Head of People Operations

The Nuclear Company•Washington, DC

About The Position

The Nuclear Company is the fastest growing startup in the nuclear and energy space creating a never before seen fleet-scale approach to building nuclear reactors. Through its design-once, build-many approach and coalition building across communities, regulators, and financial stakeholders, The Nuclear Company is committed to delivering safe and reliable electricity at the lowest cost, while catalyzing the nuclear industry toward rapid development in America and globally. As our Head of People Operations, you'll report directly to the SVP, HR and own the people ops function. You'll be equal parts strategist and operator — designing scalable systems while staying close enough to the work to know when someone needs support, a promotion, or a difficult conversation. You'll be a core member of the Administration leadership team, helping us scale our tech-first culture that makes us special.

Requirements

15+ years of progressive HR/People experience, with at least 3 years in a senior leadership role at a high-growth startup or scale-up (Series A–C preferred)
Demonstrated success building People ops functions from early stage through significant headcount growth
Strong grounding in employment law, compensation design, and HR compliance
A builder's mentality — you're energized by ambiguity, not slowed by it
Exceptional EQ and communication skills; people trust you quickly and for good reason

Responsibilities

Design and manage HR infrastructure: HRIS, onboarding, offboarding, compensation bands, benefits, and compliance
Ensure regulatory compliance across federal contractor requirements, DC employment law, and any applicable DOE/NRC workforce standards
Own the employee lifecycle from onboarding to alumni experience
Architect and steward a high-performance culture rooted in mission, psychological safety, and accountability
Build manager capability through coaching, structured development programs, and feedback loops
Lead DE&I strategy with real outcomes, not performative initiatives
Develop and maintain a competitive, equitable compensation philosophy appropriate for a growth-stage company competing with Big Tech, national labs, and defense primes
Manage equity programs and benefits strategy as the company scales through funding rounds
Serve as a trusted advisor to business unit leadership team on organizational design, succession planning, and people risk