them, learn from them, and improve them until they work at scale.

We are roboticists, engineers, operators, and builders. We believe the next great technology companies will not only transform information, but the physical systems that shape everyday life.

If you want to work on hard problems with real-world impact, join us.

What you’ll do

• Process ownership: Own the design and continuous improvement of employee lifecycle processes (onboarding, offboarding, data changes) end to end. Surface the real problems, such as workarounds, undocumented exceptions, gaps between teams, then design the fix and drive it all the way through. Drive successful enablement and adoption of processes across teams.
• Project leadership: Lead process improvement projects from problem statement through to launch. Build the plan, coordinate across teams, manage through ambiguity, and execute quickly and with quality.
• Efficiency & reallocation: Identify where work should live, and make the shift happen. Partner with technical teams to scope automation opportunities and move them from idea to implementation.
• Compliance & audits: Monitor compliance across People Operations: I-9, BGC/FCRA, employee data integrity. Build the controls, regularly audit what’s important, and proactively mitigate risks before they become an issue.
• Tools & enablement: Manage and troubleshoot People team tools (e.g., Background check tools, I-9, Workday). Keep SOPs current so the team can execute without escalating.

What we're looking for

• Has 2–5 years in People / HR Operations, Program Management, QA, or Compliance, in roles that required building structure, tracking accuracy, and making things run reliably.
• Has taken broken, manual processes and rebuilt them end to end — redesign, execution, and adoption.
• Proactively analyzes data to surface compliance gaps and trends and uses findings to execute on improvement opportunities.
• Spots problems before they're raised and shows up with a proposed fix, not just an observation.
• Picks up new tools quickly and uses them to make work more reliable, not just faster.
• Works comfortably across Shared Services, HRIS, Legal, Recruiting, Payroll, and HR Business Partners, building alignment and scalable processes across teams.
• Moves quickly without introducing risk or sacrificing quality.

Strong candidates may also have

• Proficiency in HR tools like Workday, FirstAdvantage, and background check platforms.
• Familiarity with I-9 regulations, FCRA, or SOC 2 compliance.
• Experience deploying AI or automation to improve operational workflows.

Why join us

At Atoms, you’ll work on one of the defining challenges of our time—bringing automation into the physical world to drive real, lasting impact. We exist to uncover valuable unknown truths and turn them into progress, which means constantly pushing beyond what’s known and building what doesn’t yet exist. The work is ambitious and often challenging, but it’s grounded in a shared sense of purpose and a team committed to seeing it through together. Our work only matters if it serves others, and we know that meaningful progress depends on the trust of the people we serve and the strength of our team—so we invest in both, creating an environment where you can do your best work and grow.

What else you need to know

This role is based in our San Franciscooffice. Atoms is a company driven by invention and continuous change - we are constantly reimagining our industries, building new products, and refining how we operate. We do our best work together. That’s why all of our office-based teams work onsite, five days a week.

The base salary range for this role is $114,000 - $135,000 per year.

Actual compensation will be determined on an individual basis and may vary depending on experience, skills, and qualifications.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package. You may also be eligible for equity awards and an annual performance-based bonus.

Benefits Summary (USA Full-Time Exempt Employees):

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance (multiple plans, incl. HSA options).
• Company-paid life and disability insurance (short- and long-term).
• Voluntary insurance: accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity.
• Optional supplemental life insurance for self, spouse, and children.
• Pet insurance discount.
• 401(k).
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Flexible Spending Accounts (Healthcare, Dependent Care, Commuter)
• Time Off policies:
• Discretionary vacation days
• 8 paid holidays per year
• Paid sick time
• Paid Bereavement leave
• Paid Parental Leave

Benefits are subject to change at the company\'s discretion.Atoms accepts applications on an ongoing basis.

Ready to join us as we serve those who serve others?

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