People Operations Specialist Jobs in California
People Operations Specialist jobs in California represent one of the most active markets in the country, with demand concentrated in technology, venture-backed startups, healthcare systems, and enterprise software companies and openings at every level from coordinator to senior specialist. San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego anchor the bulk of hiring, where companies like Google, Salesforce, and Kaiser Permanente maintain large people operations teams. The most in-demand specialties include HR technology administration, employee experience design, and people analytics. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 139+ People Operations Specialist jobs
<div class="content-intro"><p>Nex is on a mission to help families rediscover the joy of movement. Created by parents for parents, Nex combines technology and play to deliver fun, social, and interactive experiences powered by natural body motion, encouraging kids and adults to move more, play more, and have fun together. Nex Playground, the company’s award-winning active play system, is purpose-built to get families moving year-round, with safety and privacy as core considerations in its intentional design. It is certified kidSAFE+ COPPA compliant and built to support healthy, active play for all ages and abilities.</p>
<p>Nex Playground features a growing library of 50+ experiences, including motion and dance games, fitness and educational experiences, and Nex Originals. Content includes collaborations with partners like Hasbro, Sesame Workshop, and NBCUniversal. Nex has been recognized by Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, TIME’s Best Inventions, and Parents’ Best Entertainment System for Families, and has earned Red Dot, IDEA, and Core77 international design awards. We encourage you to explore <a class="c-link" href="https://www.playthatmovesyou.com/p/have-fun" target="_blank" data-stringify-link="https://www.playthatmovesyou.com/p/have-fun" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Have Fun</a> and <a class="c-link" href="https://www.playthatmovesyou.com/p/is-motion-gaming-back" target="_blank" data-stringify-link="https://www.playthatmovesyou.com/p/is-motion-gaming-back" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Is Motion Gaming Back?</a>, as they offer a deeper look into our culture, values, and explain how our approach to motion gaming differs from previous generations.</p>
<p>To protect yourself from recruitment scams, please note that Nex communicates through official company emails ending in @nex.inc. If you receive a suspicious email or message, please do not respond and report it immediately to us.</p></div><p><strong>Location: San Jose, CA (On-site) <span class="Apple-converted-space"> <br>Annual salary: USD 90,000– USD 115,000<br>Employment Type: Full-time <br></span>Reports to: People Operations Manager <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></p>
<h3><strong>About the Role</strong></h3>
<p>We are looking for a dedicated and detail-oriented People Operations Specialist to help build and run the people experience at Nex. This is a hybrid role—roughly split between People Operations and executive/administrative support for our San Jose office—giving you broad exposure across HR, office operations, and business support as we scale.</p>
<p>You will play a critical part in delivering seamless support to employees and stakeholders across North America and Europe, ensuring an exceptional employee experience. You will handle sensitive employee information with the utmost confidentiality and integrity, focusing on data accuracy and process efficiency. The ideal candidate is a proactive team player with a client-service mindset, a passion for continuous improvement, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic startup environment.</p>
<p>This is an on-site role requiring a minimum of 3 days per week in our San Jose office, with occasional travel. You handle sensitive employee data and confidential company information—discretion is essential.</p>
<h3><strong>What You'll Do</strong></h3>
<p><strong>People Operations</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Own the new hire onboarding process end-to-end—HRIS administration, IT coordination, orientation and Day 1 readiness—so every new hire feels the Nex culture from the start</li>
<li>Manage employee lifecycle events including role changes, promotions, compensation adjustments, international transfers, and offboarding with precision and care</li>
<li>Create, maintain, and audit employee records and documentation, ensuring data accuracy and compliance across all systems</li>
<li>Serve as the first point of contact for employee questions on People topics, benefits, and policies—responding with speed, clarity, and a genuine desire to help</li>
<li>Maintain and improve People dashboards and reporting—headcount, attrition, onboarding milestones, and other key operational metrics</li>
<li>Support various People projects and initiatives—HRIS implementation, People policies design, implementation and communication, etc.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Office & Administrative Support</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Oversee day-to-day operations of the San Jose office—facilities, vendors, supplies, space management, mail and filing management</li>
<li>Provide administrative support to senior leadership, helping keep priorities organized and operations running smoothly</li>
<li>Hardware inventory budgeting, planning and lifecycle management</li>
<li>Act as the primary contact person for all matters related to corporate and workplace insurance, including renewals and claim administration</li>
<li>Plan and execute team events, company offsites, and employee experience moments—including venue/vendor sourcing, logistics, and coordination</li>
<li>Ensure a high-quality in-office experience that reflects how Nex works: free, flexible, and intentional</li>
</ul>
<h3><strong>Who You Are</strong></h3>
<p><strong>Required Qualifications</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>4+ years of experience in People Operations, HR administration, or a similar people-facing role—ideally in a fast-paced technology or startup environment</li>
<li>Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail, with a strong commitment to data integrity and confidentiality</li>
<li>Strong written and verbal communication skills across all channels and audiences</li>
<li>Experience with office management, workplace operations, or event planning</li>
<li>Ability to work independently while collaborating seamlessly with a global team</li>
<li>Ability to manage multiple priorities and pivot quickly in a dynamic environment</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Preferred Qualifications</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Experience with tools in our stack: Notion, Slack, TriNet, Lattice, Deel, and AI tools like Claude</li>
<li>Exposure to People analytics, reporting, or dashboard maintenance</li>
<li>Exposure to office management or workplace experience in a hybrid or distributed setting</li>
<li>Experience in consumer tech, gaming, or hardware companies</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Mindset & Attributes</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>You are a proactive, people-caring and ownership-driven operator—you see gaps and fill them before anyone asks</li>
<li>You are comfortable with ambiguity and genuinely excited about building processes from scratch</li>
<li>You bring Marie Kondo energy to employee records, people systems, and office spaces alike—chaos doesn't stand a chance around you</li>
<li>You are a fast learner who operates with high agency—when you don't know something, you figure it out; when you see an opportunity, you run with it</li>
<li>You are a self-starter who follows through relentlessly, whether it's closing out an onboarding checklist or sourcing a venue for an offsite</li>
<li>You understand that supporting a growing, global team means flexibility—no two days will look the same, and that's what excites you</li>
</ul>
<p>#LI-onsite</p><div class="content-conclusion"><h3><strong class="bold-text-2">We Offer</strong></h3>
<ul class="list-item-16">
<li class="list-item-16">Competitive compensation package.</li>
<li class="list-item-23">Flexible working hours and vacation policy.</li>
<li class="list-item-23">Product-driven culture that treasures talents and individual growth.</li>
<li class="list-item-23">Front-row seat and hands-on experience with cutting edge technologies in the evolving gaming field</li>
</ul>
<p>Nex is located in <strong>San Jose, California, USA</strong> and <strong>Hong Kong</strong>. Learn more about us at <a href="https://www.nex.inc/who-we-are" target="">nex.inc/who-we-are</a>.<br><br>We encourage applications even if you don’t meet more than 50% of the requirements — we believe that experience comes in many forms!</p>
<p data-start="274" data-end="661">Nex is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. This policy applies to all individuals at every stage of the employment relationship, including all current and prospective employees, and covers all employment decisions including recruitment, hiring, job assignment, promotion, compensation, benefits, training, discipline and termination.</p>
<p data-start="667" data-end="811">We are committed to providing a workplace free from discrimination and harassment and to fostering an inclusive environment for all employees.</p></div>
<div class="content-intro"><p>Nex is on a mission to help families rediscover the joy of movement. Created by parents for parents, Nex combines technology and play to deliver fun, social, and interactive experiences powered by natural body motion, encouraging kids and adults to move more, play more, and have fun together. Nex Playground, the company’s award-winning active play system, is purpose-built to get families moving year-round, with safety and privacy as core considerations in its intentional design. It is certified kidSAFE+ COPPA compliant and built to support healthy, active play for all ages and abilities.</p>
<p>Nex Playground features a growing library of 50+ experiences, including motion and dance games, fitness and educational experiences, and Nex Originals. Content includes collaborations with partners like Hasbro, Sesame Workshop, and NBCUniversal. Nex has been recognized by Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, TIME’s Best Inventions, and Parents’ Best Entertainment System for Families, and has earned Red Dot, IDEA, and Core77 international design awards. We encourage you to explore <a class="c-link" href="https://www.playthatmovesyou.com/p/have-fun" target="_blank" data-stringify-link="https://www.playthatmovesyou.com/p/have-fun" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Have Fun</a> and <a class="c-link" href="https://www.playthatmovesyou.com/p/is-motion-gaming-back" target="_blank" data-stringify-link="https://www.playthatmovesyou.com/p/is-motion-gaming-back" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Is Motion Gaming Back?</a>, as they offer a deeper look into our culture, values, and explain how our approach to motion gaming differs from previous generations.</p>
<p>To protect yourself from recruitment scams, please note that Nex communicates through official company emails ending in @nex.inc. If you receive a suspicious email or message, please do not respond and report it immediately to us.</p></div><p><strong>Location: San Jose, CA (On-site) <span class="Apple-converted-space"> <br>Annual salary: USD 90,000– USD 115,000<br>Employment Type: Full-time <br></span>Reports to: People Operations Manager <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></p>
<h3><strong>About the Role</strong></h3>
<p>We are looking for a dedicated and detail-oriented People Operations Specialist to help build and run the people experience at Nex. This is a hybrid role—roughly split between People Operations and executive/administrative support for our San Jose office—giving you broad exposure across HR, office operations, and business support as we scale.</p>
<p>You will play a critical part in delivering seamless support to employees and stakeholders across North America and Europe, ensuring an exceptional employee experience. You will handle sensitive employee information with the utmost confidentiality and integrity, focusing on data accuracy and process efficiency. The ideal candidate is a proactive team player with a client-service mindset, a passion for continuous improvement, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic startup environment.</p>
<p>This is an on-site role requiring a minimum of 3 days per week in our San Jose office, with occasional travel. You handle sensitive employee data and confidential company information—discretion is essential.</p>
<h3><strong>What You'll Do</strong></h3>
<p><strong>People Operations</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Own the new hire onboarding process end-to-end—HRIS administration, IT coordination, orientation and Day 1 readiness—so every new hire feels the Nex culture from the start</li>
<li>Manage employee lifecycle events including role changes, promotions, compensation adjustments, international transfers, and offboarding with precision and care</li>
<li>Create, maintain, and audit employee records and documentation, ensuring data accuracy and compliance across all systems</li>
<li>Serve as the first point of contact for employee questions on People topics, benefits, and policies—responding with speed, clarity, and a genuine desire to help</li>
<li>Maintain and improve People dashboards and reporting—headcount, attrition, onboarding milestones, and other key operational metrics</li>
<li>Support various People projects and initiatives—HRIS implementation, People policies design, implementation and communication, etc.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Office & Administrative Support</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Oversee day-to-day operations of the San Jose office—facilities, vendors, supplies, space management, mail and filing management</li>
<li>Provide administrative support to senior leadership, helping keep priorities organized and operations running smoothly</li>
<li>Hardware inventory budgeting, planning and lifecycle management</li>
<li>Act as the primary contact person for all matters related to corporate and workplace insurance, including renewals and claim administration</li>
<li>Plan and execute team events, company offsites, and employee experience moments—including venue/vendor sourcing, logistics, and coordination</li>
<li>Ensure a high-quality in-office experience that reflects how Nex works: free, flexible, and intentional</li>
</ul>
<h3><strong>Who You Are</strong></h3>
<p><strong>Required Qualifications</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>4+ years of experience in People Operations, HR administration, or a similar people-facing role—ideally in a fast-paced technology or startup environment</li>
<li>Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail, with a strong commitment to data integrity and confidentiality</li>
<li>Strong written and verbal communication skills across all channels and audiences</li>
<li>Experience with office management, workplace operations, or event planning</li>
<li>Ability to work independently while collaborating seamlessly with a global team</li>
<li>Ability to manage multiple priorities and pivot quickly in a dynamic environment</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Preferred Qualifications</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Experience with tools in our stack: Notion, Slack, TriNet, Lattice, Deel, and AI tools like Claude</li>
<li>Exposure to People analytics, reporting, or dashboard maintenance</li>
<li>Exposure to office management or workplace experience in a hybrid or distributed setting</li>
<li>Experience in consumer tech, gaming, or hardware companies</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Mindset & Attributes</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>You are a proactive, people-caring and ownership-driven operator—you see gaps and fill them before anyone asks</li>
<li>You are comfortable with ambiguity and genuinely excited about building processes from scratch</li>
<li>You bring Marie Kondo energy to employee records, people systems, and office spaces alike—chaos doesn't stand a chance around you</li>
<li>You are a fast learner who operates with high agency—when you don't know something, you figure it out; when you see an opportunity, you run with it</li>
<li>You are a self-starter who follows through relentlessly, whether it's closing out an onboarding checklist or sourcing a venue for an offsite</li>
<li>You understand that supporting a growing, global team means flexibility—no two days will look the same, and that's what excites you</li>
</ul>
<p>#LI-onsite</p><div class="content-conclusion"><h3><strong class="bold-text-2">We Offer</strong></h3>
<ul class="list-item-16">
<li class="list-item-16">Competitive compensation package.</li>
<li class="list-item-23">Flexible working hours and vacation policy.</li>
<li class="list-item-23">Product-driven culture that treasures talents and individual growth.</li>
<li class="list-item-23">Front-row seat and hands-on experience with cutting edge technologies in the evolving gaming field</li>
</ul>
<p>Nex is located in <strong>San Jose, California, USA</strong> and <strong>Hong Kong</strong>. Learn more about us at <a href="https://www.nex.inc/who-we-are" target="">nex.inc/who-we-are</a>.<br><br>We encourage applications even if you don’t meet more than 50% of the requirements — we believe that experience comes in many forms!</p>
<p data-start="274" data-end="661">Nex is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. This policy applies to all individuals at every stage of the employment relationship, including all current and prospective employees, and covers all employment decisions including recruitment, hiring, job assignment, promotion, compensation, benefits, training, discipline and termination.</p>
<p data-start="667" data-end="811">We are committed to providing a workplace free from discrimination and harassment and to fostering an inclusive environment for all employees.</p></div>
See All 139+ People Operations Specialist Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsPeople Operations Specialist Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
People Operations Specialist Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- California State University7
- DPR Construction4
- Mrl San Francisco4
- The People Concern4
- TikTok4
Top Industries Hiring
- Education25
- Technology & Software17
- Healthcare & Medical Services11
- Construction & Real Estate8
- Science & Research8
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in people operations specialist jobs across California.
- Bachelor's degree in human resources, business administration, or a related field
- Two or more years of HR generalist or people operations experience
- Proficiency with HRIS platforms such as Workday, BambooHR, or Rippling
- Knowledge of California labor law, including wage and hour requirements
- Experience supporting full-cycle recruiting or onboarding programs
- Strong data analysis skills and comfort working with people metrics and dashboards
People Operations Specialist Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a people operations specialist in California?
Most people operations specialists in California start with a bachelor's degree in human resources, business administration, or psychology and then move into an HR coordinator or generalist role to build hands-on experience. California does not require a state-issued license for this role, but earning a Professional in Human Resources credential through HRCI or a SHRM-CP certification strengthens candidacy considerably. Many California employers, particularly in tech, also value direct experience with California-specific compliance requirements around leave law and wage and hour rules.
How much do people operations specialists make in California?
People operations specialists in California earn a median of about $83,500 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $52,770 for the lowest 10% to over $151,410 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire people operations specialists in California?
Employers hiring people operations specialists in California right now include California State University, DPR Construction, and Mrl San Francisco, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. California's concentration of technology headquarters, large healthcare networks, and high-growth startups means hiring activity tends to stay consistent across the Bay Area and greater Los Angeles throughout the year.
Which California cities have the most people operations specialist jobs?
San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego have the most people operations specialist openings in California. The distribution reflects the concentration of technology company headquarters and enterprise employers in the Bay Area, the entertainment, media, and healthcare employers driving demand in Los Angeles, and the biotech and defense industries that anchor hiring in San Diego.
Are there remote people operations specialist jobs in California?
Yes, and more than many HR roles, because much of people operations work involves systems administration, policy development, and data analysis that translates well to remote or hybrid arrangements. About 19% of people operations specialist openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of June 2026, reflecting the strong tech employer base that normalized distributed work. Tasks tied to in-person onboarding, office culture programs, or benefits enrollment events tend to require on-site presence most often.
How can I get hired as a people operations specialist in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is an HR coordinator or people operations associate role at a mid-size California technology or healthcare company, where generalist exposure builds quickly. Large California employers like UC Health systems and Bay Area tech firms regularly hire through new-grad rotational programs and HR internship pipelines. Moving laterally from office management, executive assistance, or recruiting coordination is common and recognized. Earning a SHRM-CP or completing a California community college certificate in human resources management gives candidates without experience a concrete credential to lead with.
Where can I find and apply to people operations specialist jobs in California?
You can find and apply to people operations specialist jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across industries and experience levels. Find the roles that fit your background and apply directly.
See All 139+ People Operations Specialist Jobs in California
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