Senior People Operations Specialist

Job Title: Sr. People Operations Specialist

Department: People Operations

Employment Type: Full Time

FLSA: Exempt

Location: Houston, TX – Onsite

Who We Are

Persona AI is developing and commercializing rugged, multi-purpose humanoid robots that perform real work. Persona AI founding team has a decades-long history in humanoid robotics, bionics, and product development delivering robust hardware that has touched the stars, worked miles below the surface of the ocean, and even roamed Disney Parks. Our mission is focused squarely on shipping beautiful, reliable products at massive scale, while building a customer-focused team to achieve these aims.

Why Join Persona AI?

• We offer competitive compensation, a performance-based bonus, 99% employer covered medical benefits, early-stage equity, competitive PTO, and a company-wide paid winter break consisting of seven consecutive days off between Christmas and New Year's.

• You’ll shape technology that’s redefining the possibilities of robotics and human interaction.

• Work alongside passionate teammates who value creativity and continuous learning.

• Enjoy full access to advanced tools, systems, and the freedom to build scalable PO programs.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Senior People Operations Specialist to join our onsite Houston team. Reporting to People Operations leadership, you will be responsible for both executing and designing key processes. In this role, you will oversee benefits administration, payroll processing, employee onboarding, and culture & engagement initiatives. Additionally, you will help develop our People Operations infrastructure, workflows, and compliance frameworks to support the company’s continued growth.

This role will be based at our Houston office, where you’ll be a critical anchor for our growing team in Texas and Florida.

• Administer health, dental, vision, and ancillary benefit plans; manage open enrollment and carrier/vendor relationships.

• Manage multi-state and interstate tax obligations for a distributed workforce.

• Process bi-weekly and semi-monthly payroll accurately using HRIS/payroll platforms (e.g., Rippling, ADP, Workday).

• Own the full onboarding lifecycle, from offer acceptance through 90-day check-in, for both local and remote hires.

• Manage state tax registrations, withholding compliance, and nexus determinations for employees working across multiple states.

• Maintain I-9 compliance, employee records, and HRIS data integrity; support audits and reporting requirements.

• Serve as the first point of contact for employee questions on benefits, pay, and onboarding; resolve issues promptly and accurately.

• Coordinate with Finance and Legal on multi-state employment agreements, W-4 updates, and year-end W-2 processing.

• Generate People Operations metrics reports covering headcount, benefit utilization, and payroll variances for leadership review.

• Enforce and champion safety, confidentiality, and PO compliance standards across all people operations activities.

• Support new hire equipment setup coordination, systems access provisioning, and day-one readiness for onsite Houston employees.

What We Are Looking For:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field, or equivalent practical experience.

• 7+ years of People Operations experience with direct ownership of payroll processing, benefits administration, and PO compliance in a fast-paced or high-growth environment.

• Working knowledge of multi-state payroll tax rules, reciprocity agreements, and state income tax withholding compliance.

• Experience administering FMLA, ADA accommodations, and Texas or Florida specific leave and labor laws.

• Proficiency in modern HRIS platforms.

• Strong understanding of ACA, ERISA, HIPAA, and COBRA compliance requirements.

• High attention to detail, strong documentation habits, and the ability to manage competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate complex PO/tax topics into clear guidance for employees and managers.

Bonus Skills:

• PHR, SHRM-CP, or Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification.

• Experience with Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) reporting and unemployment claims.

• Familiarity with the Houston-area benefits market and local carrier networks.

• Prior hands-on experience with interstate nexus analysis and SIT (state income tax) registrations for a multi-state workforce.

• Experience supporting PO operations for 200–500 employee organizations.

• Comfort working in a high-growth, startup or tech/robotics environment where processes are still being built.

Persona AI is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

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