HR Director – High-Growth Aerospace/SpaceTech Company

Onsite 4 Days/Week – Bay Area, CA
Build the HR/People Function From the Ground Up | Report Directly to CEO

We’re supporting a venture-backed, fast-scaling SpaceTech company in the Bay Area that’s reshaping the way small satellites reach orbit. With a focus on rapid launch capability, modular infrastructure, and lean teams, they’re now looking for their first HR Director to help scale their people operations during a pivotal phase of growth.

This is a foundational leadership hire – you’ll report directly to the CEO and take full ownership of the HR function, from strategy and compliance to culture and hiring infrastructure.

The company is already launching hardware and backed by a serious leadership team, but they’ve been operating lean – and now’s the time to formalize HR.

What You’ll Own

• Act as a strategic HR leader to the executive team and key departments

• Own and develop HR policies, programs, and best practices across the org

• Build out recruiting, performance, engagement, compliance, and onboarding functions

• Partner with CFO org on compensation, benefits, and headcount planning

• Provide executive-level support for org design, workforce planning, and cultural initiatives

• Support hiring and performance alignment across engineering, ops, and mission-critical technical roles

• Lead change management, manager training, and HR systems implementation

✅ What They’re Looking For

• 10+ years of progressive HR experience, ideally in tech, engineering, or deep tech

• Previous HR leadership experience at a growing startup or mid-sized company

• Strong command of California labor laws, compliance, and org design

• Comfortable being onsite 4 days/week in the Bay Area – this is a high-trust, face-to-face environment

• Strategic mindset, but also willing to be hands-on and build from scratch

• Experience in aerospace, hardware, or complex tech environments a strong plus

• Able to collaborate with highly technical leaders and speak the language of scale

Why This Role Is Unique

• Report directly to the CEO and have a seat at the leadership table

• You’ll build the HR org from the ground up – nothing is legacy or broken, it’s greenfield

• Join a mission-driven team working on real hardware and real launches

• Work alongside top-tier talent in engineering, aerospace, and manufacturing

• Competitive salary, strong equity package, and real influence over company trajectory

If you’re an experienced HR leader ready to own the people strategy at a company sending rockets to orbit, this is your chance to make a massive impact.

Reach out directly or apply.

Darwin Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.

Adam Slade