People Operations Generalist

People Operations Generalist

Pyka is looking for a highly organized and proactive People Operations Generalist to support our growing team and ensure an exceptional employee experience from onboarding to offboarding. This role is critical in keeping our HR operations running smoothly, maintaining compliance, and helping build a workplace where employees can thrive.

Pyka's goal is to provide society with a new form of safe, clean, and cost-effective transportation enabled by autonomous electric aviation. To get there, we're taking a different approach than most. We're applying our technologies to every industry where autonomous electric aircraft can be useful, starting with the highest value and most dangerous jobs. In doing so, we're building game-changing products manufactured at scale, while perfecting the safety, reliability, and capabilities of our autonomy engine and electric propulsion systems.

We design, develop and manufacture an ecosystem of technologies including proprietary flight control software, avionics, high power density motors, motor controllers, batteries, and custom carbon-fiber composite airframes.

Today, we supply autonomous electric aircraft for cargo transport and crop protection to real-world customers across four separate continents and have secured industry-first regulatory approvals from the FAA.

Our cargo aircraft enables remote connectivity, enhances express delivery networks, and ensures fast and reliable shipping of critical supplies to areas in need. Our crop protection aircraft offers agricultural services providers and farmers an autonomous tool to make aerial application safer, more precise, and less harmful to surrounding environments. Both vehicles are highly economical to operate, easy to deploy, and significantly reduce CO2 emissions in their respective industries.

What you work on at Pyka makes people's lives better now and brings the future of electric aviation one step closer each day.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate seamless, high-touch onboarding and offboarding experiences, including documentation, systems access, and employee communications.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date employee records across HR systems
• Own and process employee changes (e.g., promotions, org changes, LOAs, terminations) and related system updates, with clear communication to all stakeholders
• Build and improve systems and processes that ensure data integrity across all HR platforms
• Partner with payroll to ensure timely and accurate employee compensation
• Organize and facilitate company-wide performance review cycles
• Support ongoing people programs, including the Spotlight Award Program and Milestone Anniversary Gift Program
• Plan and execute employee events that foster engagement and connection
• Maintain and update the employee handbook and company policies
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment regulations
• Support immigration and documentation processes as needed
• Identify opportunities for efficiency and process improvements across HR operations—including benefits, immigration, policies, compliance, and data management
• Handle sensitive information with discretion, confidentiality, and care

Required Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in People Operations, HR, or a related administrative role
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
• Familiarity with HRIS and payroll systems (e.g., Rippling, Gusto, ADP, etc.)
• Clear communicator and thoughtful collaborator
• Comfortable managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• A positive, people-first mindset and passion for improving employee experience
• Prior experience in a fast-growing startup or high-growth environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with employee engagement programs and events (e.g., team-building, celebrations, recognition programs)
• Familiarity with California employment law and compliance requirements (multi-state preferred)
• Experience supporting performance management cycles and other company-wide people programs
• Exposure to benefits administration and employee leave processes
• Comfort analyzing HR data and generating reports to support decision-making
• Hands-on experience with immigration processes and/or global employee support

Company Perks

• $105,000-130,000 per year base salary + equity. Compensation will vary depending on location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Salary ranges are subject to change.
• Employer-sponsored health, dental and vision insurance
• FSA with employer matching
• 401(k)
• Paid holidays, generous PTO, and additional unpaid time off
• Voluntary short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance
• Pre-tax commuter benefits
• Free catered lunch and plenty of snacks

This position requires access to technology, software and other information that is subject to governmental access control restrictions, due to export controls. Employment in this position is conditioned on the continued availability of government authorization to authorize release of such items, to the extent required, including without limitation an export license, or other documentation required to establish authorization to receive access to such items.

Company may delay commencement of employment, rescind an offer of employment, terminate employment, and/or may modify job responsibilities, compensation, benefits, and/or access to Company facilities and information systems, as Company deems appropriate, in order to ensure compliance with applicable government access control restrictions.

We do not work with external recruiters; if you are an external recruiter, please do not reach out.