About Avalanche Energy

Avalanche Energy is a Washington-based startup building compact, deployable fusion systems through rapid hardware iteration. Rather than pursuing fusion as a single grid-scale outcome, Avalanche develops transportable fusion machines designed to be built, tested, and operated on short cycles, turning real hardware into steady progress. This approach enables near-term applications that demand extreme energy density and endurance—starting with fusion neutron production for radioisotope power and other defense and space uses—while advancing the underlying fusion platform. Backed by U.S. government programs and a team experienced in delivering complex systems, Avalanche is focused on building fusion that runs in the real world, not just on paper.

Avalanche might be a fit for you if:

You like owning the people function end to end and building the systems that let a team move fast. You're energized by ambiguity, comfortable being the first and only HR person in the room, and you know how to turn a blank slate into clear, low-friction processes. You enjoy being a trusted resource for employees and leaders alike, and you're excited to grow an HR function—and eventually a team—as the company scales.

About the Role

Avalanche is seeking an HR Director to own and build out the company's people operations as we grow. This is the first dedicated HR hire at Avalanche, reporting directly to the COO. You'll take the systems and scaffolding that currently exist and turn them into a real, scalable HR function—owning recruiting coordination, onboarding, benefits, employee operations, and culture, while partnering closely with leadership to shape how we hire and support our team.

This role is highly cross-functional and highly autonomous. You'll be the face of Avalanche to every candidate coming through the door, the person who makes onboarding feel great, and the owner of the tools and processes that keep people operations running smoothly. As the company scales, this role is expected to grow in scope and build out a team.

Responsibilities

People Operations & HR Ownership

  • Own the employee lifecycle from onboarding through offboarding, ensuring a smooth, organized, and positive employee experience.
  • Administer employee benefits programs, including enrollments, changes, vendor coordination, and employee support.
  • Maintain employee records, HR documentation, and internal systems with strong attention to detail and confidentiality.
  • Own payroll coordination, timekeeping, and general HR operational processes.
  • Ensure compliance with company policies and multi-state employment requirements.

Recruiting & Candidate Experience

  • Own recruiting coordination in partnership with hiring managers, including sourcing strategy, job postings, candidate communications, and initial screenings.
  • Serve as the front door to Avalanche—conducting phone screens and guiding candidates through a high-quality hiring process.
  • Manage offers and coordinate onboarding for new hires.

Systems, Process & Organizational Building

  • Select, implement, and build out HR systems, recruiting tools, and internal documentation to support scaling.
  • Identify and reduce friction across employee-facing systems and processes.
  • Advocate for and drive HR initiatives with leadership, bringing recommendations on tools, processes, and priorities.

Culture & Employee Support

  • Serve as a day-to-day resource for employees on HR policies, benefits, and people operations.
  • Own employee engagement, communication, and culture-building initiatives as the company grows.
  • Coordinate performance review cycles, compensation updates, and recognition processes.

Required Qualifications

  • 3–5 years of experience in HR, People Operations, or related functions.
  • Experience across onboarding, benefits administration, recruiting, and general HR operations.
  • Demonstrated ability to build or improve HR systems and processes with limited existing structure.
  • Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.
  • Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Ability to manage sensitive information with professionalism and discretion.
  • Comfortable operating with autonomy in a fast-moving, evolving environment.

Bonus Qualifications

  • HR certifications such as SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or equivalent.
  • Experience in startups or high-growth technical organizations.
  • Experience standing up or migrating HRIS, payroll, or applicant tracking systems (e.g., Rippling).
  • Experience supporting technical recruiting or scientific/engineering organizations.
  • Exposure to multi-state employment operations or compliance requirements.

Additional Considerations

  • Location: Onsite, Tukwila, Washington.
  • Travel: Occasional travel for team events as needed.
  • Schedule: Standard business hours, with flexibility during critical periods.

Benefits

  • Excellent medical, dental, and vision benefits.
  • 10 paid holidays and a company-wide December holiday break.
  • Generous paid vacation and sick time.
  • Small, tight-knit team with low barriers to action.
  • Exposure to a wide range of challenging, hands-on engineering problems.

We value people of all races, ethnicities, genders, ages, religions, and sexual orientations. We are an equal opportunity employer, and you do not need to match every listed qualification to apply. If you’re excited about building real hardware and making difficult systems work, we encourage you to apply.

This position may require access to export-controlled information. In order to comply with U.S. export control laws, applicants must be a “U.S. person” as defined by U.S. trade control laws (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual).

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