Head of People Operations

The Nuclear Company is the fastest growing startup in the nuclear and energy space creating a never before seen fleet-scale approach to building nuclear reactors. Through its design-once, build-many approach and coalition building across communities, regulators, and financial stakeholders, The Nuclear Company is committed to delivering safe and reliable electricity at the lowest cost, while catalyzing the nuclear industry toward rapid development in America and globally.

About the role

As our Head of People Operations, you'll report directly to the SVP, HR and own the people ops function. You'll be equal parts strategist and operator — designing scalable systems while staying close enough to the work to know when someone needs support, a promotion, or a difficult conversation. You'll be a core member of the Administration leadership team, helping us scale our tech-first culture that makes us special.

Responsibilities

People Operations & Compliance 

• Design and manage HR infrastructure: HRIS, onboarding, offboarding, compensation bands, benefits, and compliance 

• Ensure regulatory compliance across federal contractor requirements, DC employment law, and any applicable DOE/NRC workforce standards 

• Own the employee lifecycle from onboarding to alumni experience 

Culture & Organizational Development 

• Architect and steward a high-performance culture rooted in mission, psychological safety, and accountability 

• Build manager capability through coaching, structured development programs, and feedback loops 

• Lead DE&I strategy with real outcomes, not performative initiatives 

 Total Rewards 

• Develop and maintain a competitive, equitable compensation philosophy appropriate for a growth-stage company competing with Big Tech, national labs, and defense primes 

• Manage equity programs and benefits strategy as the company scales through funding rounds 

Partnership with leaders 

• Serve as a trusted advisor to business unit leadership team on organizational design, succession planning, and people risk

Experience

• 15+ years of progressive HR/People experience, with at least 3 years in a senior leadership role at a high-growth startup or scale-up (Series A–C preferred) 

• Demonstrated success building People ops functions from early stage through significant headcount growth 

• Strong grounding in employment law, compensation design, and HR compliance 

• A builder's mentality — you're energized by ambiguity, not slowed by it 

• Exceptional EQ and communication skills; people trust you quickly and for good reason 

Benefits

• Competitive compensation packages
• 401k with company match
• Medical, dental, vision plans
• Generous vacation policy, plus holidays

Estimated Starting Salary Range
The estimated starting salary range for this role is $208,000 - $235,000 annually less applicable withholdings and deductions, paid on a bi-weekly basis. The actual salary offered may vary based on relevant factors as determined in the Company’s discretion, which may include experience, qualifications, tenure, skill set, availability of qualified candidates, geographic location, certifications held, and other criteria deemed pertinent to the particular role. 

EEO Statement
The Nuclear Company is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an environment of inclusion in the workplace. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We prohibit discrimination in all aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, demotion, transfer, compensation, and termination.

Export Control
Certain positions at The Nuclear Company may involve access to information and technology subject to export controls under U.S. law. Compliance with these export controls may result in The Nuclear Company limiting its consideration of certain applicants.   Recruiting Fraud Alert
Your safety is our priority. We want to ensure your job search stays secure. Please note that the team at The Nuclear Company only communicates through official @thenuclearcompany.com email addresses. We will never ask for payments or sensitive financial information at any stage of our recruitment process. For your peace of mind, please verify all openings and submit your applications directly through our official careers page.