People Operations Lead

ABOUT AFTERQUERY AfterQuery https://www.afterquery.com/ is an applied research lab curating data solutions for foundation model development. We serve every frontier AI lab with the mission of delivering the best data to power the best models. In doing so, we can make expertise that once took a lifetime to build available to anyone who needs it. Our customers are the ones building the foundation models themselves and our work sits directly in the loop of how those systems improve. This is a rare opportunity to join a company at a defining moment in AI. Since raising our $30M Series A at a $300M valuation, AfterQuery has grown well over a $100M revenue run rate. We're based in San Francisco and backed by leading investors including Altos Ventures, BoxGroup, and Y Combinator and angels from Google DeepMind, OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta Superintelligence Labs, and Microsoft AI. WHY APPLY Massive Opportunity: We are one of the fastest-growing YC companies in our batch, and we believe we can become one of the fastest-growing YC companies of all time. Founding Impact: You will own and architect core infrastructure systems that power our platform from the ground up. Equity & Growth: Competitive salary and meaningful equity. As we scale, you’ll have the opportunity to shape the engineering organization and lead major technical initiatives. Strong Team: Our founding team has experience from Citadel Securities, Meta, Google, Silver Lake, and Morgan Stanley — work alongside world-class engineers and researchers. OVERVIEW This is our first dedicated HR Operations hire, reporting to the Head of Business Operations & People. You will own the operational backbone of the People function — payroll, benefits, and HR compliance — and serve as the company’s frontline for employee relations.This role owns the execution, recordkeeping, and day-to-day judgment calls that keep the company compliant and employees well taken care of and equipped to do their jobs well. You should be excited to build HR infrastructure from 0->1 at a fast-moving, talent-dense company. You will be the go-to person that employees trust at the ground level. You are an advisor and advocate for HR, who balances strong people skills with judgment to protect the company against compliance risk. RESPONSIBILITIES Own end-to-end payroll operations — accuracy, timeliness, and compliance, including coordination with finance on payroll funding and reporting. Administer employee benefits programs — plan selection, open enrollment, vendor management, and day-to-day employee support. Serve as the company’s HR compliance lead — employment law (CA and any additional jurisdictions as we grow), visa sponsorship program management, leave administration, I-9 and recordkeeping, policy documentation, and audit readiness. Be the first point of contact for employee relations — conflict resolution, performance concerns, and workplace investigations — handled with empathy, discretion, and sound judgment. Build and maintain HR policies and the employee handbook, keeping them current with the law and reflective of AfterQuery’s culture. Own the accuracy and integrity of HR and payroll systems (HRIS, payroll, benefits platforms) as the single source of truth for people data. Champion HR/People's role within the company — proactively communicating what the function does, why it matters, and how to engage with it, so employees see People Ops as a resource. Treat People Operations as a service function — fast, accurate, and low-friction — without cutting corners on compliance. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS 5–8+ years in HR generalist, HRBP, or HR operations roles, with direct, hands-on ownership of payroll, benefits, and compliance — not just oversight of vendors. Deep working knowledge of California employment law and wage-and-hour rules; comfortable getting up to speed on additional states as the company grows. Demonstrated judgment handling sensitive employee relations matters — you can hold both the company’s interests and an individual employee’s perspective at the same time. Genuine empathy paired with discretion: people trust you with hard conversations because you listen first and act with fairness. High ownership instincts; you’ve built or meaningfully rebuilt HR infrastructure at a small or fast-growing company, not just operated within an existing one. Track record of leading change management for new policies, systems, or programs — you know how to build buy-in and drive adoption without over-engineering. Clear, calm, written-first communicator who can document decisions and policies without unnecessary process. Thrives in a fast-paced, high-growth environment where priorities shift quickly. Prior experience working at a startup. Comfortable in a 5-day in-office SF environment that prizes speed and direct feedback. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Experience supporting HR compliance for a workforce that includes both full-time employees and contractor/expert population. SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP or PHR/SPHR certification.