Human Resources Lead

Katalyst Space Technologies•Broomfield, CO

2d•$90,000 - $135,000•Onsite

About The Position

Katalyst is hiring a Human Resources Lead to own and operate the day-to-day HR function across the employee lifecycle. The role covers onboarding, employee changes, leave and accommodations coordination, performance processes, offboarding, documentation, and employee support. The lead will advise managers on employee relations, performance, feedback, team dynamics, policy interpretation, and difficult people decisions, while helping leaders act promptly and fairly. The role will build and improve practical HR programs, policies, and operating rhythms that can scale in a high-growth environment. It will lead employee-relations matters from initial concern through investigation, documentation, recommendation, and resolution, escalating issues or seeking outside legal guidance when appropriate. The lead will also own or oversee HRIS and people-data integrity and coordinate with Talent Acquisition, Finance, IT, Security, Payroll, Benefits, and functional leaders. Additional work includes developing manager resources and training, supporting compensation, promotion, performance-review, engagement, workforce-planning, and organizational-design processes, and identifying recurring people risks and friction points. The role is expected to work primarily onsite in Broomfield, Colorado, and may occasionally require extended hours for urgent employee, leadership, or business needs.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience; relevant backgrounds include HR, business, organizational psychology, employment relations, or operations.
5–8+ years of progressive HR, People Operations, HRBP, employee relations, or generalist experience.
Experience independently handling employee relations, performance concerns, manager coaching, policy interpretation, documentation, and sensitive workplace situations.
Strong working knowledge of U.S. employment practices and core HR compliance, with judgment to recognize when state-specific requirements, counsel, or specialist expertise is needed.
Experience building, improving, or owning employee-lifecycle processes such as onboarding, leave, performance management, promotions, compensation changes, offboarding, and HR documentation.
Ability to influence managers and executives through clear recommendations, practical options, and sound judgment.
Strong written and verbal communication, discretion, attention to detail, and ability to handle confidential information appropriately.
Comfort operating hands-on in a fast-paced environment across strategic people matters and detailed administrative execution.
Ability to comply with applicable confidentiality, export-control, employment-law, employee-data, and customer requirements.
Ability to work primarily onsite in Broomfield, Colorado.
May occasionally need to work extended hours when urgent employee, leadership, or business needs arise.
Non-U.S. persons must be authorized to access ITAR information before commencing employment, as applicable to the role.

Nice To Haves

Prior HR leadership or senior generalist / HRBP experience at a high-growth startup, aerospace, defense-tech, hardware, manufacturing, robotics, or other technical organization.
Hands-on experience with Rippling, benefits administration, payroll coordination, performance systems, employee-data reporting, and HR process documentation.
Experience building HR infrastructure during rapid company growth, including manager enablement, policy creation, performance processes, leveling or compensation support, workforce planning, or employee-relations frameworks.
Experience supporting multi-state employees and partnering with employment counsel on complex employee-relations, leave, termination, accommodation, or compliance matters.
Ability to operate as a high-trust partner to employees and leaders while maintaining objectivity, confidentiality, and company standards.

Responsibilities

Own the day-to-day HR function across onboarding, employee changes, leave and accommodations coordination, performance processes, offboarding, documentation, and employee support.
Advise managers on employee relations, performance, feedback, team dynamics, policy interpretation, and difficult people decisions.
Build and improve scalable HR programs, policies, and operating rhythms while balancing consistency and compliance with the speed and flexibility of a high-growth environment.
Lead employee-relations matters from initial concern through investigation, documentation, recommendation, and resolution; escalate issues or seek outside legal guidance when appropriate.
Own or oversee HRIS and people-data integrity, including accurate and timely employee records, job changes, compensation updates, leave information, reporting, and required documentation.
Coordinate with Talent Acquisition, Finance, IT, Security, Payroll, Benefits, and functional leaders on hiring, onboarding, employee changes, workforce planning, and departures.
Develop manager resources and lightweight training on feedback, performance expectations, documentation, interviewing, onboarding, leave, employee relations, and other people-management responsibilities.
Support compensation, promotion, performance-review, engagement, workforce-planning, and organizational-design processes with clear data, recommendations, and follow-through.
Identify people risks and recurring friction points and develop repeatable solutions to improve employee experience, manager effectiveness, compliance, and operational efficiency.