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Head of People

METR· Operations
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Berkeley$223.6k - $260.9kEmployeePosted 1w ago

About the role

METR is hiring its first Head of People to own compensation, benefits, performance, HR compliance, and staff experience, and to lead organizational culture, people systems, and manager development during a growth phase.

Responsibilities

  • Leading strategy that connects METR’s organizational goals with how we build culture and retain talent.
  • Organize team retreats to build the organization’s culture and align the team around shared goals.
  • Own how METR's culture and core values carry through organizational growth.
  • Set up management coaching for managers to ensure consistent and strong management across the organization.
  • Run or organize management trainings and new manager orientation.
  • Create processes to facilitate professional development.
  • Own responsibility for keeping our HRIS, as our accurate source of truth on employee data (e.g., new hires, manager changes, wage rate and variable compensation changes).
  • Manage compliance, including employee files, I-9s, E-Verify, regulatory filings, and trainings required by state law.
  • Process payroll to ensure timely payments to all employees and contractors and compliance with the law.
  • Manage benefits, including healthcare enrollment and educating staff about the benefits; serve as the main point of contact for employee questions regarding benefits.
  • Owning our compensation philosophy, promotion framework, and performance review process to ensure they are fair, transparent and clear to the team.
  • Designing and executing a streamlined employee onboarding process that scales with growth.
  • Handling employee relations as a trusted advisor to both employees and managers, resolving conflicts, performance concerns and workplace issues fairly and with discretion.

Qualifications

  • At least 8 years of experience in HR and People Operations roles, including experience scaling People Ops function and managing a team.
  • Experience navigating California and federal employment laws, such as benefits compliance (ACA, COBRA, ERISA/401(k), HIPAA, FMLA, qualifying life events), worker classification, and employee leaves.
  • Startup experience / experience in a fast-paced, dynamic environment in an organization with under 500 employees.

Skills

Required:HR strategy and policy developmentHRIS managementCompliance (state and federal)Payroll processingBenefits administration

Benefits

  • Retirement: 401(k) with a 100% match up to 8% of salary
  • Life Insurance: Employer-paid basic life insurance at 1x salary
  • Time-off and leave: Unlimited PTO and 21-week parental leave for new parents
  • The office: Catered lunch and dinner daily; in-office gym and shower
  • Health: Medical, dental and vision coverage with 99% employee premiums paid; Employer funded HRA for out-of-pocket health costs; Fertility benefits through Carrot
  • Relocation stipend for moving to the Bay Area
  • Wellness stipend for gym memberships, equipment, therapy, medication, and other wellness expenses
  • Commuter stipend: Monthly transit/parking stipend and an annual Uber budget
  • Professional development stipend: for training, courses, conferences, and AI safety education
  • Work equipment stipend: for home office and workstation equipment expenses
  • Management coaching for managers
Last updated Oct 21, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.
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About METR

Model Evaluation & Threat Research

METR (pronounced 'meter') is a research nonprofit that scientifically measures whether and when AI systems might threaten catastrophic harm to society.

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