Growing tech manufacturer in Irvine

Director of Human Resources: $175-$225K plus bonus plus generous OPTIONS.

Included in comp will be OPTIONS where there will be significant financial upside.

Keys:

Required Experience:

10+ years of HR leadership experience and some kind of related industry experience: i.e. technology, deep-tech, advanced engineering, software, medical device, etc.
Demonstrated experience building HR functions and policies from scratch.
Direct ownership managing synchronized annual review cycles that align performance evaluations with merit-based compensation increases.
Strong international HR experience, including multi-country compliance.
A deep understanding of employment law, compensation structures, and HR best practice.

Preferred Experience:

Experience in fast-growing startups or scale-ups (Series A–C or equivalent)
Prefer experience supporting engineering, R&D, or scientific teams
Familiarity with equity compensation, retention strategies, and competitive technical labor markets
Experience working closely with founders, executive teams, and boards
Background in regulated or IP-sensitive industries

Top Reasons to Join:

Significant Individual Financial upside.
Elite Financial Backing – Backed by leading investors with decades of success in semiconductors and infrastructure.
Breakthrough Technology – Build industry-defining coherent DSP and optical connectivity solutions.
Direct Access to Decision Makers – Your ideas matter and move fast.
Accelerated Career Growth – Startups compress timelines and amplify impact.
Clear, Transparent Culture – You always know how and why decisions are made.

Benefits:

Why this is a great opportunity:

The chance to play a foundational role at a high-growth start-up.
A collaborative, international team culture where ideas and initiative are valued.
The opportunity to grow alongside the company as they scale and shape the future of the industry.
Great leadership team - very often considered “the best boss I’ve ever had”.

What success looks like:

A scalable and compliant HR foundation that supports rapid innovation and growth
Clear, well-adopted policies across global teams
A credible, transparent, and well-run annual focal process
Strong engagement, retention, and development of critical technical talent

Job Description:

HR Infrastructure & Organizational Growth

Scale Operations: Build a flexible HR model that evolves alongside the company’s growth.
Lifecycle Management: Standardize end-to-end employee processes from onboarding to offboarding.
Systems Ownership: Select and implement the HR tech stack (HRIS, Compensation, Performance).
Workforce Strategy: Partner with executives on org design and headcount planning.

Compliance, Policy & Risk

IP-Focused Governance: Develop HR policies and handbooks tailored for high-tech, IP-driven environments.
Legal Compliance: Oversee labor law adherence across U.S. and international jurisdictions.
Employee Relations: Resolve complex workplace issues with professional judgment and consistency.
Legal Partnership: Align with Legal on IP protection and employment contracts.

Total Rewards & Performance (Annual Focal)

Focal Cycle Leadership: Execute annual performance, merit, and equity review cycles.
Career Architecture: Define job levels, promotion criteria, and technical career paths.
Pay Equity: Partner with Finance to maintain competitive, market-aligned compensation.
Manager Enablement: Provide tools for performance differentiation and effective feedback.

Global HR Operations

International Support: Manage HR for a distributed workforce across multiple global design centers.
Global Expansion: Coordinate with PEO/EOR partners to hire and scale in new regions.
Regional Alignment: Adapt global policies to meet local labor requirements and cultural needs.

Culture & Leadership Development

Culture Building: Foster an environment of innovation, accountability, and high execution.
Technical Onboarding: Launch programs that accelerate new hire productivity in R&D settings.
Leadership Coaching: Develop first-time managers and technical leads into effective people leaders.
Strategic Advisor: Guide leadership on engagement, retention, and overall organizational health.

Blake-Ryan & Associates

Latest Jobs