Senior HR Generalist

Blue Energy is transforming how nuclear power gets built. Instead of constructing each plant on-site from scratch - a process that takes 10-15 years and is too expensive and unpredictable to finance - we build our plants like ships: in a factory, on an assembly line, then transport and assemble them at the site. This cuts costs by over 60% and brings plants online in just three years. We also pair natural gas with nuclear at our sites, so customers can start receiving power from gas turbines right away and then switch over to clean nuclear power once it comes online - getting energy to the grid faster while nuclear is being built. Our mission is to make nuclear energy abundant, affordable, and repeatable at global scale. We use proven, already-approved reactor designs and work with existing nuclear and industrial sites, giving us a faster path to regulatory approval. By manufacturing this way, we put nuclear power on the same cost-reduction curve that has made wind, solar, and batteries cheaper every year.

Blue Energy is building its people function to support the company as it scales from 80-250+ employees to launch multi-site, multi-decade growth. Pay and benefits, the employee handbook and policies, the HR system of record and people data, the employee relations framework and talent management are all in the process of being designed and launched.

The Senior HR Generalist will support the build of that foundation and its administration. Reporting to the Head of HR and based in our Houston office, this role will collaborate on finalizing the design of the HR fundamentals then own/oversee the ongoing execution/day to day operations of core HR — including systems and reporting, benefits administration, the employee handbook and supporting procedures, employee relations and case management, compensation administration, & performance enablement.

This is a hands-on role with genuine ownership. It is currently scoped as a Senior HR Generalist who will focus on building HR Operations to scale. This role executes day-to-day HR and the results that need to be delivered. It oversees what has to happen in what order, keeps the work moving, and delivers on time and to a high bar in a regulated environment. It requires a balance of accountability and collaboration – knowing when to decide and when to escalate / seek guidance. To succeed in this role, we are looking for HR professionals who can build solutions while building relationships. We are committed to delivering on our mission of energy abundance by building trust with our employees and in the communities in which we operate. When there is a gap – this position will play a critical role in stepping up to provide solutions that align with our culture and our values. As the function matures and the business grows, there will be an opportunity to evolve into a more strategic Business Partner / HR Manager role.

• HR systems and people data. Own the HR system of record. Maintain data integrity and reporting. Contribute to requirements and selection for the next-generation HRIS. Define and own the single source of truth for people data, and collaborate with the head of HR to build the monthly people reporting pack for leadership.

• Benefits administration. Run annual enrollment end to end. Administer eligibility, life events, leave and day-to-day benefits service. Hold the broker and carrier relationships to an agreed service standard. As Blue Energy moves to administering benefits directly, partner with the business to build out the employer stack — payroll and tax registrations, 401(k), COBRA, FSA/HSA, workers' compensation and ERISA filings.

• Handbook, policy and compliance. Oversee the handbook sections through final approval and annual audit cycles. Maintain the supporting procedures that sit beneath each section, and build the annual training plans. Maintain the multi-state compliance requirements: postings, pay transparency, mandatory training and statutory filings, across the 14+ states in which Blue Energy employs.

• Employee relations. Be the first point of contact for managers and employees on concerns, performance and conduct. Run intake and fact-finding, document to an audit-ready standard, and administer the conduct, discipline and termination procedures exactly as written — including the escalation points to HR leadership and counsel. Own the case management system, the case taxonomy and the register of concerns, and coach managers through the cases they own.

• Compensation administration. Administer the compensation structure, bands and leveling records. Run the merit and review calendar. Prepare offer, promotion and change documentation accurately and on time, keeping the comp and leveling data up to date, reportable, and audit-ready.

• People operations and service delivery. Oversee onboarding and offboarding of US hires. Ensure that employees are welcomed, have the resources they need to succeed, and that barriers or concerns are raised and removed. Make the people function the go-to team by providing solutions that make it easier, more efficient, and more effective for our business to operate.

This role is a Senior Level Individual Contributor who plans and executes a sequence of dependent tasks; is answerable for a workstream's outcome; and make decisions inside the function / escalates across as needed. In practice:

• You take a workstream from definition to delivery without needing the sequence drawn for you.

• You set the quality bar for the work, not only the deadline — documentation, records and procedure hold up internally and externally/to audit.

• You raise problems early, with the analysis attached and a proposed solution.

• You are candid, and you are discreet. You protect confidential decisions and data without exception.

• You coach managers to solutions rather than taking the problem on for them.

• 7+ years of progressive HR generalist experience, including time accountability for day-to-day HR operations.

• Investigations Training.

• Demonstrated employee relations experience: intake, fact-finding, documentation, performance and conduct process, terminations, and working alongside employment counsel.

• Experience in a regulated or safety-critical industry — nuclear, power generation, oil and gas, chemicals, aerospace, med device/pharma, industrial or large-scale construction — where the compliance a must.

• Working command of multi-state US employment compliance: FLSA, FMLA, ADA, Title VII, state wage, leave and pay-transparency variation.

• Hands-on ownership of an HRIS and benefits administration — configuration, data integrity and reporting.

• Ability to write clear policies and procedures, and to train people on what you wrote.

• Based in Houston, working Tues/Weds/Thurs from our Houston office.

• PHR Certification.

• Experience moving a company from a PEO onto a direct employer stack.

• Experience administering a case management or employee relations system.

• Experience in a company scaling past 150 people/Building solutions that grow with the business.

• Exposure to multi-entity or international employment, including the UK.

• Experience supporting a field, site or shift-based workforce as well as a corporate population.

We look forward to your application and helping foster an era of safe, clean, affordable, and abundant energy.

Blue Energy is dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. If you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t perfectly align with every requirement, we encourage you to apply anyway. You might be the right candidate for this or other roles at Blue Energy now or in the future.