People & Culture Generalist

Catalyzing a cleaner future.

ESS is a globally recognized leader in sustainable energy storage and is consistently identified as one of the most innovative and exciting technology players in energy storage. Trading on the NYSE (GWH), it is poised to be one of the fastest growing energy technology companies in the world, with projects already across 4 continents. The ESS vision is about enabling the decarbonization of the grid by enabling us to achieve up to 100% of our electricity from clean, sustainable renewable energy.

These are ambitious goals, and we are pursuing them with passion. At ESS, we are leading the energy transition, creating the sustainable energy solutions of the future to help individuals, businesses and communities change energy into lasting value. Learn more at: www.essinc.com

We are looking for an experienced, hands-on People and Culture Generalist to join our team. This role will support our scaling manufacturing environment across the full employee lifecycle, including recruiting, onboarding, benefits and leave administration, compliance, and HR operations. The People and Culture Generalist will partner with leaders across the organization to hire effectively, retain talent, support workplace safety initiatives, and be a culture champion.

What you'll do at ESS.

Recruiting

• Partner with People & Talent Specialist on full-cycle recruiting for technical and manufacturing roles
• Partner with hiring managers to define role requirements and hiring strategy
• Source, screen, interview, and support selection and offer processes
• Maintain pipelines for critical and hard-to-fill roles

Onboarding

• Coordinate onboarding and lead new hire orientation
• Ensure completion of pre-employment requirements and safety training
• Support smooth integration into the organization with supervisor and leadership support

Benefits & Leave Administration

• Administer employee benefits programs and respond to employee and carrier inquiries
• Manage leave of absence processes (OFLA/FMLA/PLO, disability, and personal leaves)
• Coordinate with vendors and track documentation for compliance
• Coordinate return-to-work processes with employee, EHS, and management

HR Operations & Compliance

• Maintain accurate HRIS data and employee records
• Ensure compliance with employment laws and internal policies
• Manage annual compliance reporting (EEO, Form 5500, etc.) and support audits

What you bring to the table.

• 3-5 years of HR generalist experience, preferably in manufacturing or engineering environments
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or a related field
• Experience in recruiting for engineering and/or manufacturing roles
• Strong foundation in employment and labor law, benefits, and leave administration
• Strong communication (written and spoken), organization, and relationship-building skills
• An eye for detail throughout HR processes, documentation, and data reporting
• High-degree of professionalism in supporting confidential and sensitive issues
• Ability to prioritize well and be flexible to changing needs in a scaling environment
• Ability to work independently, be curious, and dig in to solve problems

Benefits of working at ESS.

In addition to the value of working with and helping grow a global reaching clean technology, ESS offers Company assisted Health insurance plans; Flexible spending and healthcare savings accounts; 8 paid holidays; 401K with company match, and flexible time off (FTO).

As an equal opportunity employer, we are open to considering every qualified candidate who is eligible and legally authorized to work in the United States on a full or part-time basis, without a need for sponsorship.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.