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. We believe the fastest way to reach AGI lies in accelerating software development itself, by reshaping the developer experience with agentic systems, coding assistants, and the frontier models that power them. We deploy these systems directly into the development environments of security-conscious enterprises.
ABOUT OUR TEAM
We were founded in the US and have our home there, but our team is distributed across Europe and North America. We get our fix of in-person collaboration (and croissants) in Paris each month for 3 days, always Monday-Wednesday, with an open invitation to stay the whole week. We also do longer off-sites once a year.
Our team is a multidisciplinary blend of research, engineering, and business experts. What unites us is our deep care for what we build together. We’re in a race that requires hard work, intellectual curiosity, and obsession; to balance this intensity, we’ve assembled a team of low ego and kind-hearted individuals who have built the special culture Poolside has. By building collaboratively and with intention, we create a compounding effect that moves the entire company forward towards our mission: reaching AGI through intelligence systems built for software development.
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 & dependents
Company-provided equipment
Well-being, always-be-learning & home office allowances
Frequent team get togethers
Diverse & inclusive people-first culture