Is the Human Resources Manager role remote?

No — this is an on-site role in Santa Clara, CA.

What's the salary range?

Orkes lists $160,000–$210,000 for this role.

Where is the role based?

Orkes is hiring for this position in Santa Clara, CA.

What seniority level is this role?

Orkes targets director candidates for this position.

Is this full-time or contract?

Full-time for this Human Resources Manager role at Orkes.

Human Resources Manager at Orkes

Joblaze summary

The Human Resources Manager at Orkes is tasked with establishing and managing the entire HR function, including daily operations like onboarding and payroll, while also overseeing recruitment and enhancing employee experience. This role requires a hands-on operator with experience in startup environments, capable of building processes from the ground up and adapting quickly to a fast-paced setting. Ideal candidates will have a strong background in HR operations and a collaborative mindset, as they will work closely with leadership to shape the company's culture and growth.

Joblaze insights

Listed 9 days ago on Joblaze — tracked directly from Orkes's career page.
Orkes has 20 other open roles including Site Reliability Engineer, Senior Frontend Engineer (Full-Stack Capable), Product Manager.
Salary band is in line with the typical range for Management roles (median ~$175,000).

Quick facts

Is the Human Resources Manager role remote?: No — this is an on-site role in Santa Clara, CA.
What's the salary range?: Orkes lists $160,000–$210,000 for this role.
Where is the role based?: Orkes is hiring for this position in Santa Clara, CA.
What seniority level is this role?: Orkes targets director candidates for this position.
Is this full-time or contract?: Full-time for this Human Resources Manager role at Orkes.

From the original posting

About Us

Orkes is a platform for developers to build durable, distributed event driven applications. Based on the popular open source orchestration engine Conductor, Orkes lets developers focus on faster go to market with applications, scaling them to handle billions of workflows without having to worry about failures, scalability or visibility into the executions.

The Opportunity

We’re hiring our first HR/People leader to build and own the entire function at Orkes.

This is a hands-on, player-coach role—you’ll lead HR, but also execute it day-to-day. There is no existing team or infrastructure—you’ll build it from scratch while supporting a fast-growing, in-office engineering organization.

This role will naturally evolve into a Head of People / Director-level position as the company scales.

What You’ll Own (In Priority Order)

1. HR Operations (Core Foundation)

Own all day-to-day HR operations: onboarding, offboarding, payroll coordination, employee lifecycle
Build policies, processes, and internal structure from the ground up
Support in-office operations (employee experience, coordination, logistics, facilities touchpoints)

2. Recruiting Function Oversight

Oversee the full recruiting lifecycle (sourcing → scheduling → offers)
Manage internal or external recruiting resources (agencies, sourcers, etc.)
Improve hiring quality and efficiency (less reliance on low-quality agency volume)

3. Culture & Employee Experience

Continuously gather feedback from employees and leadership
Identify what’s working vs not—and implement improvements quickly
Help define and reinforce culture through hiring and day-to-day operations

What We’re Looking For

Experience owning HR in a startup or high-growth environment
Strong operator mindset—you’re comfortable doing the work, not just delegating
Experience across HR ops + recruiting + employee experience
Comfortable working in-office, highly collaborative environment (5 days/week)
Ability to move fast, handle ambiguity, and manage multiple priorities

What Won’t Work

Purely strategic HR leaders who rely on large support teams
Candidates who haven’t been hands-on in recent roles
Slower-paced, large-company HR profiles without startup exposure

Why This Role is Unique

Build the entire HR function from scratch
Direct exposure to leadership and company strategy
Clear path to Director/Head of People as the company grows
High ownership across operations, hiring, and culture

More Details

The base salary for this role is between $160-210k. When determining compensation, a number of factors will be considered: skills, experience, job scope, location, and competitive compensation market data.

Status: Full-Time
Type: In-Office
Location: Cupertino, CA
Department: People
Reports to: COO

Benefits

Comprehensive health coverage including medical, dental, and vision
Flexible PTO
Support for personal development

At Orkes, we are committed to building a team that reflects a rich tapestry of perspectives, identities, and professional experiences. We believe that diversity is not just a checkbox, but a driving force behind innovation, creativity, and success. By embracing a variety of backgrounds, we cultivate an inclusive environment where every team member feels valued and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work.

Join us at Orkes and be a part of a team where your unique perspectives are not only welcomed but celebrated. Together we are shaping the future technology by leveraging the strength that comes from embracing diversity in all its forms. Your Journey with us is an opportunity to contribute to something greater and make a lasting impact.