HR Specialist: Tickle College of Engineering - UTK

University of Tennessee • Knoxville, TN

4d • $50,000 - $60,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Tickle College of Engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is seeking an HR Specialist to provide college-wide human resources operations support, process transactions, and serve as a subject matter expert and point of contact for HR processes, Oracle training, and procedural guidance. Reporting to the Director of Human Resources, the specialist supports an assigned portfolio of college departments and units, manages service requests through Team Dynamix (TDX), and completes end-to-end HR transactions from recruitment and hiring through onboarding, pay, and reporting.

The role supports work authorization, student appointment processes, DASH and time-entry training, and maintenance of checklists and standard operating procedures. It helps deliver consistent, compliant, and timely HR services across the college. The position is based at the Tickle College of Engineering in Knoxville, Tennessee, with a hybrid work schedule available after the employee probationary period.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED.
• At least four years of experience in a human resources role, or a combination of experience in full-cycle hiring, office management, advising on policies and procedures, data entry, and/or office support in a setting requiring discretion.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills.
• Ability to multitask, prioritize according to others’ needs and time-sensitive deadlines, and follow through to completion.
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team.
• Sound interpersonal and communication skills.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, especially Excel, Teams, OneDrive, and Word.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Knowledge of personnel management applications such as Oracle.
• Knowledge of personnel processes, including hiring and I-9/E-Verify.
• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality.
• Ability and willingness to learn new systems and processes as the college grows and changes.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States full-time without requiring employment-based visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business, or a related field; SHRM-CP, PHR, or related HR certification.
• A bachelor’s degree with 1–2 years of relevant human resources experience, or a combination of work in full-cycle hiring, office management, advising on procedures, data entry, and/or office support.
• Human resources experience in recruiting, hiring, or employee relations at UT.
• Experience in an academic environment.
• Experience hiring foreign nationals and communicating with non-native English speakers.
• Certificates or training related to HR competencies.
• Knowledge of personnel management applications such as Oracle and Equifax.
• Knowledge of required hiring documents.
• Knowledge of employment laws and practices.
• Knowledge of USCIS visa processes.
• Knowledge of Power BI and Power Automate.

Responsibilities

• Process end-to-end hiring and pay transactions for faculty, staff, students, and graduate assistants; support timely onboarding and I-9/E-Verify compliance; coordinate visa workflows with ISSS; monitor work authorization expirations; and manage semester Graduate Assistantship assignments.
• Review college-wide research position descriptions and provide backup position-description review in TDX; manage full-cycle recruitment for assigned units, including requisitions, postings, applicant communication, and accurate candidate records.
• Process salary, additional-pay, termination, and retirement transactions; advise departments on EEF/RIF requirements and timelines; and maintain workforce and pay tracking tools with finance and budget partners.
• Manage HR intake through TDX and the shared inbox; provide time-entry and payroll-deadline guidance, training, and biweekly reporting; review and prepare routine and ad hoc HR compliance reports; maintain SOPs and DASH training materials; and coordinate tuition waivers.

Benefits

• Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and development and training opportunities.
• The university highlights work-life balance, compensation, and professional advancement as employee priorities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED