Temporary HR Generalist

UC Irvine; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 44,000 - 63,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Sick and vacation time

Retirement savings plans

Discounts and perks access

Job summary

UC Irvine is seeking an HR Generalist with 3–5 years in employee relations to advise leadership, conduct investigations, and draft disciplinary documentation. The role supports policy interpretation, union agreements, and grievance processes within a university setting.

Primary duties include assisting department managers with organizational changes, data collection, and performance management support, ensuring compliance with employment laws and UC policies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business Administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Minimum of 3-5 years experience in employee relations, labor relations, or general HR administration.
• Practical experience conducting workplace investigations and drafting clear, legally compliant disciplinary documentation.
• Solid understanding of employment laws, personnel policies, and labor agreements with strong problem-solving and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Advise leadership and staff on employee relations matters, policy interpretation, collective bargaining agreement administration, and dispute resolution.
• Conduct workplace investigations into employee concerns, prepare disciplinary documentation, and support grievance handling and resolution processes.
• Assist client department managers with routine organizational adjustments, position description updates, and HR data collection to support operational needs.
• Support departmental engagement efforts, help managers utilize performance management tools, and guide employees toward professional development resources.

Skills

Employee relations

Disciplinary drafting

Investigations

Policy interpretation

Labor agreements

Communication skills

HR data management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business Administration, or related field

PHR or SHRM-CP certification

Job description

Who We Are

Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide.

To learn more about UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.

Your Role on the Team

Job duties include, but are not limited to:

• Advise leadership and staff on employee relations matters, policy interpretation, collective bargaining agreement administration, and dispute resolution.
• Conduct workplace investigations into employee concerns, prepare disciplinary documentation, and support grievance handling and resolution processes.
• Assist client department managers with routine organizational adjustments, position description updates, and HR data collection to support operational needs.
• Support departmental engagement efforts, help managers utilize performance management tools, and guide employees toward professional development resources.

What It Takes to be Successful

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Minimum of 3-5 years experience in employee relations, labor relations, or general HR administration.
• Practical experience conducting workplace investigations and drafting clear, legally compliant disciplinary documentation.
• Solid understanding of employment laws, personnel policies, and labor agreements with strong problem-solving and communication skills.

Preferred:

• Professional HR certification (e.g., PHR or SHRM-CP).
• Prior experience in higher education or a public sector organization adhering to UC system policies and union contracts.
• Familiarity with supporting compensation actions, benefit program inquiries, and talent acquisition processes.
• Experience facilitating department-level change initiatives and employee engagement programs.

Total Rewards

In addition to the salary range listed below, we offer a wealth of benefits to make working at UCI even more rewarding. These benefits may include medical insurance, sick and vacation time, retirement savings plans, and access to a number of discounts and perks. Please utilize the links listed here to learn more about our compensation practices and benefits.

• medical insurance
• sick and vacation time
• retirement savings plans
• access to a number of discounts and perks

Pay Rate: $39.08/hour

Conditions of Employment

The University of California, Irvine (UCI) seeks to provide a safe and healthy environment for the entire UCI community. As part of this commitment, all applicants who accept an offer of employment must comply with the following conditions of employment:

• Background Check and Live Scan
• Employment Misconduct*
• Legal Right to work in the United States
• Vaccination Policies
• Smoking and Tobacco Policy
• Drug Free Environment

*Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.

The following additional conditions may apply, some of which are dependent upon business unit or job specific requirements.

• California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act
• E-Verify
• Pre-Placement Health Evaluation

Details of each policy may be reviewed by visiting the following page - https://hr.uci.edu/new-hire/conditions-of-employment.php

Temporary Employment

This is a temporary employment recruitment reporting to the UCI Temporary Employment Services (TES) Department. Interviewing and hiring is based on internal hiring needs and how well the candidate's experience matches the assignment requirements. Certain temporary assignments may require clearance of a health physical or require a valid California Driver’s License for driving university vehicles.

The majority of our temporary positions are Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. We also have occasional part-time, weekend, and evening hours available, depending on the assignment. Comprehensive benefits options are also available for temporary employees, including paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave.

• paid vacation
• holidays
• sick leave

Please note that we recruit for this position on an on-going basis to build a talent pool of potential candidates. When a position becomes available, we will review applicants at that time.Due to the volume of applications that we receive, only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

Thank you for your interest in employment with UCI Temporary Employment Services.

Parking Information

All visitors, staff, and students are required to purchase parking permits to park on UCI property. If you plan to commute to work via your personal vehicle, I encourage you to review the parking requirements of your work location and parking rates on the UC Irvine Parking and Transportation website.

Closing Statement

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC Anti-Discrimination Policy.

We are committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce along with honoring unique experiences, perspectives, and identities. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable, and welcoming.

UCI provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities upon request. For more information, please contact Human Resources at [phone] or [e-mail].

Consideration for Work Authorization Sponsorship

Must be able to provide proof of work authorization