Director of HR at Primordial Labs

What We Do:

Primordial Labs is building Anura, the next-generation human-machine interface. Anura allows operators to command, control, and collaborate with uncrewed systems through natural language, just like they would with a human teammate. Our job is to make it easier for warfighters to wield the power of autonomous systems on the battlefield.

Job Description:

(Please Note: This is a 100% remote position that requires residence in the United States. Direct applicants only. Absolutely no recruiters.)

The Director of Human Resources will serve as a key strategic leader in shaping our organization’s people strategy and culture. This role requires a hands-on, proactive operator who can design and implement HR initiatives tailored towards a rapidly growing software organization. The ideal candidate will bring a blend of strategic vision and tactical execution to establish and oversee a high-performing HR function.

Responsibilities:

1. Strategic Leadership
   • Collaborate with executive leadership to develop and execute an HR strategy that aligns with company goals and mission.
   • Act as a trusted advisor to business units, offering insights on organizational design, talent development, and workforce planning.
2. Scaling and Structuring
   • Build and implement scalable HR processes for a growing organization, including formal pay and benefits structures, promotion bands, and bonus frameworks.
   • Formalize and manage performance management systems to ensure clarity, fairness, and alignment with organizational objectives.
   • Establish performance and coaching evaluation cycles to foster employee growth and accountability, including a system for career progression and succession planning.
3. Leadership Development & Employee Growth
   • Develop programs to grow and retain high-potential leaders within the organization.
   • Implement company-wide training and learning initiatives to support up-skilling and professional development.
4. Talent Acquisition & Pipeline Management
   • Lead direct recruiting efforts to attract top talent while managing applicant pipelines.
   • Oversee partnerships with external recruiting firms, ensuring alignment with company culture and hiring needs.
5. HR Operations
   • Ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations while fostering a positive and productive workplace culture.
   • Champion the culture of a growing organization, embedding company values in all HR practices and initiatives.

Desired Qualifications

1. Experience & Expertise
   • Proven track record of HR leadership, preferably scaling HR functions in smaller or startup companies, and specifically with remote employees and teams.
   • Experience implementing pay and benefits structures, performance evaluation cycles, and formalized promotion frameworks.
   • Background in recruiting is a plus, with an ability to manage both direct hiring and relationships with external recruiters.
2. Leadership & Collaboration
   • History of leading employees directly, including developing and coaching leaders across an organization.
   • Demonstrated ability to partner with business units and act as a strategic advisor to senior leadership.
3. Defense Experience
   • Familiarity with defense technology startups or engineering-heavy teams is highly desirable.
   • Experience in or a deep understanding of the Department of Defense and defense entrepreneurial ecosystems
4. Skills & Attributes
   • Leads by example, builds with tenacity, strong communicator with exceptional interpersonal skills
   • Strong analytical skills to develop data-driven insights and strategies.
   • A proactive, solution-oriented mindset with the ability to manage complexity and ambiguity.

Application Process:

We have a two-stage interview process.

The first stage is a screener which is a combination of discussion about your experience and assessment of fit for the role. You’ll have plenty of time to ask detailed questions about the opportunity. This screener is generally between 30-60 minutes and we’ll let you know the result within two days.

After the screener, if both sides believe it makes sense, we will set up a series of discussions/mini-interviews (generally two sessions, about 60 minutes each) with other folks on the leadership team. This will provide you with a sampling of the team and give us a feel for organizational fit from multiple perspectives. These sessions are casual, so no need to prepare anything beyond the questions you have for us.

We are committed to a low-stress interview experience and promise there will be no trick questions!