Backed by Y Combinator.
About the role
This is for exceptional candidates only. You will be the first HR hire at a ~50-person defense tech company, joining a People team of one (our Founding Recruiter). You will build HR at Icarus from zero: the systems, the policies, the compliance, and the culture that let engineers build and fly. Found on 1752vc Careers, the job board for startup and VC roles.
What they're looking for
- 6+ years of HR experience, including at least 2 years as the first or sole HR leader at a startup
- Deep working knowledge of California employment law and wage-and-hour rules
- Experience supporting hourly manufacturing, technician, or field teams alongside salaried employees
- Experience at a hardware, aerospace, or defense company. Familiarity with ITAR, export controls, or security clearance processes
- Sound judgment and discretion handling sensitive employee relations issues and investigations
- Hands-on and operational. You will run payroll and fix the spreadsheet yourself
More about this role
Icarus was founded on the belief that the Stratosphere is the Forgotten Frontier and that reclaiming it will define the next era of aerospace and what is possible from the sky. We build solar-powered aircraft that fly at 60,000 ft for weeks at a time, delivering persistent, affordable, and scalable presence from this layer of the atmosphere.
Re-establish and maintain dominance in the Stratosphere.
This is for exceptional candidates only. You will be the first HR hire at a ~50-person defense tech company, joining a People team of one (our Founding Recruiter). You will build HR at Icarus from zero: the systems, the policies, the compliance, and the culture that let engineers build and fly.
- HR infrastructure: select and run the HRIS, payroll, and benefits stack; own open enrollment and broker/PEO relationships.
- Defense requirements: partner with security and legal on ITAR/export-control hiring checks, security clearance processes, and government contract labor requirements.
- Onboarding and offboarding: a fast, repeatable process from signed offer to first flight.
- Employee relations: be the trusted, discreet point of contact for concerns, investigations, and hard...
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