Sr. People Experience Specialist

Ayar Labs
Ayar Labs

People & HR

San Jose, CA, USA

USD 130k-155k / year

Posted on Sep 26, 2026
Position: Sr. People Experience Specialist
Location: San Jose, CA
Job Id: 719
# of Openings: 0

Sr. People Experience Specialist

Location: On-site - San Jose, CA
Ayar Labs is shattering AI data bottlenecks by moving data at the speed of light. As pioneers of co-packaged optics (CPO), we are using light instead of electricity to move data faster, further, and with a fraction of the energy needed to fuel the explosive growth of AI models.
Backed by industry giants like NVIDIA, AMD and Intel and manufactured in partnership with the world’s leading semiconductor ecosystem, Ayar Labs’ co-packaged optics solution is key to unleashing next-generation AI scale-up architectures.
The Sr. People Experience Specialist role will play a key role in creating positive, high-performing employee experience as the company continues to grow and scale. The role will focus on employee-facing activities in the areas of employee experience, engagement & culture, employee relations, performance management, learning & development, and other employee experience initiatives.

Essential Functions
  • Employee Experience, Engagement & Culture
    • Coordinate onboarding activities, including but not limited to connecting with new hires pre- and post-hire, conducting new hire orientations, responding to new hire questions to ensure a smooth onboarding experience.
    • Coordinate employee recognition, engagement, community-building, and other employee programs.
    • Coordinate employee engagement surveys, analyze results, and partner with leadership to follow-up on related actions.
    • Partner with HRBPs and business leaders to develop employee engagement initiatives that reinforce company culture and core values.
    • Partner with cross-functional team members to coordinate employee events and activities.
    • Champion company culture and values, ensuring they are integrated into daily workplace interactions.
  • Employee Relations
    • Serve as a trusted, confidential point of contact for employees on all topics including but not limited to workplace questions, concerns, policies, performance, working relationships, and other employee matters.
    • Listen to employee concerns, assess issues objectively, and partner with leaders to determine appropriate solutions. Identify patterns and recurring employee concerns and recommend proactive solutions.
    • Support employee relations matters, investigations, conflict resolution, corrective action, and other sensitive employee situations, escalating complex matters as appropriate.
    • Conduct exit interviews, analyze turnover data, and identify trends to suggest improvements.
    • Provide guidance to managers and employees regarding company policies and HR practices.
    • Maintain appropriate confidentiality, documentation, consistency, and sound judgment when handling employee matters.
  • Performance Management
    • Support company performance management, goal setting, talent review, and development processes.
    • Coordinate performance review cycles, including communications, tools, training, completion tracking, and employee and manager support.
    • Develop manager resources including guides, FAQs, templates, talking points, training materials, and performance management tools.
    • Help managers prepare for effective performance and development conversations.
    • Support performance improvement processes and documentation in partnership with the people business partners.
    • Analyze performance-related trends and identify opportunities for manager education or organizational improvement.
  • Learning & Development
    • Participate in building scalable learning programs that combine various delivery methods and approaches. This may include evaluating, designing, developing, coordinating, facilitating, and administering employee and manager training programs.
    • Participate in assessment of employee and manager learning needs and identify practical development solutions.
    • Create training presentations, facilitator guides, job aids, manager toolkits, discussion guides, and other development resources.
    • Track participation, feedback, and effectiveness of learning initiatives.
  • AI-Enabled HR Program Development
    • Use generative AI and other productivity tools appropriately to improve HR program design, communications, training, research, and execution.
    • Create and refine HR materials such as program documents, presentations, manager talking points, employee communications, FAQs, training content, surveys, templates, and toolkits using AI-supported workflows.
    • Apply sound judgment when reviewing AI-generated content for accuracy, confidentiality, employment-law considerations, company culture, and appropriate tone.
    • Identify opportunities to use AI to simplify repetitive work and increase the HR team's capacity for higher-value employee and manager support.
    • Maintain appropriate safeguards when working with confidential or sensitive employee information.
    • Perform other assignments and projects as needed

Basic Requirements
  • BS degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Psychology, or related field
  • Minimum 6 years HR experience, specifically focused on at least two of the following functional areas: employee engagement & experience, employee relations, learning & development, or performance management
  • Strong understanding of employment practices, employment legislation and regulatory frameworks
  • Demonstrated experience working directly with employees and managers.
  • Experience supporting employee relations or performance management matters.
  • Experience developing or coordinating employee engagement, learning, onboarding, performance, or culture programs.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to create clear employee and manager communications.
  • Strong listening, judgment, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills.
  • Ability to appropriately handle confidential and sensitive employee matters.
  • Able to multi-task multiple projects with strong time management skills
  • Comfortable working in a fast-moving organization where processes and programs continue to evolve.
  • Able to be on-site in San Jose 100%

Preferred Qualifications
  • SHRM-CP or PHR certification is a plus
  • MBA or MS/MA in Human Resources or Psychology a plus
  • Previous experience in a high-growth semiconductor, hardware, or contract manufacturing company preferred
  • Prior hands-on experience using generative AI tools a plus

Pay Range: $130,000 – 155,000
NOTE TO RECRUITERS:
Principals only. We are not accepting resumes from recruiters for this position. Remuneration for recruiting activities is only applicable subject to a signed and executed agreement between the parties. Please don’t send candidates to Ayar Labs, and do not contact our managers.

Ayar Labs is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is strongly committed to all policies which will afford equal opportunity employment to all qualified persons without regard to age, sex, national origin, race, color, ethnicity, creed, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. It is the policy of Ayar Labs to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. Veterans are more than welcome and encouraged to apply.

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