People Operations Specialist

ABOUT POOLSIDE

In this decade, the world will create Artificial General Intelligence. There will only be a small number of companies who will achieve this. Their ability to stack advantages and pull ahead will define the winners. These companies will move faster than anyone else. They will attract the world's most capable talent. They will be on the forefront of applied research, engineering, infrastructure and deployment at scale. They will continue to scale their training to larger & more capable models. They will be given the right to raise large amounts of capital along their journey to enable this. They will create powerful economic engines. They will obsess over the success of their users and customers.

poolside exists to be this company - to build a world where AI will be the engine behind economically valuable work and scientific progress.

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ABOUT OUR TEAM

We are a remote-first team that sits across Europe and North America. We come together once a month in-person for 3 days, always Monday-Wednesday. We also do two longer off-sites twice a year.

Our team is a combination of more research and more engineering oriented profiles, however everyone deeply cares about the quality of the systems we build and has a strong underlying knowledge of software development.

Everyone we bring on board has a clearly defined mission and this role plays a vital part in our journey - you will lead our talent acquisition efforts and play a key part in building the team that will win the AGI race.

ABOUT THE ROLE

This role is a key builder within the People function, owning and evolving the systems, tools, and processes that power our global teams. You’ll partner closely with the People Operations Manager and own core People platforms, drive automation, and continuously improve how People Ops works at scale — using technology (and AI) as a force multiplier rather than layering on process. This is a role for someone who enjoys making things work better, not just keeping them running.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own and continuously improve People systems and platforms (e.g. HRIS, payroll tools, EOR platforms), ensuring they are automated, scalable, and fit for a global workforce

• Drive the delivery of core people operations across the employee lifecycle, with a strong focus on process efficiency and system-led workflows

• Own and manage global payroll operations across Europe, the UK, and the US, working closely with external providers and ensuring accuracy, compliance, and continuous improvement

• Own relationships and day-to-day execution with EOR (Employer of Record) providers, optimising how we employ and support talent across countries

• Partner on global mobility and complex visa processes, coordinating with immigration providers and improving how these workflows are managed internally

• Lead and deliver people operations projects, such as HRIS implementation or optimisation, automation initiatives, benefits rollouts, or scaling People infrastructure into new regions

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• Hands-on experience in a People Ops or HR Tech–leaning role within a rapidly growing startup or scaleup

• Strong experience implementing, improving, or owning HR systems and platforms (HRIS, payroll, EOR tools, automation workflows)

• Experience supporting European, UK, and US employment markets

• Practical experience with global payroll and payroll vendors

• Direct experience working with EOR providers in a multi-country environment

• Comfortable owning systems, driving improvements, and making decisions in fast-moving, ambiguous environments

PROCESS

• Intro call with Jag, our People Operations Manager

• Interview with Beatriz, our Head of People

• Panel Interview with Jag, Beatriz and another appointed interviewer

• Final Interview with Margarida, our COO

BENEFITS

• Fully remote work & flexible hours

• 37 days/year of vacation & holidays

• Health insurance allowance for you and dependents

• Company-provided equipment

• Wellbeing, always-be-learning and home office allowances

• Frequent team get togethers

• Great diverse & inclusive people-first culture