Onboarding & HR Operations Specialist

HazTek•Medford, NJ

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Onboarding & HR Operations Specialist owns and coordinates the end-to-end pre-hire and onboarding process, from verbal offer acceptance through completion of pre-employment requirements and readiness for HRIS entry. The role is the primary liaison among candidates, Recruiting, Project Management, Human Resources, and other internal and external stakeholders, coordinating offers, screenings, clearances, onboarding documents, and HRIS activities while providing a seamless candidate experience. The Specialist maintains accurate records and tracking, resolves issues, supports compliance with established processes, and improves onboarding workflows. The position is based in the Medford, New Jersey office. Job activities take place 100% indoors. The schedule is Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST, with occasional availability outside business hours, including weekends, to support department needs. No travel, per diem, or relocation is offered. HazTek Safety Management describes itself as a full-service safety partner founded in 1997. It states that it offers full-time employment, stability, benefits, professional development, travel, diverse safety experiences, management support, and access to a network of more than 375 full-time safety professionals. The company says it is committed to inclusion and acceptance and identifies its values as Integrity, Compassion, Dependability, Leadership, and Accountability.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Three to five years of experience in high-volume HR operations, recruiting coordination, onboarding, staffing, or related work in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
Experience independently managing multiple concurrent processes, deadlines, and priorities with accuracy and follow-through.
Experience coordinating employee onboarding, pre-employment screening, background checks, employment verifications, drug testing, physical examinations, or similar pre-employment processes.
Experience with HRIS, applicant tracking systems (ATS), background screening platforms, or other enterprise business systems.
Experience handling confidential and sensitive information discreetly and maintaining accurate records and documentation.
Proficient computer skills, including Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and other business applications.
Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to communicate clearly and professionally with candidates, employees, managers, and vendors.
Strong organizational and follow-up skills, including managing multiple tasks, prioritizing competing responsibilities, adapting to high-pressure and time-sensitive situations, and meeting deadlines.
Customer-service orientation and ability to provide a positive, responsive, and professional candidate experience.
Attention to detail and ability to identify discrepancies, missing information, and potential issues before they affect a candidate's start date.
Knowledge of employee onboarding, pre-employment screening, documentation, and administrative HR processes.
Problem-solving skills, including researching, troubleshooting, and resolving process or system issues.
Documentation and recordkeeping skills, with a commitment to data integrity and process compliance.
Ability to learn and navigate multiple technology and business platforms quickly.
Ability to prioritize work independently, make sound administrative decisions, resolve routine issues, and recognize when escalation is necessary.
Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment with frequent interruptions and changing priorities.
Ability to build trust and maintain effective working relationships across Recruiting, Human Resources, Operations, Logistics, Quality Assurance, Sales, and external vendors.
Ability to enter data accurately and efficiently into computer software or systems.
Ability to read, write, speak, and understand English.
Must be available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST, and occasionally outside business hours, including weekends.
Physical requirements include extensive manual dexterity for keyboard, mouse, and phone use; phone communication; prolonged sitting; reaching, handling, and feeling; occasional stooping, kneeling, and crouching; and occasionally lifting, carrying, or moving up to 10 pounds.

Nice To Haves

Construction industry knowledge and/or technical safety background experience.
Experience supporting large-volume or geographically dispersed hiring or onboarding across multiple states, locations, clients, or business units.
Experience with UKG HRIS, iCIMS ATS, and Salesforce CRM.
Experience coordinating client-specific employment requirements, site clearances, badging, certifications, or access requirements.
Experience in an environment where start dates, deployment dates, service-level expectations, or other operational deadlines are critical.
Bilingual Spanish.

Responsibilities

Coordinate the end-to-end pre-hire and onboarding process from verbal offer acceptance through completion of pre-employment requirements and readiness for HRIS entry.
Act as the primary contact for candidates and key stakeholders during the offer and pre-hire process, providing timely communication, guidance, and follow-up.
Prepare, issue, and track offer letters, protective agreements, relocation agreements, and other employment-related documents, ensuring accuracy, approvals, timely distribution, and completion.
Monitor offer acceptance and follow up on outstanding signatures, forms, documents, and other requirements.
Administer new-hire onboarding in the HRIS, including assigning tasks and documentation, assisting with access or technical issues, monitoring completion, and completing employer-side activities.
Verify that pre-hire documentation and onboarding activities are accurate and complete before transition for final HRIS setup.
Maintain candidate information in the ATS and other applicable systems throughout the pre-hire process.
Maintain and update the onboarding tracker with activities, milestones, requirements, approvals, and outstanding items.
Initiate, coordinate, and monitor criminal background checks, employment verifications, drug screenings, physical examinations, and other pre-employment requirements in accordance with company policies, client requirements, and timelines.
Communicate with background screening and occupational health vendors, resolve discrepancies or delays, and ensure results are received and documented.
Coordinate criminal background check adjudication with Human Resources, escalate potential concerns, and support consistent handling under established processes and applicable requirements.
Schedule physical examinations and drug screenings, identify appropriate facilities, establish facility accounts, and confirm services and availability.
Coordinate client-specific clearances, certifications, badging, access requirements, and other pre-employment conditions.
Monitor screening, verification, examination, drug-test, and clearance status; resolve discrepancies and escalate issues as appropriate.
Ensure pre-employment contingencies are completed, documented, and communicated before an employee is cleared to begin work.
Administer applicable E-Verify processes with the company's administrative vendor, submitting required information accurately and on time.
Communicate next steps, documentation, screening requirements, timelines, and outstanding actions to candidates throughout pre-hire.
Partner with Recruiting, Field Service Project Managers, Human Resources, Logistics, Quality Assurance Coordinators, Sales, and other internal teams to coordinate employee readiness and communication.
Keep hiring managers and stakeholders informed about onboarding progress, outstanding requirements, anticipated delays, and issues affecting start dates or deployment.
Answer candidate questions about company policies, benefits eligibility, onboarding requirements, and other employment matters, escalating HR-specific questions as appropriate.
Monitor onboarding timelines and service expectations to help candidates progress efficiently and begin employment as scheduled.
Maintain records and audit documentation and tracking for offers, screenings, verifications, clearances, and other pre-hire activities.
Handle sensitive candidate and employee information with confidentiality, discretion, accuracy, and professionalism.
Apply onboarding practices consistently and identify circumstances requiring escalation, HR review, or collaboration with functional leaders.