Job Description
Build the data infrastructure for robots operating in the real world.
Robotics is moving from research labs into production across factories, warehouses, vehicles, and field deployments. When robots fail, behave unexpectedly, or need to be improved, engineers rely on data to understand what actually happened.
At Foxglove, we build the observability, visualization, and data infrastructure that makes that possible. Our tools are used by robotics and autonomous systems teams to ingest, store, query, replay, and analyze massive volumes of multimodal sensor data from live systems and from production fleets.
About the role
This is the first dedicated People Operations hire at Foxglove. Today, HR operations, employment compliance, and people program execution all run through one person. As we scale through a period of significant headcount growth, we need someone to own the compliance and operational backbone of the people function so it can keep pace with the business.
You will own the employment compliance surface that currently sits with our outside counsel and our VP of Talent, run people operations end to end, and be the steady operator who keeps onboarding, offboarding, leave, and employee relations running cleanly. This is a high-ownership role for someone who is comfortable building structure where little exists and who can operate without an HR director layered above them.
About the team
You will join Foxglove’s Talent function alongside Talent Acquisition, IT, and Workplace. As we scale toward roughly 100 employees across multiple US states and a growing international footprint, this function is building the structure to keep pace. You will partner closely with the VP of Talent, outside employment counsel, our benefits broker, and work cross-functionally with hiring managers and finance.
What you’ll do
Employment compliance
Multi-state wage and hour compliance across all jurisdictions where we employ workers, with primary depth in California and Washington and working knowledge in other states. This includes San Francisco local ordinances such as the Health Care Security Ordinance, Fair Chance Ordinance, and paid sick leave where applicable
Assist with drafting employee agreements and commission plans, bringing in our external legal firm only as needed
Worker classification (exempt vs. non-exempt, employee vs. contractor) against federal, DOL, and state standards
Pay transparency and pay data reporting obligations
Handbook and written policy maintenance, keeping policies legally current and internally consistent across jurisdictions
Partnering with outside counsel on escalations rather than defaulting every question to them
Immigration and work authorization
I-9 completion, reverification, and retention compliance
Coordinating a light volume of employment-based immigration matters (TN, O-1A, E-3) with outside counsel, and tracking status, expiration, and reverification deadlines
Leave and benefits administration
Administering federal and state leave programs (FMLA, CFRA, WA PFML, and other applicable state leaves) through our leave management platform, Cocoon
Leading annual open enrollment and managing day-to-day benefits administration, including qualifying life events and employee benefits questions
Supporting benefits compliance obligations alongside our broker, including ACA reporting, ERISA documentation, COBRA, and required notices
People operations
Supporting HRIS administration and data integrity in Rippling: onboarding, offboarding, status changes, and reporting
Running and supporting accurate, timely multi-state payroll in Rippling, partnering with finance
Supporting compensation cycles and pay-band administration in Pave
Running onboarding and offboarding execution
Serving as a first point of contact for employee relations questions and supporting managers through performance conversations, role changes, and exits
Supporting SOC 2 and security audits, including required training completion, and audit-ready evidence for HR matters
Maintaining clean, audit-ready people records and process documentation
What we’re looking for
5+ years in HR, people operations, or employment compliance, preferably including time at a high-growth startup or scaling global company
Demonstrated depth in US multi-state employment compliance, with hands-on California experience
Working knowledge of I-9 and employment eligibility requirements, and comfort coordinating immigration matters with counsel
Experience administering leave programs and supporting benefits compliance
Strong operational instincts: you build process, close loops, and keep records clean without being asked
Sound judgment on when to handle something directly versus escalate to legal
A direct, low-drama communication style and comfort owning ambiguity
Bonus points
Experience with our stack: Rippling, Ashby, Cocoon, Pave, Pulley
Exposure to international employment compliance (EOR or direct entity), particularly in the EU
PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP certification
Background supporting technical or engineering-heavy organizations
Why Join Us
Impact: Own growth at a fast-growing, high-leverage moment for the company.
Mission: Accelerate the development of the next generation of robotics and embodied AI.
Team: Work with world-class engineers, designers, and researchers passionate about open-source and developer tools.
Ownership: Drive initiatives end-to-end, with high autonomy and visibility.