Sr. HR Generalist

Subsurface Energy Resources, LLC; Rosamond (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Subsurface Energy Resources is seeking a Sr. HR Generalist to act as the sole on-site HR professional at the Mojave, CA operation.

You will advise site leadership on complex HR matters and personally perform day-to-day HR administration, from onboarding and payroll coordination to benefits, leave, and records management. In this role you will drive talent acquisition for trades, technical, and administrative roles, ensure adherence to California and federal employment laws, and support learning

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
• Senior‑level HR experience (5–7 years) with hands-on execution and strategic partnership.
• Mining/heavy‑civil/industrial construction experience preferred but not required.
• Familiarity with union environments a plus.
• Knowledge of California employment law is required.

Responsibilities

• Advise site leadership on HR matters and lead site HR initiatives.
• Lead full talent acquisition process for site across trades, technical, and admin roles.
• Administer day-to-day HR operations: onboarding, payroll coordination, benefits, leaves, and records.
• Provide guidance on complex issues; administer accommodations; conduct investigations; manage disciplinary actions and terminations.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and update site policies as needed.
• Analyze compensation trends and recommend competitive pay practices.
• Work with IR Manager on union and CBA concepts; direct CBA administration experience preferred but not required.
• Support learning and development for site employees.
• Maintain knowledge of HR trends, laws, and technologies.
• Perform other HR duties as assigned.

Skills

HR strategy

On-site HR management

Employee relations

Compensation & benefits analysis

Recruiting & staffing

Policy compliance

California labor law

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or related field

SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP certification

Tools

HRIS

Payroll systems

Talent management systems

Job description

Job Title: Sr. HR Generalist

Department: Human Resources

Reports to: Administrative Manager

GENERAL PURPOSE OF THIS JOB (Summary)

The Human Resources Manager serves as the sole on-site Human Resources professional for Subsurface Energy's Mojave, CA operation. Candidates must be capable of advising site leadership on complex, sensitive HR matters while also personally performing the full range of day-to-day HR administration. The role leads and executes the routine and strategic functions of Human Resources for the site, including hiring and interviewing staff, administering pay, benefits, and leave, ensuring compliance with California and federal employment law, and enforcing company policies and practices in a mining and heavy-civil construction operating environment.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Functional Responsibilities

• Partners directly with site leadership to understand and execute the site's human resource and talent strategy, particularly as it relates to current and future talent needs, recruiting, retention, and workforce planning.
• Independently manages the full talent acquisition process for the site, including recruiting, interviewing, and hiring of qualified applicants across trades, technical, and administrative positions, collaborating with site leadership to understand skills and competencies required for openings.
• Administers day-to-day HR operations personally, including new-hire onboarding, payroll coordination, benefits administration, leave administration (including CA-specific leave programs), and employee records management, given the absence of supporting HR staff.
• Provides guidance to site leadership and employees when complex, specialized, or sensitive questions and issues arise, and personally administers and executes routine and sensitive HR tasks such as providing reasonable accommodations, investigating allegations of wrongdoing, and processing disciplinary actions and terminations in accordance with company policy.
• Maintains compliance with federal, California state, and local employment laws and regulations, including wage-and-hour, meal-and-rest-break, leave, and anti-discrimination requirements, and recommends best practices; reviews and updates site HR policies and practices to maintain ongoing compliance.
• Analyzes trends in compensation and benefits and researches and recommends competitive pay practices in the labor market to support attraction and retention of site talent.
• Works closely with Industrial Relations Manager and maintains familiarity with union environments and collective bargaining concepts; direct CBA administration experience is preferred but not required for this role.
• Creates and supports learning and development activities and initiatives that provide growth opportunities for site employees.
• Maintains current knowledge of trends, best practices, regulatory changes, and new technologies in human resources, talent management, and California and federal employment law.
• Performs other HR‑related duties as assigned by the Project Director or corporate HR leadership.

Health & Safety

• Supports the site's safety culture by ensuring HR policies, onboarding, and disciplinary processes reinforce compliance with Cal/OSHA and Subsurface Energy Resources safety standards.
• Partners with site safety personnel on incident-related HR processes, including documentation, accommodation requests, and workers' compensation coordination arising from workplace injuries.
• Maintains required employee safety training records and certifications in coordination with site safety and operations personnel.
• Adheres to all applicable federal, state, and site-specific safety regulations and policies, and is able to access and navigate all areas of the site facility as needed to perform HR functions.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.
• Must be able to access and navigate all areas of the site facility, including active construction and mining work areas, in accordance with site safety requirements.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
• Senior‑level human resource experience required (5-7 years); candidates should be able to demonstrate both strategic HR partnership experience and hands‑on, individual‑contributor execution of core HR administrative functions, as this role has no supporting HR staff.
• Prior experience in mining, heavy‑civil, or industrial construction environments is preferred but not required.
• Familiarity with unionized workforces and collective bargaining environments is a plus, but not a requirement.
• Working knowledge of California employment law is required, given the site's location in Mojave, CA.
• SHRM‑CP or SHRM‑SCP certification highly desired.

Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, negotiation, and conflict‑resolution skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to independently manage competing HR priorities without supervisory or administrative support staff.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.Thorough knowledge of California and federal employment‑related laws and regulations.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.
• Proficiency with, or ability to quickly learn, the organization's HRIS, payroll, and talent management systems.

Subsurface Energy Resources is an Equal Opportunity Employer