Seattle Site Lead

ABOUT HANDSHAKE Handshake was founded on a simple belief that everyone deserves a path to a great career, regardless of where they went to school or who they know. Today, we power 25 million job seekers, 1 million+ employers, and 1,600 educational institutions. In 2025, we started Handshake AI and built the fastest-growing AI data business in history. We work directly with frontier AI lab researchers to create evaluations, publish benchmarks, and push the boundary of data. We’ve grown from $0 to ~$1B run rate and pay ~$60M to over 30K individuals every month. WHY JOIN HANDSHAKE NOW: - Shape how every career evolves in the AI economy, at global scale, with impact your friends, family and peers can see and feel - Partner hand-in-hand with world-class AI labs, Fortune 500 partners and the world’s top educational institutions - Work together with engineers, scientists, operators, and more from Palantir, Meta, Scale AI, and former YC founders - Build a massive, fast-growing business with billions in revenue ABOUT HANDSHAKE AI Human data is the core infrastructure to AI advancement. Frontier AI labs currently improve model capabilities with various data-intensive post-training techniques. We believe that data spend for AI training will increase by 3-5x in the next few years and continue for much longer as models take on new domains. Handshake AI supports all of the frontier AI labs, working on their most complex data at the largest scale. Role Overview We are seeking an experienced Site Lead to oversee the day-to-day operations, workforce management, and workplace standards of our AI Trust & Safety operation. This role will initially be responsible for approximately 200 employees, supported by 3–4 Area Managers, with the potential to scale over time. The Site Lead will be accountable for maintaining a secure, efficient, and wellbeing-first workplace while building a strong management culture and continuously improving our operating standards. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Site Operations & Security Compliance - Ensure strict adherence to facility security protocols, including clean-room check-in and check-out procedures. - Oversee compliance across employees and third-party security contractors, identifying and addressing gaps proactively. - Maintain operational readiness for customer visits, audits, and inspections in partnership with the Workplace Experience Manager. 2. People Leadership & Hiring - Directly manage and develop 3–4 Area Managers overseeing an initial workforce of approximately 200 people. - Serve as the hiring manager for multiple functions across the AI Trust & Safety portfolio. - Build leadership capabilities, accountability, and consistent management practices across teams. 3. Workplace Culture & Employee Wellbeing - Uphold and continuously improve workplace norms that prioritize employee safety, wellbeing, operational efficiency, and professionalism. - Establish consistent workforce management standards across the site and Seattle-based teams. - Identify opportunities to improve employee experience, engagement, and the overall effectiveness of the workplace. 4. HR, Legal & Employee Relations - Serve as the primary operational point of contact for HR and Legal partners on employee conduct matters and workplace investigations. - Ensure workplace issues are escalated appropriately, handled consistently, and addressed in accordance with company policies and applicable employment laws. 5. Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement - Develop and refine site-level performance metrics, reporting, and operational standards. - Partner with cross-functional teams to implement reporting tools, improve visibility into workforce performance, and identify opportunities for improvement. - Use data and operational insights to drive better decisions, stronger management practices, and scalable processes. IDEAL CANDIDATE - Experienced people leader: Demonstrated success managing managers and leading large, operationally complex teams. - Sound judgment in employee relations: Working knowledge of employment and labor laws, with the judgment to resolve routine matters independently and recognize when HR or Legal expertise is required. - Analytical and technically capable: Comfortable working with reporting tools, analyzing operational data, developing metrics, and partnering with technical teams to implement improvements. - Operationally disciplined: Strong attention to security, compliance, process consistency, and accountability. - People-first leadership style: Committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and supportive workplace, particularly in environments involving sensitive or potentially distressing content. - Strong cross-functional partner: Able to collaborate effectively with Security, Workplace Experience, HR, Legal, Recruiting, and senior operations leadership. WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE A successful Site Lead builds a secure, well-run, and people-centered operation where managers are effective, employees feel supported, compliance standards are consistently met, and the site is always prepared to represent our organization to customers and partners.     PERKS Handshake delivers benefits that help you feel supported—and thrive at work and in life. The below benefits are for full-time US employees. 🎯 Ownership: Equity in a fast-growing company 💰 Financial Wellness: 401(k) match, competitive compensation, financial coaching 🍼 Family Support: Paid parental leave, fertility benefits, parental coaching 💝 Wellbeing: Medical, dental, and vision, mental health support, wellness stipend 📚 Growth: Learning stipend, ongoing development 💻 Remote & Office: Internet, commuting, and free lunch/gym in our SF office 🏝 Time Off: Flexible PTO, 15 holidays + 2 flex days 🤝 Connection: Team outings & referral bonuses Explore our mission, values, and comprehensive US benefits at joinhandshake.com/careers http://joinhandshake.com/careers.