People Systems Architect, Infrastructure & Analytics

About the Company:

X is a diverse group of inventors and entrepreneurs who build and launch technologies that aim to improve the lives of millions, even billions, of people. Our goal: 10x impact on the world's most intractable problems, not just 10% improvement. We approach projects that have the aspiration and riskiness of research with the speed and ambition of a startup.

About the Team:

As the X People Operations team (POps), it's our mission to Attract, Accelerate, and Launch these moonshots into the real world. Due to the smaller size of our organization and the rapid pace of change, every Xer plays a critical role in the success of these moonshots. The X POps team not only executes programs and operations that accelerate the business, but we also are trusted thought partners to help make business-critical decisions.

About the Role:

The People Team at X is looking for a People Systems Architect, Infrastructure and Analytics to lead the next phase of our People Infrastructure. We have successfully transitioned key HR programs from third-party tools to a proprietary, AI-augmented ecosystem built on GCP.

We are looking for a strategic architect and analytical powerhouse to take ownership of this infrastructure. While you possess the technical proficiency to dive into the code for updates, your true leverage will come from your ability to weave data into strategy. You will rely heavily on advanced SQL and deep data storytelling to build robust dashboards and the underlying analytics architecture. Alongside defining the product roadmap and designing system workflows, your role is to transform raw talent signals into the actionable insights that drive X''s people strategy. The ideal candidate must be a scrappy, self-starter who can navigate ambiguity and find solutions independently; while there are resources across X, they should not expect hands-on technical mentorship from the People Team.

To give you a sense of the day-to-day, expect to spend roughly 30% of your time on product strategy and PRDs, 30% hands-on with SQL and data architecture, 15% coaching and managing a junior analyst, 15% writing operational scripts or triaging system updates, and 10% reserved for cross-functional People team projects.

How you will make 10x impact:

• Product Strategy and Architecture: Act as the product owner for People team internal tools and our broader tech stack. Architect future system states, map data interconnection points across tools, and define the long-term technology strategy.
• Advanced Analytics and Dashboarding: Own the People data architecture end-to-end. Write complex Google SQL queries, build dynamic dashboards (e.g., in Looker), and drive "data storytelling" that transforms raw talent signals into actionable insights for leadership. You should be comfortable presenting data to executives and senior leadership.
• Requirements and Workflow Design: Translate ambiguous business challenges into clear, executable technical requirements. Write rigorous Product Requirement Documents (PRDs) and system design docs for engineering teams.
• Technical Resourcing and Delivery: Triage and manage the technical backlog. Determine the most efficient resourcing for feature requests-distinguishing between what can be handled by internal technical staff, and what requires scoping for central engineering or vendor support.
• AI Integration and Automation: Identify and execute opportunities to leverage Generative AI and automation to create operational leverage across the People Team.
• Vendor Management and Compliance: Lead technical evaluations for new third-party tools. Manage Vendor Security Assessments (VSAs) and ensure all integrations meet Alphabet's strict privacy and security standards.
• System Maintenance: You will take ownership of maintaining existing infrastructure and pushing feature updates or bug fixes to ensure system stability. You will also help shape and define the technical support model, partnering with central tech teams to scope resource needs and collaboratively problem-solve rather than relying on a pre-existing technical pod.
• People Management: Act as a player-coach by directly managing and mentoring one junior analyst. You will be responsible for their professional growth, setting clear performance expectations, and helping them scale their technical capabilities (e.g., advanced SQL, data modeling, dashboard design). You will effectively delegate operational tasks and data requests to your direct report, transforming this management relationship into a force-multiplier for the People Systems function.

What you should have:

• Experience: 5+ years of experience in Technical Product Management, Systems Architecture, or a heavily technical Operations/Analytics role.
• Data Architecture and SQL: Advanced proficiency in SQL (Google SQL preferred) with the proven ability to think deeply about data architecture, write highly complex queries, and structure disjointed datasets.
• Technical Competency and Maintenance: Proficient in writing and maintaining operational scripts and automations (e.g., Google Apps Script, Python) to partner effectively with engineering teams, perform system maintenance, and triage bugs. Deep understanding of advanced Google Sheets architecture (Connected Sheets, complex array formulas, query routing) is essential.
• Analytics and Visualizations: Extensive experience building robust data visualizations and dashboards in Business Intelligence tools (e.g., Looker, Tableau).
• Product Documentation: Demonstrated experience writing PRDs, mapping complex workflows, and acting as the liaison between business stakeholders and technical teams.
• Cloud and APIs: Familiarity with cloud computing environments (GCP preferred) and API integrations.
• AI/ML Familiarity: Experience leveraging or deploying Generative AI / LLM-based solutions to automate administrative or operational workflows.

Would be great if you also had these:

• Domain Expertise: Direct experience managing, architecting, or analyzing data for People Systems / HR Technology (e.g., Workday, Greenhouse, custom HRIS builds). (Note: We are willing to train an exceptional technical and analytical candidate on the nuances of People Operations if this domain is new to you).
• Security Acumen: Experience navigating enterprise security reviews, data privacy requirements, and vendor assessments (VSAs).
• Advanced Engineering: Bonus points for full-stack development experience or the ability to independently code and deploy larger feature modules.

The US base salary range for this full-time position is $159,000 - $239,000 + bonus + equity + benefits. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your location during the hiring process.

Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only, and do not include bonus, equity, or benefits.