Head of People

Icarus•El Segundo, CA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

Icarus is hiring its first HR leader at an approximately 50-person defense technology company. The Head of People will build the HR function from the ground up, establishing the systems, policies, compliance practices, and culture needed to support the company as it grows. The role works closely with the CEO and Founding Recruiter and owns People operations end to end, from strategy through hands-on execution. The position covers HR infrastructure, payroll and benefits, California and multi-state compliance, defense-related hiring and labor requirements, onboarding and offboarding, employee relations, compensation and equity, performance and development, and workplace policies. The Head of People will partner with the Founding Recruiter to support growth from approximately 50 to more than 200 employees while preserving the company culture. Icarus describes its approach as operational, fast-moving, and focused on lightweight systems that serve engineers rather than adding unnecessary process. The role is based on-site at the El Segundo factory five days per week. Candidates must be a U.S. person as defined by ITAR. The listed U.S. salary range is $175,000–$250,000, inclusive of base salary only; competitive equity grants are also part of the compensation package.

Requirements

At least 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.
Sound judgment and discretion when handling sensitive employee relations issues and investigations.
Hands-on and operational approach, including willingness to run payroll and manage detailed work directly.
Comfort working directly with a CEO and moving at startup speed.
Ability to work on-site in El Segundo five days per week.
Must be a U.S. person as defined by ITAR.

Nice To Haves

Experience at a hardware, aerospace, or defense company.
Familiarity with ITAR, export controls, or security clearance processes.
Previous experience building HR from scratch, including HRIS, payroll, benefits, handbook, and core processes.
Experience scaling a company from approximately 50 to more than 200 employees.
Experience with government contracts, FAR/DFARS labor requirements, or affirmative action plans.

Responsibilities

Select and manage the HRIS, payroll, and benefits systems, and oversee open enrollment and broker/PEO relationships.
Manage California and federal employment compliance, multi-state compliance as hiring expands beyond California, I-9/E-Verify, and wage-and-hour matters.
Partner with security and legal on ITAR/export-control hiring checks, security clearance processes, and government contract labor requirements.
Create and manage repeatable onboarding and offboarding processes, from signed offer through the employee’s first flight and departure.
Serve as a trusted, discreet contact for employee concerns, investigations, and difficult conversations.
Build leveling, salary bands, and an equity grant framework with the CEO and Founding Recruiter.
Develop lightweight performance review cycles and feedback practices that employees value.
Create and maintain a concise, legally sound employee handbook and leave, PTO, travel, and safety policies.
Partner with the Founding Recruiter to scale the company from approximately 50 to more than 200 employees while maintaining its culture.
Own HR operations end to end, including payroll, benefits, compliance, onboarding, employee relations, performance, compensation, and policy.